JMC Voiceover Source Connect
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
202-738-1151
  • Home
  • My Demos
    • Commercial
    • Crisis Commercials
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
    • Demo Production
    • Demo Production Guide
    • Commercial
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Coaching
    • Coaching
    • Voiceover Coaching Guide
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
    • Euro Vo Retreat
    • VO Atlanta
    • One Voice Conference USA
  • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaking Coach
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

Keeping the Fire Burning: 3 Tips to Stay Motivated as a Voice Actor

by J. Michael Collins

Being a small business owner is rewarding in many ways, but finding the motivation to keep doing the little things that make a business successful can be challenging. As voice actors, people see our big wins splashed across their TVs, tablets, and movie screens, yet the daily grind is invisible. Here are a few voiceover motivation tips to keep your head in the game when the weight of business building starts to feel heavy on your shoulders.

1.) Have a routine, and stick with it.

If your workday has an established flow, it’s easier to get into a rhythm and feel as though you are operating at a high level. My days start with a check of my email and social media, a shower, and breakfast. Them I’m into admin. I clear my inbox before anything else, starting with messages that simply require a reply. Next are client projects that can be cleared quickly. Commercials, short narrations, promos, etc…. get done in the early part of my day. Then I clear priority auditions from agents, management, and existing clients/rosters. After this I have my task list, which includes invoicing, handling requests from coaching and demo clients, demo scripting, and other admin. Now I’m several hours into my day, and live sessions will dominate the rest of my time, while I handle emails and urgent auditions in the short gaps between sessions. Short breaks for lunch and dinner, lather rinse repeat the next day. This clear and consistent process allows me to keep my deck clear and my inbox as close to zero as possible throughout the day, so things don’t pile up. It also allows me to ease in and out of my week and avoid working weekends as much as possible.

2.) Build in downtime.

I’m a grinder. I go hard in the middle of my week with few breaks, but I intentionally book Mondays and Fridays as light as possible, and I don’t work weekends. I cram 50+ hours into the middle of my week, but that allows a lot of planned 3 and 4-day weekends, and I plan several weeks throughout the year to simply book out. Golden handcuffs clients can interfere with this, but if you build in downtime and stick with it, you’ll have something to look forward to as you are in the whirlwind, which will keep you motivated.

3.) Your income starts at ZERO every month.

I track my numbers religiously, but the number that I keep front and center on my tracking sheet is how much I’ve earned this month. For newer talent, seeing that number climb will often motivate you sufficiently, but for established talent looking at the number you’ve earned so far versus your needs/expectations for monthly income based on past performance helps to gamify the work experience, and adds motivation. No matter how much you’ve earned so far in a given year, seeing a small number staring at you on the second or third….or tenth! of the month can be enough to keep the fire under your ass burning and motivate you not to rest on your laurels or the expectation of repeat business.

Leave your comments below and let us know how YOU stay motivated!

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Industry

Primary Sidebar

Archives

Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

Receive News & Updates
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

RECENT TWEETS

@jmcvoiceover

June 4th 2023 03:06:40

Monkey went climbing for a friend’s birthday, as monkeys do. https://t.co/CUjNlap5XD

@jmcvoiceover

June 4th 2023 10:06:59

Jane Beverley rocks out in her new Commercial Demo from JMC Demos. The Beats spot at #4 is fire!… https://t.co/NlnxoXtdW7

@jmcvoiceover

June 3rd 2023 01:06:49

A stunning day on the Moselle, capped of with dueling banana splits! https://t.co/m7ZNqejDZk

@jmcvoiceover

June 2nd 2023 04:06:33

Somebody did his first animation audition.…..kid takes direction pretty well! https://t.co/YqdSCG98a2

@jmcvoiceover

June 2nd 2023 02:06:00

In the Anime & Video Game casting world it doesn't get much bigger than Mami Okada of BangZoom!

Bring your A game… https://t.co/RYv02MRarF

@jmcvoiceover

June 2nd 2023 10:06:05

The EURO VO Retreat IX official group shot! https://t.co/RAKRaZH1kg

@jmcvoiceover

June 1st 2023 01:06:52

Directed sessions. How do they work? What can go right? What can go wrong? Bev Standing and Graeme Spicer join the… https://t.co/eIUw5Galio

@jmcvoiceover

May 31st 2023 09:05:01

Love is Anna’s homemade ramen. Yum! https://t.co/C5WIAkffn8

@jmcvoiceover

May 30th 2023 07:05:44

Elite LA Casting Director Terry Berland hosts a three-hour performance workshop for Gravy for the Brain on June 17t… https://t.co/nEOyopVu5b

@jmcvoiceover

May 30th 2023 02:05:17

https://t.co/9qyk9rXWFb

New blog is live!

Baby, don't fear the robo-reaper..... https://t.co/qQ9Rmuj6Zt … https://t.co/qQ9Rmuj6Zt

@jmcvoiceover

May 30th 2023 01:05:01

ASP talent agent Suzanne Spaziani joins the One Voice Conference USA to offer her perspective on how to grow your c… https://t.co/GCHR4TaIfo

@jmcvoiceover

May 29th 2023 02:05:06

The guy next door, who can turn on presence and gravitas as needed. Presenting Sam Rice....about as current as it g… https://t.co/I3y97VMmNV

@jmcvoiceover

May 29th 2023 11:05:36

Cruisin’ with the monkey child… https://t.co/Z9UXinowNw

@jmcvoiceover

May 29th 2023 10:05:37

Just two days left to enter the One Voice Awards, presented this August in Dallas!

No fee to enter. No fee to cla… https://t.co/RnVyH4gwTG

@jmcvoiceover

May 29th 2023 06:05:26

I never had the honor of serving.

Having walked the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, and the American Ceme… https://t.co/V4OkGpndLG

@jmcvoiceover

May 28th 2023 07:05:35

Most conferences these days have a Demo Panel, as doing it right is critical to success at the highest levels of th… https://t.co/Zjyrizahet

@jmcvoiceover

May 26th 2023 09:05:43

Shots from the closing dinner at EURO VO Retreat IX, and the best anniversary card ever! https://t.co/CiKNyMwxCu

@jmcvoiceover

May 26th 2023 04:05:13

Afternoon sessions at EURO VO Retreat IX, including an appearance from the Weird Little Car! https://t.co/3Uu3iXoRNB

@jmcvoiceover

May 25th 2023 08:05:19

Jeff Howell gets inducted into the Bad Boys of VO, Euro BBQ night, and afternoon sessions. One day left at EURO VO… https://t.co/Glrzg4I3e1

@jmcvoiceover

May 25th 2023 03:05:48

The CEO Steel Cage Death Match at EURO VO Retreat IX! https://t.co/cXsLnJKoJT

@jmcvoiceover

May 25th 2023 10:05:49

Thursday at EURO VO Retreat IX gets rolling with Debi Derryberry teaching animation, Jeff Howell on ADR and dubbing… https://t.co/OT2fsfiICV

@jmcvoiceover

May 25th 2023 09:05:52

The One Voice Conference USA is all about FRESH.

We're thrilled to welcome star VO Andy Barnett as one of our sp… https://t.co/ZprP8ZIcmw

@jmcvoiceover

May 24th 2023 08:05:38

Scenes from lunch and dinner… https://t.co/SLamr7oWOZ

@jmcvoiceover

May 24th 2023 05:05:52

The CEOs arrive… https://t.co/Uv9KEf4OKZ

@jmcvoiceover

May 24th 2023 03:05:39

E-Learning and training narration is becoming more fun and more modern. When you need a voice that connects and cut… https://t.co/jN9bew4rCv

@jmcvoiceover

May 24th 2023 09:05:53

Our EURO VO Retreat private golf carts, officially christened Lob Force 1 and Lob Force 2. https://t.co/Y6xRrrwS1J

@jmcvoiceover

May 23rd 2023 08:05:39

The One Voice Conference USA is coming up in less than three months, featuring the legendary Troy Baker as our keyn… https://t.co/jPTPfiN0R2

@jmcvoiceover

May 23rd 2023 05:05:43

As if Tuesday at EURO VO Retreat IX isn’t cool enough, I am absolutely honored to have won a silver Telly Award for… https://t.co/9zqNd6u98S

@jmcvoiceover

May 23rd 2023 04:05:02

Afternoon sessions at EURO VO Retreat IX https://t.co/t1kfB5hHnJ

@jmcvoiceover

May 23rd 2023 01:05:41

EURO VO Retreat IX sessions are underway, and also our communal Tri-Booth with a bunny nearby. https://t.co/YxK4R7oi8X

@jmcvoiceover

May 22nd 2023 06:05:19

Early returns from the opening night of EURO VO Retreat IX https://t.co/F7JnAWS9ef

@jmcvoiceover

May 22nd 2023 11:05:34

The wheels on the bus go “just one more for safety,” “just one more for safety,” “just one more for safety.”

🎵🎵🎵… https://t.co/Jy9H7SQ2Ay

@jmcvoiceover

May 21st 2023 05:05:49

The retreat officially starts tomorrow, but tonight we’re on a boat! https://t.co/nOvV9uhkyf

@jmcvoiceover

May 21st 2023 08:05:00

Breakfast at the local pancake place. https://t.co/hDDnsGqZsZ

CONTACT
202-738-1151
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
  • Home
  • My Demos
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
  • Coaching
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
  • Public Speaker Training
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

Privacy Policy
©2023 J. Michael Collins // Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites