2018
How to Stop Procrastinating, Get More Done, AND Reduce Stress
*Hi, my name is Ben. And I’m a recovering workaholic. Hi, Ben. Hi everyone. Thanks for that warm welcome. You want to get more done in your life or you wouldn’t have clicked on this article. Fair warning: This not a post about becoming a robot or someone who never leaves the house just to […]
2015
You Didn’t Sign Up to Be an Actor
Whether you knew it at the time or not, when you started this journey you didn’t sign up to be an actor.You signed up for the journey of an actor. I coach actors every week on the business of acting, and on the mindset it takes to create success. Each actor has their own struggles […]
2014
The Key to Sustainable Success: The Annual Review
In Hollywood, there’s a lot of talk about overnight successes. The truth is, those are mostly just fabricated stories, and what’s behind them are decades of hard work and dedication. But even if someone gets a lucky break, it takes much more to turn that into a sustainable career. That’s what I want for each […]
2014
Taking the Work Out of Networking
Networking. The word itself even scares Chuck Norris. It often brings to mind images of slimy car salesman giving out business cards and people being inauthentic, simply seeing what you can do for them. Well here’s the deal: “Networking” is just talking to people. It really is that simple. The last time you sat down across […]
2014
How Momentum Will Influence Your Acting Career
Take yourself back to your high school physics class. No, not because of Laura Simpson, the cute girl who sat next to you. Pay attention. Because of inertia and momentum. In physics, inertia means: a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, […]
2014
The 1 Way to Distinguish Real Opportunities from Distractions
My dear friend and mentor Ryan Basham constantly asks me if an “opportunity” I’m considering is really just a distraction. If you’re a talented/likable human being, “opportunities” will come your way. The longer you’re around and the more you develop your skills, the more they will come your way. I ran into this a couple […]
2014
The 1 Most Important Way to Measure Success
One of the difficult things about any (nonlinear) artistic career is how to measure success—especially in the early years. For example, as an actor it’s (extremely) rare that you will book a significant amount of TV credits in the first few years of your career. This does not, however, mean that you aren’t making phenomenal […]
2014
The Secret to Social Media
When I moved to Los Angeles a number of my friends kept telling me I need to get on Twitter. I really don’t care what people had for lunch, I kept thinking. After much insistence, I begrudgingly joined. Thank the Spaghetti Monster I did, because it was one of the best things I’ve done for […]
2012
Acting vs. Being an Actor: The #1 Reason People Leave LA
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for three years now, and I’ve noticed an incredibly important distinction: Acting is not the same thing as being an Actor. In fact, they can be worlds apart. Allow me to clarify. “Acting” is the actual performance by a human being on stage or on screen. “Being an Actor” (and here […]
2012
Naive is Awesome (Ryan Basham Guest Post)
Hey there readers! Today I bring you a guest post from my dear friend, brilliant mentor, and all around bad ass Ryan Basham. Enjoy This one goes out to the little kid in all of us. When you’re a little kid, you’re in it for the fun of it. You’re playing the game of life hard without […]