Say goodbye to pre-strike you
TL;DR
Now is the perfect time to take a moment to check in with yourself and take stock of who you were BEFORE the strike and who you are NOW.
One might say I’ve had my share of strike-based conversations with my clients this year.
These are just a few things I’ve heard as of late in the coaching room:
“I’m not the same person I was before the strike.”
“I had so much momentum before the strike, I’m scared my shot came and went.”
“I don’t know where I should be putting my energy for my career now.”
Sound familiar?
With the SAG-AFTRA strike coming to an end, and the contract vote looking very likely to be ratified, the entertainment industry is poised to re-open for business after being dark on most fronts for nearly 7 months.
There's a lot to celebrate — though it feels like the common reaction is tentative relief more than excitement.
And I actually think that's a good thing.
To many people outside of the industry, it probably seems like it'll be back to business as usual.
But, to all of us, the reality is that, like coming out of the pandemic, we're entering into an entertainment landscape that will look quite different from what it previously was.
This is both for good reasons (the gains made by the creativity community) and not-so-good ones (production slates being cut, projects being dropped from development, etc.).
Whatever the reasons, as you begin the process of restarting your career, you may experience a disquieting sense of things being "off" without being able to put your finger on what, exactly, the issue is.
And like coming out of the pandemic, there's really no answer to how things are going to shake out. Still, we can probably all agree on one thing: this has always been an industry of unknowns and no-guarantees.
Even when you BOOK the job, and DO the job, we all know it can still end up on the cutting room floor, no matter how brilliant your work was.
So, what is in your control? And where do you go from here?
Now is the perfect time to take a moment to check in with yourself and take stock of who you were before the strike and who you are now.
Try this exercise on: Make a list of all of YOUR knowns. Use the prompts below to help clarify what you DO know right now…
What do I know about myself now, having made it through this incredibly challenging year (e.g. “I need to take a month off to regroup,” or “I work best in community,” or “I really enjoy writing by myself.”)
What do I know I still want to go for? What project am I ready to return to or complete
What am I no longer willing to do? What am I ready to say NO to going forward?
Who / What can I count on right now?
What fuels me when facing the unknowns? What keeps me going?
How well prepared am I to make the most of any new opportunities that come my way? And, how can I best position myself to find these opportunities, rather than waiting for them to come to me?
Yes — there is no magic bullet solution for everyone; and some of you are going to find it more difficult to regain your footing in this new terrain.
So, my suggestion is to focus on what you want to create going forward.
And if you need any support in getting clear on what that is for you now, this may be the perfect time to connect with a coach and re-evaluate where you're at — and where you want to go — with your career.
We're not only here to help you make a plan that works specifically for you, we're also an overall support system to help you navigate these big questions during uncertain times.
Ultimately, some real progress has been made for the creative community, even if the future isn't exactly clear. But, then again, the future never has been clear, and we've always managed to find our way through...together.