Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 6/2/2009

Question
Hello Taylor,

I moved to the Washington DC area 10 years ago and I am now 33. My first passion was modeling and then I kind of ventured off into the acting arena falling in love with it. I have done a couple independent films as well as I have taken some acting classes. I also have a strong passion for the Fashion Industry with someday being able to develope my own clothing Line and have recently recieved my certification in Makeup Artistry.

I know that people say you should pick one thing and stick to that one thing. But I have a strong desire to do all of them . Lately I have been contemplating the move to NY seeing as how it is just up the road. My question is this, the Washington DC area has a very large theatre scene, should I stay here for a couple more years and get my feet wet a little more or should I make that move. Also, NY is only four hours away would it be better if alternated my weekends maybe visit a little more and take some classes. I know of a couple actors that have done that.

I think that what is keeping me here is that I have finally landed a pretty decent job and its nice to have stability. But I still feel as tho that there is something missing in my life. I try an dismiss it but I know exactly what it is I am not doing what I put here on earth to do. I feel as if I am at a point in my life where it is a make or break decision according to my age. Three years ago I left college with only four classes left til graduation. And the reason why was because I was un happy and in my head I felt like why amd I doing something that I am unhappy at doing. My plan was to focus more on my acting, and now three years later I am sitting here and thinking to myself what was your point of leaving school if you were not going to fully pursue your career.

I think that at this point I know what I want to do, but I feel stuck as to how I should go about doing it.

Life is funny, sometime I will turn on the telvision or see a magazine ad and there will be someone in there that I know becuase we started out acting together and I think to my self what happend why couldnt that be you:(!

Please advise!  

Answer
Hi Taneak,

Decisions, decisions...

What you have is "Paralysis by Analysis". It is a close cousin to the dreaded acting malady of "being up in your head".

I know it well. I also understand your feeling of wasting your life away when you are destined. However, while I support dreams, I have gotten practical in my old age and strongly advise you to finish school as you are so close. If you are truly destined, it will wait.
I promise you, you will be glad you got your paper. In life, it really does affect you when you have unfinished business. I have always found it was better mentally to overcome things. I failed at my first try as a waiter, but a couple years later I got another waiting job and found I was great at it. I had just been in the wrong place. It was great to get that off my back.

As to the multi-talented thing, most people you read about DO ONE THING AT A TIME until they master it, then they move to the next. Multi-tasking has been proven to get you to where you are mediocre at several things, master of none. That, and you don't get anything done quickly. Arnold Schwartzenegger is an example of one of those who conquered many things, but did them one at a time. (except for college-he went to 3 schools at once to speed that up on his business degree). He succeeded in bodybuilding, real estate and acting and then politics. He was also in the Austrian army....

Thing is, you CAN take classes for acting while you finish school and with a degree you can get a job that pays decent money and MAYBE gets you flexibility to go to auditions and gigs. If not, you can get a low-pay that may let you off or then again, maybe not. When you have a low pay job, life is even harder. If you don't get anywhere acting, then you are stuck going back to school at 40 or 50 and then it will likely take longer as they change the curriculum. Then it's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool! Lol!

Best,

Taylor