Student Blog: The Eternal Tightrope: Actors and the Balancing Act

Think of your life like a tightrope - on one side is your personal life, job, and hobbies - and on the other side is your life as an artist. How does this picture then apply to us in our everyday lives, and how can this image help us cope?

Thinking of life like a balancing act is one of the best ways to continue living a balanced life. If you put too much emphasis on one thing or another, you will tip over and fall off the tightrope. If you are too engrossed in training and auditions, not in terms of time, but in terms of mindset, you can begin to feel sad if things aren't going your way, or if you're not improving. And if you are not focusing on your training or spending time on auditions, you can start to feel detached and left out, especially if you are pursuing acting professionally. Having a healthy balance is best - someone that has hobbies outside of their passion is usually happier.

There is also a necessity to this philosophy - home life and work life are a necessity of our society, and we cannot always give all of our attention to theater. People have to work to live, and there is no negative moral value in that. There is also no negative moral value in not balancing your life, but the thought of the tightrope can help you if you are pursuing a creative path.

Ultimately, the tightrope is a tool that I use to keep myself accountable and keep myself motivated, while also not losing sight of things that need to be done, other priorities, and things that I enjoy doing. I am finally able to make space for both. I hope that this image can help people understand the balance.