The Year in Review

The end of the year can be a great time to reflect on your accomplishments as well as prepare for the upcoming year. However, to avoid the pitfalls of quickly-forgotten new year's resolutions, here's a way to plan out your next year and stick with it.

First, review the year in total as it relates to your career. Write down what you accomplished month by month in the past year, whether it be acting jobs, classes and/or taking new headshots. Anything that helped you work or advance your career is fair game here. Look at the list, and find out what times you are busier than others. Is there a pattern here? Also, maybe the down times are good times for the next year in which to take a small vacation, work on writing or perform a show. I always find my Julys are slower than other months...

Second, make a separate list of auditions from the past year and calculate the percentage that you book TV jobs, Films and commercials. This should be easy to do if you keep an audition log.... If you don't have one of these, then get one for the new year ASAP! Once you've got the ratio of auditions to bookings, then you can focus on what areas need strengthening.

Third, make a list of all the projects you started in the past year and which you accomplished vs. which you didn't. Use this list to figure out what to carry over into the next year and what to leave behind. These could include updating your pictures, website or bio (which you should be doing regularly anyway).

Finally, congratulate yourself on a year well spent. Don't look back with regret -- look forward with promise and optimism. You can only go up from wherever you are!