Debunking the Scarcity Mentality Myth

I’m an actor, and I only audition for stories I care about or characters I’m intrigued by.

This…is very new for me.

And it’s definitely not something you hear actors say.

Instead, what you often hear is:

“You should audition for everything, because you never know what they’re looking for. (What if it’s you)?”

“Take every opportunity. (Because you never know when the next one will come).”

“Keep going and never give up. (Because there’s a lot of competition).”

At face value, the advice almost seems positive. All we’re really doing is encouraging a go-getter mentality, right?

But in reality, for me and for many fellow actors, these “wise words” have only bred anxiety and restlessness and the feeling that you can never say no. Yikes.

This is because scarcity mentality is usually at the root of these messages.

And yes, while it’s true that there are way more actors than there are jobs, should we really just “take what we can get”?

I could go on and on about the dangers of scarcity mentality. It leads to desperation, direction-lessness, and burnout…

But what I hate most about scarcity mentality is that it devalues you. Suddenly, your limits and needs and desires no longer matter. Exhaustion becomes a weakness. Discomfort with a role becomes shameful. And passion and joy become luxuries.

Instead, shouldn’t we be telling actors that – wait a second – they’re valuable?

What if I were to tell you that you have value because God made you in His image? What if I were to tell you that God anticipates that you’ll have limits and needs and desires? What if I were to tell you that the God who loves you is in control? 

And that maybe, just maybe…some opportunities should be missed?

In fact, I recently discovered an opportunity worth missing. 

I auditioned for a fantasy series sometime last year. It sounded fun, it filmed near family, and it involved some friends of mine. However, I had a gut feeling that something was off. I decided not to audition.

Then, I backtracked and decided to audition after all. It was the usual doubts: what if it works out? What if I’m making myself miss out on something? 

So I did it. And I didn’t get it. I was axed pretty quickly while I watched several others advance in callbacks. 

I was a little bummed at the time. But I recently discovered that the main creators split from each other because of sexual abuse allegations!

I was so relieved I never got anywhere close to the project.

Maybe the issue isn’t that there are too few opportunities and too many actors. Maybe, there’s actually too many opportunities – and only a few that are meant for you. 

If there is a God who is in control, who loves you, and who has plans for you, well then, you get to be picky!

It’s not the end of the world if you can’t do something. And you don’t have to desperately grab at whatever casting call comes along. Our limits and God’s limitlessness affords us a lot of freedom. 

You can choose from a place of abundance, not scarcity!