Reframe It

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” -Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search For Meaning

“Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, another by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly, do not lay hold of the action by the handle of his injustice, for by that handle the matter cannot be borne; but rather lay hold of the other,—that he is your brother, that he was brought up with you; and thus you will lay hold of the matter by the handle by which it can be borne.” -Epictetus, Enchiridion

“I wasn’t called to audition because I was meant to get the role. I was called to audition because I was meant to audition…Because I suddenly understood that I wasn’t called there because the part was mine. I was called there because the process was mine.” -Robyn Cohen

“Your inner monologue determines your outer actions. The most powerful story in the world is the one you tell yourself.” -Shane Parrish

“The best advice for fellow actors is this: know what your job is. About 18 years ago I had this cognition that I realized I was going into auditions trying to get a job. And that simply wasn’t what I was doing, wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing. An actor is supposed to create a compelling, interesting character that serves the text, presented in the environment where your audition happens, and then you walk away. And that’s it. Everything else is out of your control, so don’t think of it, don’t focus on that. You’re not going there to get a job. You’re going there to present what you do. You act. And there it is; you walk away. There’s power in that. There’s confidence in that. And it’s also saying: I can only do so much. The decision of who gets a job is so out of your control that really when you analyze it, it makes no sense. That to me was a break-through. Once I adapted that philosophy, I never looked back. And I’ve never been so busy in my life. That’s it. Good luck.” -Bryan Cranston

We have the ability to reframe any situation, anything that happens to us, in a way that empowers us. Something that affirms our hopes, dreams and desires, rather than conflicting with them.

Just like Epictetus tells us above, there are always two handles. So it goes with stories. There are always two sides to every story. Two ways of looking at them. And you get to choose. Why not every time out, pick the handle, the story, that most empowers you?

P.S. – My friend and phenomenal actor/teacher Robyn Cohen, has a great post about reframing her recent audition experience. You can read it Here.