For Voice Over Clients

Emotional Branding: The Power of Emotional Video Narratives

While we humans like to think we’re in control, making decisions based on logic and rational thought, we’re really not. In fact, up to 90% of our decisions are based on emotion. Yet we’re not always apt to admit that, even to ourselves.

We instead justify our actions, explaining to ourselves and others why buying that flashy new sports car instead of the practical minivan was a rational decision based on logic and fact.

Even when people deny the power emotions have to persuade them, they still fall under their spell. That’s exactly why emotional branding is such a powerful and effective technique.

You got a good taste of emotional marketing in our brand anthem blog, and now you’re getting the full entrée on emotional branding—topped off with examples of compelling video narration in action.

What Is Emotional Branding?

Emotional branding is a marketing technique that uses the power of emotion to build a relationship between a brand and its prospects and customers. The benefits of emotional branding are enormous, with the ability to:

Differentiate your brand from the competition
Create a human connection and positive brand recognition
Increase brand loyalty, resulting in greater retention and customer lifetime value

The term was first introduced by Marc Gobé in his 2001 book “Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People.” And the concept has been on fire ever since.

His book introduces the 10 Commandments of Emotional Branding, which outlines how brands sell products not just because the products are useful—but because they produce experiences and forge emotional connections.

10 Commandments of Emotional Branding

Gobé’s commandments focus on the transformation of ideas associated with the traditional marketing mindset into concepts aligned with emotional marketing. Here’s a quick paraphrasing of all 10:

Not consumers, but respected individuals.
Not products, but things that create memorable life events.
Not only honest but trusted. People expect brands to talk about being honest. Go one better by building brand loyalty through likability and trust.
Not quality, but preferred. Go beyond a focus on the quality of your product. Dig into the preferences of your target audience to make sure you remain the preferred brand producing the preferred products.
Not notoriety, but an aspiration. Being well-known is good. Being a brand that delivers a good feeling and emotional connection is even better.
Not identity, but personality. Just because your brand has a clear identity doesn’t mean it has a charismatic personality with strong values.
Not function, but feelings. Make your products more than a practical solution to a need. Craft them to embody an emotional experience that aligns with aesthetics.
Not ubiquity, but presence. Being everywhere isn’t as effective as having a strong presence in places where your target audience hangs out.
Not communication, but dialog. Give up your one-sided conversation in favor of an interactive dialogue with feedback, accessibility, and social proof.
Not service, but relationships. Don’t just sell products. Connect with your audience to establish loyalty, taking their suggestions and making them feel they are part of your brand.

The Art of Persuasion

Putting the commandments to work takes even more strategy. An effective one is to couple them with the three pillars of persuasion introduced by Aristotle. Those pillars are:

Ethos: Appeal to credibility and authority
Pathos: Appeal to empathy and emotion
Logos: Appeal to logic and reason

Ethos is connected to the credibility and values of your brand’s personality. You want to showcase how your quality products are backed by a company with strong moral and ethical values. Strengthen your brand ethos by being transparent with your company policies, impeccable customer service, dependability, and reliability.

Pathos appeals to empathy or stirring up the desired emotions in your target audience. Do this by creating a sense of urgency for making a purchase, along with delivering a sense of safety and belonging. Ignite emotion through your communication and marketing.

Logos refers to the logical side of it all. No matter how good you are at exciting emotions, people aren’t likely to buy your products or services unless they deliver high-quality options that actually perform. Feature product specs, service details, and customer reviews.

All three elements can be highlighted through customer feedback, with visible reviews and social proof supporting the overall appeal of your brand.

Emotional Motivators

Another important aspect of emotional branding is paying attention to emotional motivators, or the feelings that drive customer behavior. But what are they? The consumer intelligence firm of Motista set out to define and measure them. And that they did, coming up with a list of more than 300 emotional motivators that drive consumers to action.

Here are 10 of the most powerful for driving action across a broad range of industries and categories. People are emotionally motivated by a desire to:

Stand out from the crowd
Have confidence in the future
Enjoy a sense of well-being
Feel a sense of freedom
Tap into a sense of thrill
Feel a sense of belonging
Protect the environment
Be the person they want to be
Feel secure
Succeed in life

Emotional Branding vs. Emotional Marketing

One more note may seem obvious but still merits a mention. Emotional branding refers to the overall strategy of building a brand that connects to people’s emotions, aspirations, and needs. Emotional marketing does the same thing, but it may only apply to specific advertisements or marketing campaigns.

Brands don’t necessarily need to invest in an overall emotional branding strategy to get results from emotional marketing. Yet using the two concepts together has a way of creating the most memorable experiences.

Emotional Appeal Using Video Narration

Video marketing has exploded, and it’s also one of the best ways to create a coveted emotional connection with your audience. The most effective emotional videos contain striking visuals, a polished script, storytelling elements—all supported by compelling video narration.

You’ll see what I mean with the following examples, all of which use elements of emotional branding or marketing to heighten their effectiveness.

Video Narration: Farm Bureau Insurance

This brand anthem video example uses:

Storytelling
Emotional motivators: confidence in the future, sense of well-being, feeling secure, succeeding in life

Video Narration: Insurance Noodle

This explainer video uses:

Storytelling
Emotional motivators: stand out from the crowd (of other insurance agents), feeling secure, succeeding in life
User statistics to strengthen authority and credibility

Video Narration: CARFAX

This corporate video uses:

Storytelling
Emotional motivators: confidence in the future, feeling secure

Getting Started with Emotional Branding

Now that you have a basic understanding of emotional branding and are aware of its many benefits, it’s time to try it on for size. You don’t necessarily have to start off by revamping your entire brand strategy. Give it a go on a smaller scale with a video or two.

When you’re ready, feel free to reach out to request a custom audition or quote for video narration. I’m always happy to help.

The Brand Anthem: What It Is, Why You Need One

What do powerful songs, movies and really good books have in common? They stir up enough emotion for you to remember them forever (or at least a really long time). A brand anthem, when done right, can do exactly the same.

Brand anthems are one of the hottest things in marketing right about now, although they’re not necessarily the newest thing. Also known as brand manifestos, brand anthems have been around for years. Whether you’re familiar with the concept or just learning about it now, brand anthems remain a timeless way to bare and share your company’s soul.

Brand Anthem Explained

A brand anthem is a declaration of what your brand is all about. It proclaims who you are, what you stand for and—perhaps most importantly—why you exist. While you may immediately think of a song when you hear the word anthem, you won’t find any brand anthems blaring over loudspeakers at a baseball game. The ones with the biggest impact are showing up as brand anthem videos.

Unlike the explainer video that talks about the how, or straight-up commercials that tell you all about the what, brand anthem videos focus on the why.

Why do you do what you do?

The why gets to the heart of a company’s passion and purpose. And if you can open that heart to your audience, your brand anthem will be one powerful declaration indeed.

Example of a Brand Anthem Video

One of the best ways to get the gist of a brand anthem video is to see one in action, like this example from my web video narration library.

This particular video is only 1 minute and 22 seconds long. But we don’t even get a hint of the product or company behind the video until a good 45 seconds into the clip. That’s because the video is not about the product or the company.

It’s all about the purpose behind the company’s product, the why. And why should you buy life insurance? Because you’re sharing the love with someone you care for. Or, as the company so sweetly sums it up: “Life insurance is love insurance.”

What a Brand Anthem Does

One of the most obvious effects of a well-crafted brand anthem is its ability to make an emotional connection with the audience. Emotions are a potent force that can:

Make your brand more memorable, with people remembering things that stirred up emotion much more easily than they remember a lineup of statistics or facts
Gain more attention, for both your company and your content; people particularly love sharing videos that leave them feeling warm, fuzzy, empowered, and altogether good
Create new customers, as emotion is the bigger driving force behind purchasing decisions than logic or rational thinking (even though people like to think they make purchasing decisions based on logic)
Strengthen bonds with existing customers, resulting in increased customer loyalty and enthusiastic brand advocates

And those are just the benefits outside your organization. Internally, a brand anthem can unite employees behind a specific purpose while increasing enthusiasm and drive.

How to Create a Brand Anthem

Now that you know what a brand anthem is and why it’s important for every company to have one, you may be wondering how to create one. Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither is a brand anthem.

Your first step is to really sit down and think about why your company exists in the first place. And no, making money is not going to fly as the basis behind an effective brand anthem.

You instead want to brainstorm about your brand identity.

Who is your brand?
What are you serious about?
Why do you do what you do?
What is the driving force behind your existence?

Feel free to write down everything that comes to mind, as companies can be complex entities. But once you have loads of notes and thoughts compiled, it’s essential to boil it all down to a singular, unified message.

Think: “Life insurance is love insurance.”

Is there a particular tagline, purpose or mission statement that sums up your company? Identify it. Smooth it out. Then create a video that supports it.

Key Elements of an Effective Brand Anthem Video

Brand anthem videos can vary wildly, from the highly sensational to the straightforward and down-to-earth. Regardless of the particular style or specific message, all the exceptional ones have a number of elements in common.

Emotional Charge

You want to create a video that makes viewers say, “Wow.” Leave existing customers with a strong sense of pride for being associated with your brand. Make potential customers eager to learn more about your business. Skip facts and figures for a focus on feelings.

Straightforward, Unified Message

You don’t have to say a lot to have a lot of impact. Keep your central message in mind and make sure every element in your video supports it. Don’t go off on tangents or overload your video with needless info. A clear and concise message is often the most captivating.

Focus on the Story, Not the Sale

Sure, your products and services come with immense benefits and features. But your brand anthem video is not the place to share them. You instead want to create a platform where a story unfolds, one that your purpose helps end happily ever after.

High-Quality, Compelling Visuals

Video gives you a chance to showcase captivating visuals. Take advantage of it. Whether you use dramatic footage of a natural landscape or adorable shots of a happy family, give viewers something enticing to watch. Hint: a talking head behind a desk is not all that enticing.

Impeccable Narration

Your brand anthem video showcases what your brand is all about. That means you need just the right voice to properly convey your message. This applies to the style and tone of your written video script, as well as the voice over narration of your finished product. Don’t skimp on either one. Go with a pro that can get it right.

Voice Over for Brand Anthem Videos

While voice over narration is important in all types of videos, it becomes even more so when used to support a brand anthem. That’s because the voice over actor has to double duty. Their voice must:

Match the tone and style of your message
Elicit strong emotion in your audience

Think carefully about the type of voice that may be able to do both for your company, and ask for plenty of custom auditions along the way. Whether your anthem works best with a sultry or serious female voice or the voice of a grizzled old man, you’ll know it when you hear it. It will align perfectly with your visuals, music and message. When done right, your brand anthem video will send tingles down your spine. And do exactly the same for your audience.

Contact Debbie to request an audition or request a voice over quote for your next video project now.

10 Things Every Home Studio MUST Have to Create High-Quality Voice Over Audio

Even with the best voice, the best script and the best editing and direction, your voice over project is not likely to make the cut without one other key ingredient: a well-equipped home studio. The overall quality of your recordings is only going to be as good as the methods and equipment you use to capture and control the sound.

With more than 25 years in the voice over industry, I’ve landed on the essential components that I need in order to create the high-quality voice over audio my clients expect. Here are the top 10 things every home studio must have to do the same.

1. High-Quality Microphone

The higher the quality of your microphone, the better the quality of your recordings.

If you’re serious about a professional voice over career, the microphone is one place you don’t want to skimp. At all. Sure, there are dozens of microphones available in the lower price range – but investing in a really good mic is one investment you will never regret.

The microphone is the main tool you use to capture your voice. The better it sounds, the better you’ll sound.

My years of experience have made me a big fan of Neumann microphones. My current model is the Neumann TLM 102 Microphone. This particular mic is rather small and compact, yet its sound quality and versatility are amazing.

When I upgraded to this mic several years ago, I sound-tested four other very high quality microphones along with this one in my studio. I believe the TLM 102 was actually the lowest priced of all of the mics tested, yet when comparing the sound of my voice on all five mics, it was clear that this was the right mic for me. Someone with a different tone or register might have chosen a different option. So, the best mic for you may not be the most expensive mic that you can find. You should find the best quality mic that is a good fit for your voice but at the most reasonable price point.

My favorite features of the mic include:

Compact size: Doesn’t get in the way of viewing my scripts or screens
TLM technology: TLM stands for “transformerless.” That means the typical output transformer you find in microphones is replaced by an electronic circuit, which results in low noise and high clarity.
Built-in boost: There’s a vocal quality known as “sweetness,” which makes vocals really stand out. This mic has the capacity to enhance that quality, adding smoothness and dimension to vocal recordings.

2. Microphone Accessories

Microphone accessories, like a microphone stand, shock mount and pop filter, can help enhance the sound quality even further.

The exceptional sound of a quality microphone can easily be ruined with excessive noise from other sources. These can include handling, mechanical interference and popping sounds made from fast-moving air when you’re speaking or singing. Three accessories can help decrease the chances of all of the above.

Microphone stand: This keeps the mic steady and stable while freeing up your hands for other things. I actually have my stand mounted to the wall on a versatile boom arm. It is important that the mic stand be free standing and NOT attached to your desk to avoid extraneous noise and vibration. Even a floor stand can pick up vibration.
Shock mount: This piece of equipment supports your mic. It’s designed to reduce noise caused by mechanical vibrations and handling.
Pop screen: Noise protection that reduces or altogether eliminates popping sounds in vocal recordings. I definitely prefer the metal screen vs. the fabric screen.

Another perk of high-quality microphones is often finding some of these features already included. For instance, the Rode microphone I use as a backup/travel mic has a built-in pop screen. My TLM102 came with two types of shock mounts and I tend to prefer the elastic suspension style.

3. Audio Software, Quality Computer

Also known as a digital audio workstation (DAW), audio software is what you use to record and edit.

Recording and editing software is a must, as is a quality computer that’s compatible with the DAW you choose. Slow or outdated computers can really kill your efficiency and productivity.

My DAW of choice is Adobe Audition Audio Software. It has tons of useful features that let me easily edit, clean up and enhance my recordings. It also has capabilities for restoring damaged recordings, adding music to fit an exact duration of time, and expertly exporting recordings.

I originally used Sony Sound Forge which worked great for many years… Until Sony sold it to another company who completely failed on many levels. I was forced to change software programs a few years back, and it was kind of a painful transition. But, the way I do things now is much more speedy and efficient for editing.

4. Mic Preamp, Processor

A mic preamp amplifies the microphone signal, while a processor provides additional power to the preamp. They’re often combined in a single unit.

For best results with your recordings, both a mic preamp and processor are essential for your home studio. Most microphones have very low outputs, and a preamp ensures the output is boosted to a usable level. While most audio interfaces and mixers have built-in preamps, they may not be powerful enough to achieve the most professional results.

You can find the mic preamp and processor combined into a single unit, which is the case with my Harman DBX 286s Mic Preamp/Processor. This piece of equipment is a full channel strip processor with a quality preamplifier and four different processors. Each processor brings a different benefit to the sound quality. The four processors can be used independently or in any combination with the others.

Be aware that sometimes producers and engineers prefer that you NOT use any processor on your recording. I now use just a touch of processing on most recordings, but for many years I recorded very raw audio and let the producer tweak it to whatever degree they needed. You have to be careful with processors and not overdo it.

5. Mixer

Mixers are used in home recording studios to combine and process audio signals, and then route them where they need to go.

In addition to letting you combine and route audio signals in a convenient way, the best mixers even let you change the dynamics of the sound. While it’s true many DAWs and other software programs have audio mixing capabilities, some voice over artists prefer the real knobs, buttons and faders you find on the hardware mixers.

I am one of those artists. I use the Mackie Onyx 820i Pro Mixer. This compact mixer allows me to quickly and intuitively adjust audio levels and other attributes to produce the exact sound I’m going for. It’s also one of my favorite pieces of home studio equipment. They don’t make them anymore, but a couple years back I bought a second Mackie Onyx, just to have as a backup.

6. ISDN Voice Over Equipment

Officially known as Integrated Services Digital Network, ISDN enables recording studios to connect with voice over talent working remotely in their home studios.

In the old days, you used to have to show up in person to record with a client in a professional recording studio. Today, all you need is a connecting platform to connect your DAW/computer to the recording studio. ISDN was the original in this regard. ISDN has been around since the mid-1980s, and although there are now several competing platforms (Source Connect, ipDTL and even Skype) it remains to go-to standard for remote recording sessions for most recording studios and many voice over actors across the world.

CAVEAT: Be aware that ISDN is a soon-to-be-extinct dinosaur (although how soon nobody knows) so if you are a new voice talent, you probably won’t want to invest in ISDN and instead use something like Source Connect. That being said, I still prefer ISDN sessions over all other options.

The quality of the audio is so good on ISDN, you feel like you’re standing in your client’s recording booth, wherever that may be. It’s also good enough to capture the recording on the client’s end, which means you don’t have to record, edit and upload the files yourself. All is recorded in real time as if you were actually in their studio.

I’ve been using ISDN for twenty years, and my ISDN voice over equipment of choice is Musicam Suprima LC and Telos Zephyr.

There are other good less expensive alternatives to ISDN, my preference being Source Connect. Most VO talent and production companies are moving away more and more from ISDN, mostly because of telephone company costs involved and the fact that phone companies are phasing out this service over time.

7. Studio Headphones

Studio headphones are a lot different than your standard headphones. Those differences are what make them essential for home recording studios.

Even the highest-quality pair of standard headphones isn’t going to be useful for recording. They simply aren’t designed for the job. Studio headphones are. Being designed for the job means:

Providing accurate sound. Studio headphones give you the authentic sound of your audio, whereas standard headphones tend to automatically modify the audio in some way to make it sound more appealing. While you may want your music to sound better when you listen to it, you don’t want your voice to be enhanced in any way. You want to know exactly how it sounds as you’re recording it.
Having a wider frequency range. Standard headphones typically can’t detect background noises or other distortions that occur at extremely high or low frequencies. Studio headphones can. This allows you to remove the distortions as needed.
Being higher quality. Studio headphones tend to have superior construction. This makes them more comfortable, durable and longer-lasting.

8. Studio Monitors

You need at least one computer monitor to use your audio software, and adding a second one comes with many additional benefits.

I lived with a single computer monitor for years, as that’s technically all you need to access your DAW. The monitor can display your audio software controls, allowing you to use your keyboard and mouse to control your recording sessions in real time.

When we installed a new voice over recording system, I had a second studio monitor installed. Wow. It makes a huge difference in my productivity. The second monitor gives me access to everything else during a recording session. This includes emails, computer files, scratch videos the client sent via Hightail or DropBox, videos or online information, and even Skype.

My full setup has two monitors in both my office and my recording studio (four total). It took some design and detailed understanding of how to get this all setup. Fortunately, I have a husband who has knowledge in these areas and was able to consult with the right people to figure out what we needed.

9. Sound Card or Audio Interface

A critical part of your sound chain setup, sound cards and audio interfaces allow you to get the sound into and out of your computer.

Many professional voice over actors still like to use a sound card, as it can greatly affect the recording quality of your microphone. I use the Echo MiaMIDI computer sound card, which was easy to set up, easy to use, and helps with my audio editing when I’m using Adobe Audition.

However, going with the common theme here of things no longer being available, you can’t find this sound card anymore. I hear more and more that the audio interfaces are more common and preferred these days, so I suggest you do research on those for this aspect of your recording setup.

10. Soundproof Treatment

Soundproofing enhances the quality of your recordings by keeping unwanted noise out of your studio.

Whether it’s a truck going by outside or footsteps in the next room, external noises can be picked up by high-quality microphones. While you can get rid of some unwanted noise during the editing process, it’s not always possible to get rid of all of it. Besides, it’s preferable to spend the time and effort during editing working to improve the overall recording, not fix things that are wrong with it.

There are dozens of different soundproofing options, from professional installation to DIY varieties.

Watch out for tricky things like the sound of water running through pipes in the walls, air conditioning or furnace noise and, of course, the dreaded lawn equipment noise. One of the most important decisions is which room to convert into your studio. We had to move from a room located in the front of the house to a walk-in closet on the backside of our house, just to avoid the neighbors’ lawn equipment.

You can enhance the quality of sound in your studio even further by combining soundproofing with an acoustic treatment. Acoustic treatments are designed to absorb excessive ambiance to make the acoustics in the room sound better.

And, while most people pay attention to the walls and ceiling, it’s easy to forget about sound-proofing the floor. A thick pad can do wonders for knocking out low frequency vibrations.

In Conclusion…

With these 10 components in place, your home studio will be equipped to produce high-quality voice over recordings indicative of true professional. You’ll also enjoy a setup that lets you perform your work in the most efficient and effective way. Doing your research and investing in quality equipment is definitely worth the time and effort, as it will provide you with everything you need to produce exceptional recordings for years to come.

High Quality Voice Over Audio

Obstacles that Can Get in the Way of Following Your Dreams

Following your dreams takes a lot of faith and courage. But it also requires persistence – the ability to keep on keeping on regardless of the obstacles that may crop up. And there can be many. While you may think obstacles only come from outside forces, the opposite is also true. In fact, the greatest obstacles tend to be those we create for ourselves.

Be sure to also check out part one of this two part series on Following Your Dreams.

Self-Doubt

Even the most successful and seemingly confident people have experienced self-doubt at some time in their lives. It’s a perfectly normal human trait. Those who have followed their dreams to success are the ones who have overcome it. Overcoming self-doubt involves nipping it in the bud. Realize when it’s plaguing you and then make a conscious effort to change your mindset.

Tips to help you conquer self-doubt include:

Surrounding yourself with positive, successful people
Paying attention to the positive feedback you get, not negative comments
Not worrying what other people think. Base your decisions on what you think is right, not what you think other people think is right.
Not comparing yourself to others. You don’t do yourself any favors by gauging your success as it compares to the success of others.
Set a series of smaller goals, in addition to your big goal, so you’re consistently achieving a series of wins.

Frustration, Giving Up Too Early

No one said following your dream would be easy, or that attaining it would be instantaneous. It can take incredibly hard, incredibly tenacious work to make it happen. You have to be in it for the long haul, no matter what. If you give up too early or too easily, it’s not going to happen.

When Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was trying to raise money from investors to make his coffee shop dreams come true, he hit a major brick wall… More than 200 of them, in fact. He spoke to 242 potential investors during the year he was trying to raise money – and 217 of them said no.

Colonial Sanders is another great example of persistence. He was 65 years old when the restaurant he owned failed and he went to plan B. His plan was to share his special chicken recipe with restaurants for free, in exchange for the restaurants giving him a percentage of the chicken sale profits. He got 1,009 rejections before someone agreed to his plan.

Those are two great examples to keep in mind when you feel frustrated and feel like giving up. Remember their stories, along with the old sales adage that says you’re going to get 20 “No’s” before you get a “Yes.”

Not Pushing Hard Enough

Not only are rejections par for the course, but they can also be an indication that you’re on the right track. If you go out of your way to only get a yes and avoid a no, you’re probably not pushing hard enough, according to author Andrea Waltz. She says this type of behavior “leads to a mediocre life where you’re always in your comfort zone.”

The success of your dreams is not where you are in your comfort zone, but above it. You have to grow and meet it if you want it. A few ways to push harder include:

Imagining yourself getting to your next level. Focus on what that next level is, and what you need to do get there.
Taking on a little bit more than you think you can. Challenge yourself to bigger and better things all the time.
Looking at how other people got where you want to be.
Remaining inspired and motivated. This can come from inspirational quotes, videos, images, meditations and support from someone on your side.

World Events, Such as COVID-19

Once you get past all the self-made barriers stopping you from following your dreams, you may still face forces beyond your control. What’s going on with the coronavirus is a prime example of this. With so many businesses operating on limited hours or, in some cases, not at all, you may think this is the worst time to follow your dreams.

That’s not necessarily true. You can still do the legwork for following your dreams. Perhaps you can enroll in classes or training you were too busy to tackle, or catch up on your industry reading or networking. You can also look for opportunities within the situation, rather than excuses for letting it slow you down.

Look for a need, and then offer to fill it. In my voice over business, for instance, I’ve made sure clients know I’m available for new messaging, commercial spots, retail in-store announces, IVR system recordings and more providing updated information or changing schedules due to COVID-19.

One final tip is to stay positive and optimistic. This is another mindset you can learn to cultivate with repeated efforts over time. As Sam Altman says in his “How to Be Successful” post: “I have never met a very successful pessimistic person.” So don’t let outside circumstances – or your own thinking – take you down and out. Keep moving forward, heading onward and upward instead.

Be sure to also check out part one of this two part series on Following Your Dreams.

To Follow Your Dreams (or Not) – Confessions of a Working Voice Over Actor

The very phrase “follow your dreams” can fill us with bliss. It’s something society, pop culture and Disney movies reinforce at every turn. While following your dreams may sound like the only course of action you would want to consider taking, is it really the best road to success in our competitive and ever-changing world?

Maybe it is. Maybe it’s not. But you’ll never know until you try it, right? On the other hand, it could entail a big risk without a guarantee of reward. The risk may feel just too great, especially considering the uncertainties we’re now experiencing.

Some may feel the decision boils down to only two options. So what to do?

Pursue the “dream job” that you think will be fulfilling and rewarding on all levels?
Pursue a solid way to make a living that may not be very fulfilling emotionally but will meet your needs financially?

Flipping a coin may not be the best way to decide. I’d like to instead share my thoughts on some of the pros and cons of each scenario, along with my own experience landing on a solution that was fulfilling, rewarding and financially profitable.

Let’s look at the pros and cons first.

The Pros of Following Your Dreams

Since most of us dream big (because we’ve been taught to do that), following our dreams can be a huge risk – but it can also come with huge rewards. It can make us feel excited, alive and fueled with passion. We may expect the work we’ll be doing in our dream job will feel more like joy-filled play than actual work. Enjoying what you do and making money at it – what could be more amazing than that?

Another huge benefit of following our dreams is to live without regrets. Research says 98% of the population dies without fulfilling their dreams, which is a scary thought. Following our dreams ensures we at least gave them a try and won’t have to live with the remorseful thoughts of what could have been.

The Cons of Following Your Dreams

While we won’t have those regrets if we choose to follow our dreams, we may not have an easy road ahead of us, either. Our culture glorifies certain professions as “dream jobs” – such as actors (and yes, even voice talents), athletes, rock stars and celebrity personalities.

We imagine living a life full of fame and glamour, working every day on projects that feel exciting and artistically fulfilling. We likewise envision feeling constantly validated by doting fans, or even just by our own satisfaction that we are truly “living the dream.”

But the harsh truth is that this level of success is reserved for a small percentage of professionals in each field. In the most-pursued dream careers (especially in the arts), only a handful makes it to a level where they can earn enough money to make a living. And only a few from that group ascend to the level of success that fits the profile of what everyone is chasing. The vast majority often find themselves in a perpetual struggle to make ends meet.

We may not make enough to fulfill our financial needs, or we may find that the dream job is a lot more work than we anticipated.

Being a voice talent, for instance, may seem like a glamorous job. Parts of it are. But other parts behind the scenes require extremely hard work and don’t feel very glamorous at all. Voice training, honing your acting skills, learning the mechanics of editing and other software, constantly auditioning for the next job, becoming a great marketer, adapting to the ever-changing market, and the day-to-day operations of running your own business are just a few of those parts.

Cons May be Ongoing

Then there’s the constant rejection. Even as someone who has been a working VO professional for the past 25 years, I am rejected daily, usually multiple times per day. I lose far, far more jobs than I win.

Sometimes a voice talent will snag one of those jobs that is truly fulfilling and provides the sort of validation and fulfillment to inspire them to keep marching on. But most of the time you’re on your own. Being a working artist requires an incredibly thick skin, and unfortunately many find that their dreams are too fragile to persist in the face of the rejection and daily grind that is required.

Yes, work can feel like play at times – but other times it’s undoubtedly work. A dream job is still a job, and sometimes fueling such passions is incredibly exhausting and consuming. This particularly holds true on those days when you feel, despite all of your hard work and joy for the craft, you’re just not getting anywhere.

Once you’ve invested all you have into pursuing your dreams, you may end up disappointed. Reaching that part of the journey can feel both depressing and liberating. Depressing because the dream did not unfold as you envisioned. Liberating because you know you gave it your best shot and you can now move forward in a different direction that may bring more rewards.

How to Balance the Two Options to Create a Third

The cons of pursing your dreams may appear to outweigh the pros by a ton. Yet nothing can outweigh the passion in your heart for doing something you truly love. I faced this same dilemma years ago when I began my own career. What I wanted involved a tough road ahead, yet it was something I absolutely knew I had to try.

I made it work by finding a happy medium. This involved:

Having a more general dream job goal
Keeping realistic expectations
Being flexible
Never giving up

General Goal, Realistic Expectations

As a young college graduate, my dream was to be a working actor. I didn’t set out to be a star or to win an Academy Award or even be on Broadway. I just wanted to make my living as an actor.

Fast forward 30 years later and I have been able to achieve my goal in a way that I did not know was possible when I set out on my journey. Having a more general dream job goal actually worked to my advantage. I was able to adapt and evolve over the years all while staying true to my dream.

Flexibility

On the road to becoming a working actor, I was open to working at other jobs until I was able to get a foothold in the business. Perhaps pursuing your dream job as a side gig while working a full-time day job can give you a good taste of what’s possible and what “living the dream” would look like – warts and all.

If you’re a performer, maybe gigging in a local coffeehouse or performing in community theatre is enough to give you what you want. Such a setup could feed that creative desire inside of you while also ensuring you are financially stable enough to pay the rent and put food on the table. With something else to support you, the rejections will not seem as emotionally and financially crushing.

Never Giving Up

Keeping my eye on the prize was another great motivator – and it still is. For me, the rewards consistently exceed the rejections, the risks and the ongoing hard work required to maintain a career as a working actor.

If your heart is truly set on a path you want to take, there are ways you can weave your dream into your life to make it a possibility. Set a general goal with realistic expectations, be flexible enough to adapt your plan as needed, and keep your eye on the prize.

Also keep your eyes open for opportunities. So much of the dream job appears to boil down to luck: being at the right place at the right time, knowing the right person, stumbling into just the right circumstances. With a little luck, a lot of hard work and ongoing perseverance, you never know what might happen.

Please also check out the part two of this series on Following Your Dreams.

How to Stay Positive and Feel Good in a Negatively Focused World

The average person has 46 thoughts per minute, which calculates to about 70,000 thoughts per day. With the current Coronavirus disruption and polarized political upheaval, there’s a good chance that a high percentage of those thoughts may be driven by fear, anxiety, anger, or a slew of other uncomfortable emotions.

When our minds are filled with fear or anger-based thoughts, it can be challenging to work productively, interact kindly or even get a good night’s sleep. When you’re caught up in thoughts that don’t feel good, you also run the risk of lowering your energy levels and even weakening your immune system.

While you can certainly try to chase away those fearful thoughts the minute they arise, it is a losing battle. Fortunately, there is an easier way to get yourself thinking more positive thoughts, and even a way to change the types of thoughts that enter your head in the first place. That’s by paying attention to your state of being.

What is Your State of Being?

Your state of being refers to your overall emotional state at any given time. People generally slip into and out of different emotional states throughout the day without even consciously realizing it. Sometimes we may slide down into a lower emotional state and feel like we are stuck there. It can feel very hard to get out of that kind of rut and everything seems worse when looking at the world from that perspective.

Note that I am using the phrase “state of being” and the word “emotion” interchangeably. Another word you could use is “mood.” All point to basically the same idea for the purposes of this article.

The important thing to understand about the relationship between your state of being and your thoughts is this:

Your state of being will generally dictate the types of thoughts you’re going to have. Your state determines your thinking most of the time. There can always be exceptions to this but for the majority of the time as you go about your day, this is true.

When you’re in a happy, creative, grateful state of being, your thoughts will generally be in sync with the state and it will be easy for you to “think positively.” The same is true when you are in a frustrated, overwhelmed, discouraged emotional state. From that place, it will be virtually impossible to see things positively. You’ll tend to see the glass as half-empty wherever you focus your attention.

In case you’re wondering how I came to my understanding of this topic, my husband was trained as a personal and business coach with a successful coaching practice for many years. He made some key discoveries about the importance of state of being and how learning to “shift states” can have a dramatic impact on the quality of your life. Simply by changing the quality of the thoughts that you think.

We’ve all heard the mantra “just think positive,” as if that’s an easy thing to do. The most effective way to do this is to focus on your state of being (not your thoughts), and shift that first. This creates the environment for more positive thoughts to flow naturally.

It’s impossible to control all of your thoughts. There are too many of them. But you CAN learn to shift your state of being. Doing this will indirectly allow you to have much better control over the quality of your thoughts.

States of Being Scale

Below is a Scale of States of Being that my husband used in his coaching practice. It gives you a quick rundown on 19 different emotional states, along with where each falls in the overall scale. The words on each line are in resonance with the state of being, so they are examples of a few common emotions or states that are aligned at that level.

Emotions can largely dictate how we act and what we think. Emotional states ranked from one to seven tend to bring on positive thoughts, while those ranked eight to 19 tend to bring on negative thoughts. The way to get your mind to churn out mostly positive thoughts is to keep your state “averaging” in the top seven levels of this scale. Ideally, we personally shoot for averaging around level three.

1. Enlightenment / Peace / Bliss / Euphoria / Excitement
2. Joy / Gratitude / Appreciation / Empowerment
3. Passion / Reason / Love / Freedom / Wealthy / Healthy / Confidence
4. Forgiveness / Compassion / Transcendence / Acceptance
5. Optimism / Willingness / Hopefulness / Enthusiasm / Eagerness / Happiness / Productivity
6. Positive Expectation / Belief / Trust
7. Contentment / Neutrality / Courage / Affirmation

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8. Pessimism / Boredom
9. Frustration / Irritation / Impatience / Dissatisfaction
10. Overwhelm / Confusion / Annoyance
11. Doubt / Skepticism / Procrastination / Indecisiveness
12. Pride / Scorn / Contempt
13. Anger / Hate / Revenge
14. Desire / Craving / Discouragement / Disappointment
15. Fear / Anxiety / Worry
16. Grief / Regret
17. Apathy / Despair / Powerlessness / Hopelessness / Judgmentalism / Ridicule / Embarrassment
18. Guilt / Blame / Resentment / Jealousy / Competitive / Depression / Rage / Racism
19. Shame / Humiliation / Insecurity / Unworthiness / Bitterness

How to Attain and Maintain a Higher State of Being

I believe some people are just more optimistic by nature. For the most part, that has been true for me personally. Yet I can still get drawn into a negative thinking if I spend too much time exposed to or dwelling on things that put me into negative states.

My husband used to be more prone to falling into a pessimistic or even depressed state on an occasional basis. By learning and regularly applying these concepts over time he was able to shift out of that completely and now easily maintains a very positive, light-hearted outlook and demeanor.

My favorite way to get out of the negative and into a positive state of being is by engaging in uplifting activities and cutting out things that tend to bring me down. Here are some of things that have worked over the years and especially lately.

Stop watching the news: Avoid news as much as possible and do not dwell on it because it is almost always negative. If you want to know what’s going on in the world, use a good-quality news site online, and scan the headlines to get a gist of what is happening. Dig into the details only when necessary. Neutral and non-emotional reporting is best, but it’s harder to find these days. Stay away from sources that are using the news to polarize, politicize and sensationalize the stories.
Don’t watch movies or TV shows that have negative themes: There’s way too much murder and mayhem on TV and in movies these days. Avoid it all and stick to more lighthearted types of entertainment.
Have some kind of daily spiritual connection: Whether you like to meditate, pray, or simply express gratitude daily for everything you have, this type of practice will bring you into a higher state. I try to stay in a overall state of gratitude throughout my day as much as possible. Even saying “Thank you” each time a new VO job request shows up in my email inbox helps keep me in that zone.
Listen to music with positive vibes: Listening to upbeat music, or any music that makes you happy, relaxed or energized is one of the quickest ways to boost your emotional state. Much of the popular music today is aligned with the lower levels of the states of being scale, so be careful what you listen to.
Exercise: Exercise can include traditional workouts, but it can also include anything that gets you up and moving. Play with your kids or your pets. Dance around the house. Take a daily walk or run through your neighborhood or a nearby park. Just get up and do some jumping jacks once in awhile. I got a new hula hoop for Christmas last year and I’ve been using that daily for some fun movement for a few minutes a day. Getting your body moving and energy flowing will naturally raise your state of being.
Get out in nature: Getting into nature is a great way to raise your state of being. Vitamin D and sunshine definitely help lift your spirits. It’s also an ideal place to tap into a spiritual connection.
Laugh more: Laughter has been called the best medicine, and for good reason. It’s been shown to help decrease stress, soothe tension, relieve pain and enhance your immune system.
Get into The Flow: The Flow is a state where you’re fully engrossed in what you’re doing and nothing else seems to matter. You may lose track of time as the outside world melts away. If you have a job you love, getting into the Flow can happen automatically when working on a project. People find getting into the Flow happens when they’re creating art, gardening, playing sports or engaging in any type of activity that truly brings them joy.

Be Especially Aware of What You Consume on Screens

Just as “you are what you eat” refers to what influence good food can have on your physical well-being, “you are what you consume” can also apply to the types of things you read, watch or expose yourself to on a regular basis.

Consuming large quantities of panic-inducing headlines can drag even the most upbeat person into a downtrodden state. So can movies or books filled with violence, hatred and anger.

My family and I have been trying to avoid watching any TV that can drag us down into a negative state. That drastically limits our TV viewing choices, but we’ve been able to find stimulating, positive entertainment. Here are some examples of what we watch now:

HGTV: Almost all of the shows on this network have an overall positive vibe and are about transformation and improvement. Notice how you feel as you watch to help you gauge what kind of impact it is having on you.
Streaming Favorite Sitcoms: There are so many funny, well-written sitcoms that we still love to watch to make us laugh out loud. Favorites include: “Frasier,” “Seinfeld,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Office” and “Mad About You.” With streaming options, you can find many of your favorites for free or very low cost.
Sports: It’s been amazing to find out that watching great games from the past is still a great way to pass the time. “The Last Dance” documentary has been must-see TV for us every Sunday night for the past few weeks. We’ve also been watching many of the ESPN “30 for 30” episodes which are always fascinating.
Game Shows: Fun to watch and good for your brain in terms of learning and recalling information. Favorites include “Jeopardy,” “Deal or No Deal,” “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and even “Wheel of Fortune.”
Certain Reality Shows: You have to be careful with this category, but a couple of our favorites are “Shark Tank” and “The Profit” (both on CNBC network). Many reality shows are all about the drama, and that can actually take you into lower states. So look for shows that are interesting and uplifting.

When you create an environment and habits that help you attain and easily maintain a positive state of being, you’ll find your thoughts become more positive automatically. It’s something I’ve found very useful for keeping me happier, healthier and more serene, no matter what’s going on in the outside world.

I understand that many people are suffering greatly right now and experiencing very real challenges, problems and setbacks. The whole world is going through a situation that is completely uncharted territory. Huge uncertainties lie ahead for all of us and it truly seems that life will never be the same.

But, my response to all of that is to roll with it. To focus on what is working and what is good. To improve in the areas where I can make improvement. To look for new opportunities that are showing up.

I’m sure there will be some who will read this article and conclude that I am avoiding reality or just sticking my head in the sand. That is not the case. I am very much aware of what is going on in the world. But the difference is, I do not dwell on it. I put very minimal attention on the bad news and focus on the positive aspects of my situation. This is a choice and a discipline that I have cultivated over my entire life. It is an intentional way to respond to hardship and adversity and I have found it to be a very successful strategy time and time again. It is arguably one of the key secrets to my success in my profession as well as in relationships and my overall life in general.

I hope this information is useful in some way to you. Please share your comments and questions below.

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