It’s been my experience thus far, that you can’t really make much of a dent in your industry if you try to be everything to everybody. A lot has changed in the last couple of decades. Once it was only TV and Radio commercials, movie trailers, and some industrial narrations. Today technology has opened new doors and more opportunities with eLearning, IVR/phone system prompts, ADR, video games, Audiobooks, in-show narration, Public Transit announcements, Museum tours, YouTube videos, Explainer videos, Whiteboard animations, etc. A lot more opportunity, and a lot more competition for those jobs. But a closer look reveals that these genres require different and specialized skill sets from the VO talent in order to be outstanding — and hired.
And “outstanding” is the key word.
I found this true also in the financial services industry, during an earlier chapter in my life. Providing money management, investment strategies, retirement plans, estate planning, insurance — all at the same time in a boutique firm in Walnut Creek, CA. About all these things have in common is a “$” sign. And trying to do them all in an outstanding manner at the same time, left no room for mastery, and generated a lot of frustration. It was only when I narrow the focus, and went all in on estate planning as a focus, did I find real success.
How about you? Are you trying to accomplish a bunch of simultaneous goals, but making little or no progress in any of them?
Greg McKeown in his book, “Essentialism” puts it simply, when he draws one circle with 12 arrows extending out from it only a short distance, indicating a extreme dilution of effort. But the next circle has only one arrow, going straight out, measuring 12 times the length of the other individual arrows, and 12x greater achievement.
So out of whatever all things that you do, pick one main thing, (as if you could only pick one thing that you really love to do), and double down on it. Commit to it. Master it.
I’ll bet you’ll uncover a lot more harmony and happiness in your journey.