Goals

Robert Lewis was one of the members of the Group Theatre in the 30s, a founder of the Actors Studio, and a respected director and teacher of acting throughout his life. His book, Advice to the Players, remains one of the best books about the craft of acting I've ever read. He tells a story about how he and some of the other actors from the Group were sitting in a restaurant in New York talking about their craft with some fellow actors. The Group was famous for introducing what became called 'Method' acting to the United States and their members took their art very seriously. Then one young woman who'd listened intently to this craft discussion said, "That's all very fine for you folks, but I'm going to be a star." That young woman was Katherine Hepburn.

Katherine Hepburn set herself a goal and achieved it. She was a star in theatre, in films, and in her own life. I saw an interview with her in which she essentially said she didn't have children because they would have distracted her from her career. She embodied both grace and star power on screen -- no matter what role she played, you knew you were watching a star.

Are you as clear about your goals as Katherine Hepburn? Can you state your goals in a short, active sentence? Remember from earlier blogs, a star's presence comes from the focus and relentless pursuit of their character's objectives. But in order to pursue goals, you have to have them in the first place!

If you haven't written down your goals for this year yet, do it tonight. Listing your goals is the first step toward achieving them.