Artist Motivation with Ira Cross

Quitting is easy. You just decide, “I don’t want to do this anymore”. Then you don’t. What’s even harder for me is living with the fact that I quit. I will admit that quitting while you’re ahead in some things is not the same as quitting. If you are in a difficult relationship (difficult because everything you’ve tried isn’t working), that’s different than just quitting a relationship because thin...

“Fear can be a passenger, but never let it drive.” I’ve been focused on some other things, but I’m back to motivation! It’s been a good start to my year, not a perfect one, but overall good. I hope the same for everyone else. My hope is that you have stayed true to your goals. Back to our quote! Fear is important. Rational thinking is more important. Fear is a response to potential danger, but sho...

“Motivation is great, consistency is better.” Happy New Year! It’s that time of the year when everyone is making resolutions they know they’re going to break. It’s that time of year when people write and talk about how you can make sure you don’t. This is the time when so many people are motivated! Make sure you keep going as it gets harder to stay motivated. Don’t stop until you get there. I have...

“All it takes for something extraordinary to happen is one person with enthusiasm.” – Richard Coraine Enthusiasm is often dismissed or even discouraged. People are afraid to take risks. People are afraid of embarrassment. Being embarrassed or wanting to be celebrated is focusing on things outside of your control and ultimately a fruitless venture. We live in a society where passion and enthusiasm...

“You can only believe in what you don’t know.” The following is my first essay written about the quote from last week. I understood it as “you don’t know what you don’t know”. I’m never one to waste much intentionally, so I felt like it was a great idea to keep the following and share it! Expand your understanding of the world. Expand your understanding of the environment you are in. Expand your u...

“You can only believe in what you don’t know.” I’m sure you read that wrong the first time the same way I did. Or maybe it was just me. I first read that quote understanding it as “you can only believe in what you know”. Therefore thinking you have to know something in order to believe it. Therefore, you have to go forth and learn. After reading it again (and after writing a whole essay on it that...

“Act like you already have the part for an audition, and you’re just there for a rehearsal.” My mom has told me my entire life, “If you want it, claim it.” When I would go out for sports, she would say this. When I would have anxiety about a test, she would say this. When I was applying to colleges, she would say this. This mantra is one of the many reasons I have confidence in myself. As actors,...

​​“Action creates momentum.” Move. Create. Make something! A blank canvas or a blank document screen is only scary because you don’t see the potential in it yet. When I was still teaching elementary school there was an art teacher that told students to just put a mark on their paper. Get started. If you feel like the line is a mistake, you can get a new sheet of paper and start again with your new...

“Creativity is not a talent, it’s a way of operating.” – John Cleese Most things in this world that can be learned and/or practiced. Creativity is one of those things. People often have the misconception that being creative is inherent. The truth is, some people come to it easily, but everyone has the ability to harness it. In my own life, I make time daily to sit and work on something creative. T...

Stop skipping the intro. What’s a show you’re watching right now? Not right this very second, but a show you’re actively engaged with before you go to sleep for the night. Whatever it is, I’m sure it has your attention for one reason or another. If it’s a seriously engaging show, I’m sure you can’t get enough and binge as many episodes as you can. I bet when one episode ends, you can’t click that...

“Don’t let anyone or anything extinguish your enthusiasm.” The flame of your enthusiasm is absolutely necessary. Anyone that acts as an extinguisher to that enthusiasm is toxic. Remove them from your life if they don’t take the correction that you feel is necessary. People will show you who they are in a number of ways. People will show you who they are based on how they treat you. People will sho...

“Laser not a flashlight.” - Mark Kerr I had the chance to see the movie The Smashing Machine with Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Within the first 10 minutes of the movie this quote came about. I was sitting in the movie theater, literally by myself so I pulled my phone out and I wrote down this quote. For those who don’t know what the movie is about. It is highlighting a three year span of the life of M...

“If you’re doing anything creative, empower other people in that creative process.” Sometimes all that is needed to empower others is to exist completely and unapologetically as yourself. Having a conversation with somebody that needs verbal validation is wonderful. However, sometimes you just need to be you and do your thing and people will notice. There are so many people in this world that serv...

“I am what I am and that’s all I am.” – Popeye Popeye is a character of grit, determination, and clean eating, even if it’s from a can. For those that may not know, Popeye is a cartoon sailor and the hero of his show. Popeye is always getting into fights, usually in defense of his love Olive Oyl. He often starts out getting beat up at the beginning of those fights. That is, until he gets out of a...

“You’re not going to get anywhere you didn’t work to be.” Stop doubting yourself. Stop doubting your abilities. Stop doubting your potential. Start. Start realizing you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. That may mean that you still have a long journey, that’s alright. However, you need to stop telling yourself that you’re not where you’re supposed to be in a negative way. Lift yourself up. L...

“Artists are the people that tune into the future and bring it into the present.” I originally saw this quote and thought about so many bright and wonderful things! So many things that have been created that have brought joy to so many. I pictured in my mind the paintings from Archibald Motley. His works constantly show the motion and vibrancy of the Black community. I heard the swinging style of...

“Easier said than done. But only done with practice.”  When I hear someone say “easier said than done", it frustrates me and annoys me because they feel that whatever that thing is, it is not possible or it is very difficult to the point of their own frustration. It makes me want to prove them wrong and frankly to stop talking to them. Someone saying easier said than done means that they see the l...

2% is not a majority but still gets its say. I had a great conversation with my dad about 2%. My partner also was able to chime in, and it’s always great to have her influence on the things I write and share. 2% feels and seems like such a small amount. In retrospect, it is. But 2% is still part of 100%. In the conversation that I had with my dad and my partner, we were talking about how we are al...

“Will it make the boat go faster?” I need to admit something right out of the gate. I’m not an expert on boats. This is not advice on how to be better at boating. I’m speaking directly from a basic understanding of science and connecting that to everyday life in this analogy.  That said, there are a few factors that affect a boat's speed. The boat engine, hull shape, and the weight of the boat. Th...

​​"I am human, and nothing that is human is alien to me.” When we look at the wonders of the world, we often contemplate how humans could make such things with such simple tools. When we see athletes, elite athletes, competing at the highest level we are amazed at how they’re able to accomplish such amazing feats. When we see an artist's work that leaves us wondering how they could capture our ima...

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."  — Maya Angelou Having a lack of creativity comes from a scarcity mindset. When you have a scarcity mindset, you feel as though there’s never enough. Feeling this way puts you in desperation mode. Working from desperation mode in any endeavor that you are a part of is inherently harmful.  Scarcity creates unnecessary competition....

Going outside of the normal format for a moment.  I’m frustrated. I get really tired of seeing Black people and specifically black men because that’s my experience, having to be portrayed as gangster or drug dealer or thug number two. I’m frustrated not just for myself, but for any person that is an actor that sees that you have to do certain horrible roles to then push yourself to the next level....

“As an actor, your job is to connect the moments.” Capturing and holding onto people’s focus is. A. Skill. As an actor, I work on doing my best to keep the interest of those considered my audience for 10 seconds to then get to the next 10 seconds to then get to the next 10 seconds and so on. If I can connect those moments, I have created something wonderful and amazing and probably funny that will...

​​“Perfectionism is the worst. But it is powerful.” Take the power away from it. 8 Striving for excellence is not the same as being perfect. Many people have this notion that if you are striving for excellence and greatness, you have to be perfect. When it comes to creating something, perfection should never be the goal, the goals should be authenticity. If something that you create, work on, or d...

“The time you spend during an audition, you have the part.”  As actors, auditions can be a source of stress. We think, “I have to do my best to get this job!“ We think we aren’t working actors if we are not on set. However, if you are getting auditions and getting callbacks, then you ARE a working actor. I’ve heard this so many times, but I truly believe it’s true. When you have an audition, wheth...