Are you aspiring to pursue a performer career? In this article, we will provide you with valuable for transforming your passion into a fulfilling career as a performer. Set goals, weigh pros and cons, and make informed decisions.
Achieving Success as a Performer: Tips and Tricks for Building a Fulfilling Career
If you have a hobby you love – in our case, Aerial Silks, Pole Dancing or some other aerial art- and you have a profession which you hate perhaps you have thought of reevaluating your career. Converting your hobby into a profession requires hard work but with determination anything is possible.
From Passion to Profession: Navigating the Path to a Rewarding Performer Career
What are your Goals?
What is interesting is that everyone interprets the word “career” differently. For some, a career is to acquire a reputation or win a trophy. For some, a career is to develop their skills at a high level whereas for others it is simply a means to an end. We need to set clear targets to be able to work in the right direction.
It’s a big decision! If you’re thinking of making a career change then don’t let your enthusiasm affect you. Make a list of the pros and cons of this change. This comparison will help you decide if the career change is a smart move for you.
Making Dreams a Reality: Essential Strategies for Launching Your Performer Career
Before starting your list, keep in mind these important factors:
Training
Each job requires some form of education whether formal or informal. Make sure you consider the educational requirements of your new career.
Benefits
Benefits such as health care, Social Insurance stamps and permits are necessary but many employers do not take this as a given. If you move onward as a freelancer, then you may not be able to provide these benefits to yourself for quite a while. This certainly is included in the cons.
From Passion to Profession
Personal Time
Learn about the requirements of your new work, and calculate the time staff will have. Does it require working weekends, nights, or only regular times during the day? It is important to make sure that you will have free time for yourself.
Financial benefits
Examine the financial benefits. Will you be getting paid a fixed salary, by the hour or with a commission? Do the math and see if there is a chance that you’ll be making less than you earn today. Before you decide, you should know what your financial needs are.
A dose of realism
It doesn’t matter how good you are at what you do or whether your talent is natural. You have talent yes! But do not expect that this will wow others and provide you with a permanent job with a good salary. Unfortunately, it does not work like that. Don’t be fooled by what is shown on the tv, that is to say, that with a little effort, you will be triumphant. Even those who enjoy their two minutes of celebrity or success have spent a lot of time and energy before they were “discovered”.
Look at the Serious Side
Your dreams will never become true if you do not take your objectives seriously and you do not specify them.
Unfortunately, this is a rule without an exception. Some say that people have the strength to achieve anything they put their minds to. In our case, however, the mind is not enough. The body plays a very large role and requires constant effort to maintain its high levels. If you do not take action, then dreams will remain dreams. The Pole & Aerial stars spend a huge part of their time focusing on their chosen profession. Although they have a life outside of the workouts, the everyday life of someone who is working towards a professional career in this industry revolves around dance routines, workouts, and rehearsals.
Semi-professional level
A semi-professional level means that you are at an advanced level but live from another income. There are many opportunities for work at this level if you look around you, but it is unlikely that good remuneration is paid (if at all). The truth is that even professionals do not have a guaranteed wage. To cover the financial gap, they will work in schools, provide private lessons, will take part in performances and may still have not paid all of their bills. It is rare for semi-professionals to be led to bigger and better opportunities. Sometimes you may waste more time and money than you get in return.
So, you need to understand that employment as a semi-professional is essentially for fun.
So let’s say that you’re an amateur or semi-professional and you want to go pro. Whether it be for an event, a television spot or a video clip you will need to compete with people who focus all of their energy on dance routines and workouts. If you have not devoted the same amount of energy then you have little chance of getting the job. An employer will recruit the best that can be found in skills and experience. However, the most important factor is the person who will be recruited is 100% dedicated to the occupation he/she has chosen.
Professional Level
If you want to get your skills up to the professional level, you must train at the professional level.
What does it mean to train at a professional level?
It can mean many things but generally:
- Daily workouts
- A constant effort in improving and maintaining your physical condition.
- Continuous assessment of where you are in relation to where you want to be
- Focused research on experiences which will assist you in improving what you have to offer as a performer (performances, seminars, training programs etc.)
Stuck Between 2 Careers: Balancing Priorities and Making Decisions
“Does this mean that we must give up our studies or our existing job?”
Nobody can answer this, only you. Everyone makes their own choices in life. We often hear about successful options which were considered to be dangerous or stupid. Other times a selection can be just that: nonsense! We cannot guarantee that you will get it. Even teachers may not be able to advise you. Only you can make this decision and you are the only person who can be held liable for the result.
We’d all like to turn our favourite hobby into a profession. In many cases, if you approach it from a business standpoint, it’s not impossible. But before you give up on your task to work professionally on Pole Dancing or on Aerial Acrobatics, it is important to plan every move carefully so as not to cause any huge disruption in your life.
Positives and Negatives of Turning Your Hobby into a Profession
Positives
Earn money doing what you love
There is no better way to earn money than by doing what you love. Especially, if you do not enjoy your day job, turning your hobby into a profession may be one of the simplest ways to add money to your bank account. Of course, this requires a lot of preparation but if you are passionate you can easily overcome the initial difficulties.
You are acquainted
Since it’s your hobby, you know already the pros and cons of the profession. Therefore, you don’t need to expend time researching the smallest detail. You can start making money right away!
Safety
Even if you are the most diligent worker, nobody can guarantee that you will not be fired. Making your hobby a profession will provide you with an additional revenue stream that will help you to achieve your financial goals. So, if anything happens with your day job you will be in an economic situation capable of providing help during these difficult moments.
Independence
You are the boss. You decide when and how you will work. There is no clock nor employer to justify yourself to.
Negatives
Your hobby will lose its charm
Having a hobby is a great way to relax and recharge your batteries after a busy week. But, unfortunately, turning your hobby into a profession can affect the enjoyment of this hobby in the future. At the moment, your hobby is something fun that you can enjoy during the evenings or at the weekend. However, once you convert your hobby into a business, expect stress to be an inescapable aspect of running a business. No matter the project, there will be ups and downs. And if the business side of your hobby adds stress to your life, your hobbies can lose their charm and become nothing more than another job.
It can be difficult to balance your professional and personal life
If you find that your hobby can be turned into a profession, you may well spend all your free time preparing ground-especially if you’re very passionate about it. If you like every second of this career, then you may become lost in it. You may even develop the habit of working day and night, and you will not be able to spend quality time with family, friends or yourself. Especially if you work full time and do this simultaneously then surely you will lose something along the way.
You’re responsible for everything
You will be responsible for administrative functions, advertising, sales, and customer support. Even if you love what you do, you may not be fond of certain tasks associated with your business.
Risk
You may not be able to make enough money to sustain yourself. Before you leave your job, make sure that you have studied the market and that there is a demand for what you want to provide. In addition, by having a legitimate company you are obliged to pay income taxes on any profit realized by your business. You are responsible for accurate record-keeping and payment of taxes. Before you take the leap check if you can find sufficient customers or students to be able to maintain the necessary income to cover your needs.
Can I have it all?
There are certainly people who can combine two careers at the same time. These people never sat and thought whether something like this was possible, they just did it.
My purpose is not to discourage you. Sometimes we must be harsh to motivate and the purpose of this article is to get the stubbornness out of you! On the other hand, it can be exactly what you need to hear to realise that fiddling with Pole Dance Fitness or Aerial Acrobatics is just for fun.
What do you do in your spare time?
Want to achieve the goal that you have set? Don’t miss a minute wondering about your chances of success. Instead, you can spend an hour of your day working on your dream. Every minute you waste wondering whether you can make it is a time that takes you further away from realizing your goals.
There is nothing wrong with converting your hobby into a profession. But you must ensure that you research the matter, as you would with any other business idea. Sometimes the best business ideas are not those which we had originally thought of but arise from the development process. So start by conducting holistic research and see where this might lead you. I really hope that this article helped to clear things up a bit, if yes please share it so other people might find it valuable as well and remember always try to stay focused.
In conclusion, pursuing a career as a performer can be a fulfilling and rewarding journey. By setting clear goals, weighing the pros and cons, and making informed decisions, you can turn your passion into a successful profession. Remember to embrace the challenges, master your craft, and take the necessary steps to establish a flourishing career in the performing arts. Knowing all of the above will assist you in making your decision. Good luck on your performer career path!
