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Acting , Advice

What Personal Habits or Routines Do You Believe Contribute to Your Success as an Actor?


February 19, 2024

The book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear teaches us about forming good habits that advance our progress, while breaking the ones that don’t serve us. This can be especially helpful when it comes to your success as an actor.

We wanted to know what regimens you believe have contributed to your stellar acting career. We combed through countless nuggets of wisdom that will inspire hope and encourage others to do the same. Here are some of our favorites:

AJ Sisk smiling outside.

Daily mindfulness meditation, reading psychology and neuroscience books, journaling and walking my dog manages symptoms of mental illness and unlocks creativity.

Practicing self-compassion and reminding myself that my feelings and thoughts are transient, not who I am, helps me to focus on tasks that are important to me.

Weekly exercise, therapy, drawing and catching a show keeps my priorities straight and allows me to be plugged into who I am as a person and artist.

Above all, be not only true to yourself, but be overly kind and compassionate toward yourself. You are more than just an actor or a relationship or a job. As Walt Whitman said in Song of Myself, section 51, “I am large, I contain multitudes.” Take time for your whole self or lose yourself and your mind.

— AJ Sisk

Christine Mendes in a white shirt and red pants posing.

Meditation, affirmation, visualization and a movement practice that is a culmination of yoga, dance and strength training. All of these cultivate a rich inner reservoir. When the self-image is wealthy, so is the external reality.

— Christine Mendes

Terrence Thomas smiling outside in a long sleeved shirt.

Studying languages, going to museums, keeping my physical instrument in tune and rigorous scene study work. [This] contributes to a rich internal life for me as a human being and as an actor.

— Terrence Glenn Thomas

Alli Wulfert smiling outside.

I make sure to exercise, read and write something daily! I’ve found that if I’m mentally and physically sharp, I give my best performance. Even if what I write isn’t good, I’m more creatively inspired after writing for a bit.

— Alli Wulfert

Dino Derosa smiling in a motorcycle jacket

I have a habit of being mindful of people’s emotional reactions when I interact with them. I do this regardless of how the conversation may be, even if it’s just buying something at the convenience store and saying hello to the cashier.

I do this because Meisner defines acting as “the ability to behave absolutely truthfully under the imaginary circumstances.” Observing truthful behavior on a daily basis helps me when I need to act truthfully in my behavior.

— Dino De Rosa

Michelle Sujai Harvey smiling in a yellow shirt.

My daughter, Michelle Lynn, and I walk [between] two and five miles daily and share strategies on how to make it in Hollywood. Also, I swim and do Zumba five days a week to stay strong, alert, fit and focused.

— Michelle Sujai Harvey

Daniel Ahl smiling and standing in a comical pose.

I spend hours studying my physical movements while reading and memorizing my script lines. I also look up whatever research I can on the character, personalities and situations that I can to mirror the role as close as possible. Actors like Gary Oldman and Christian Bale inspire me to do that.

— Daniel Ahl

Evelaure Denis smiling in a green shirt.

It helps to keep your heart rate up by doing physical exercise, or taking classes that keep your body active and your blood flowing. Another thing is to keep the mind active by reading—plays, subtitles, books, etc. Last thing is practicing positivity. With all the rejection we face, it helps to make a habit of having a positive mindset.

— Evelaure Denis

Zoe Smith smiling in a red shirt.

Consistently working on scenes and monologues. When I don’t have an audition coming up or lines to learn for a part, I work on a piece during that downtime so I’m always in the acting groove. I pick something random and work on it for two to five minutes a day. It’s a habit for me now, and has helped unbelievably in keeping my skills sharp.

— Zoe Smith

Mark R Black staring into the camera.

Constant training. To be successful, you must always be fine-tuning to improve or you run the risk of being “rusty.” Physically and mentally you must constantly be improving and recognizing areas of improvement required.

— Mark R. Black

Some responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

We want to hear from you! ell us how you approach the process of preparing for a new role. Your response may end up in future marketing materials!

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