4 Ways Acting Helps in Everyday Life

Practicing the art of acting helps define one’s career, but also gives many other added benefits to successful living.

1. It’s a confidence booster

Over 75% of people have a fear of public speaking, according to Phobias Expert Lisa Fritscher. That being the case, people who speak in front of large audiences frequently have a lot of self-assurance. Whether they actually have an abundance of confidence, or they’re just able to fake it really well, that’s a valuable capability in any facet of life. From interviewing for a job to getting directions in an unfamiliar town, having self-confidence is always helpful.

2. It builds character

This may sound like something your father tells you before making you rake the leaves, but it’s true. Acting is a discipline that isn’t easy, and it takes a lot of work and coaching to be considered a good actor. Going through the struggles of memorizing lines, knowing cues, and being able to recite it all in a convincing manner takes a lot of practice, and a lot of messing up before it’s perfect. As such, actors learn failure, hard-work, and perseverance better than most. This mental capacity can be shifted to all other aspects of life, like going through a hard time, or finding a solution to a complicated problem. Strong character allows you to overcome trials, and acting helps build it.

3. It teaches social skills

Nothing will help you talk with others quite like pretending to do it every day! With rehearsals and scripts that have a lot of dialogue, there’s an added benefit: learning how to talk with others. Those that work consistently in the acting profession, either on stage or behind a camera, learn how to converse just by pure repetition. Social skills are arguably one of the most important skills to have in everyday life, because they can determine if you get the job, the boyfriend or girlfriend, or even if you make the friend. At the end of the day, people skills are so important because all we have are the family and friends along the way.

4. It releases baggage

Actors always have to be able to channel their emotions in order to be considered talented. Being vulnerable in a performance is one way of channeling your emotions, and it’s something that non-actors would normally not experience. Becoming emotional and opening yourself up onstage is a rare opportunity to let go of your baggage and allow people to see you for who you are, without judgement. It’s an interesting dynamic, because while others see it as an act, it can actually be emotionally cleansing to the actor.