Are you a “cup half full” or “half empty” kinda person? Or maybe you’re a “Thank God there’s something in it!” (especially if it’s coffee)
There are people on this earth that naturally lean towards a positive attitude, assuming the best of others.
There are other people on this earth that are negative, expecting the worst, treating every situation like something that’s already broken before they’ve even begun.
It is all in your mindset.
Recently, I submitted my information to a talent agency to get re-instated on their website. As I was filling out the paperwork, I came across the policies form that every actor was supposed to agree to and sign.
While I did agree with all of the policies listed, the way they were worded shocked me. It was in such a negative, suspicious way, that I felt insulted and I just couldn’t sign the form.
Among the list were:
“DO NOT not show up. For anything. But especially a job.” (by this way this double negative is copied from their website, super clear phrasing, right?)
Of course, if I were to become a member of the agency, I would show up to every booking I received. I am a professional and I am getting paid. Rather than assuming that I’m already planning not to show up, I would’ve worded this as:
“Make sure to show up to every booking and job.” Doesn’t that sound a little nicer?
“DO NOT forget your wardrobe/headshots/resumes.”
Why would I ever purposefully forget any of those things? Do they really need to make that a rule? Couldn’t they have just said:
“As a friendly reminder, make sure to always bring your wardrobe, headshots, and resumes.”
“DO NOT make harassing, embarrassing, or obnoxious posts on the internet.”
Ok. That makes me feel like a child. Apparently, the talent agency assumes the actors they work with have never been on the internet before, and consequently don’t realize that everything they post is visible to everyone. Again, the agency is expecting the worst of its talent. Why not say:
“Professionals think before they speak, even on the internet, so please keep that in mind when posting anything online.
These statements show a deep distrust — taking a scarcity mindset, rather than a mindset of generosity.
There were 15 of these “policies” on the form, and all of them took the stance of negativity, assuming the worst of the actors and models they’re recruiting. Rather than making me feel more compliant to their rules, I was frustrated and annoyed.
The way we phrase our expectations can have a huge affect on the response we get. If you say to your spouse, “Can you please not leave a huge mess in the kitchen again?” you’ll get a different response than if you say, “It’d be great to walk into a clean kitchen when you’re done in there.”
In my opinion, if you send negativity out into the world, you only get negativity back.
Do you have any tips for maintaining a positive attitude? Comment and tell me about them!
