Have you heard that you can, “be anything you want to be” and thought to yourself, not really?
Chances are you have heard this phrase countless times in speeches and interviews when folks talk about their successes. Dream big, they say. Pursue your passion, they say. Sure, it’s always nice to recognize someone’s success and provide positive thoughts. But doesn’t a part of you say, that’s BS!
That’s what it read in a book recently. When attending a music event at my local library, I sat next to a book display. A book, “Assume The Worst – The Graduation Speech You’ll Never Hear,” caught my eye. Leafing through it I saw this passage – “you can be anything you want to be – total bullshit.”
Finally, someone said it! It is actually refreshing to read. When I hear “you can be anything”, my eyes roll. It’s not being negative – it’s being realistic.
I get it, though. The mindset of doing anything and being anything is ingrained in our culture from childhood. As a father, coach, and team lead in work roles, I always strive to be supportive and encouraging. As a society, we idolize those who have achieved greatness. The notion that we can achieve anything we want and be anything we want is noble and good. A young child or adult will most certainly find ambition and motivation to achieve their goals and dreams.
Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses
However, let us not overlook the inherent limitations. We all have our strengths and weaknesses from a variety of factors, whether it’s genetics, upbringing, or environmental factors.
When I enlisted in the Air Force, I had dreams of working my way to be a pilot. But my eyesight was a showstopper. An issue with depth perception was an uncorrectable condition unsuitable for military flying. There were many things I have wanted to do. For a variety of reasons, they didn’t happen. Some were within my control, some were not.
When I got into voiceovers, I never thought I’d sound like the movie trailer guy Don Lafontaine! Folks said you have a nice voice, but nobody ever said you sound like that movie guy. Of course we all jokingly try to mimic the “In a world” line, but come on, my voice isn’t suited for that. So, no, I cannot be any voice I want to be. That’s just nuts.
Remember Frank the chameleon in the old Budweiser commercials? When acknowledging chameleons are not a good looking species, he said, “I simply know my limitations.” The same for someone with poor hand-eye coordination – chances are they’re not going to be the next Red Sox 3rd baseman Rafael Devers.
This is NOT to say that with hard work and determination you can’t achieve success in a variety of ways. Yes, we hear of many stories of people overcoming all sorts of deficiencies and shortfalls and but holding yourself to a level that you may not be suited for, geared for, or wired for is a level of self-delusion.
Can Anyone Be A Voiceover?
During an interview, someone asked me, “can anyone be a voiceover?” In terms of barriers to entry, I was about to say yes. But I paused. No, I said. I could not honestly say that ANYone can be a voiceover. Not everyone has a voice that could be successful in voiceovers. Even if they did, so many other factors such as determination, training, marketing, are at play that may impact someone’s success.
Entering the voiceover industry is much easier these days with inexpensive gear, remote connection, and a variety of casting sites. Many folks have flooded the market with goals of making money and success. With some investment and training, many folks can be successful. I realized I was not going to be the next movie trailer guy. Believe me, I tried auditioning for all sorts of projects – many of which I was not well suited for hoping there might be a chance I could be even close to the mark. Some of my first demos featured spots that just were not in my vocal wheelhouse.
With coaching and a lot of practice, I started to focus on my vocal strengths and the type of work that my voice would be best suited for. Commercials, corporate narration, explainer videos, and e-learning are areas that I have done the most work and have had a lot of success over the years. Those are in my wheelhouse. Have I done work in other genres such as character, announcer, and promos? Sure but those are not as common for me.
Is Anything Achievable?
Some may read this blog and think that this is discouraging or negative.
Have you had to do a SMART goal at work? What does the ‘A’ stand for again? Achievable. There’s a reason for that.
Set goals and do what you can. But balance that out. Do not set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations that are unachievable. This leads to disappointment. And that can snowball to personal failure, low self-esteem, and worse, depression.
My dream to be an Air Force pilot was dashed – it still haunts me to this day. But I was still able to work on aircraft as a maintainer. And I did eventually fly by earning my private pilot license. Those were realistic alternatives to the unachievable.
Directing Resources To The Right Goal
Without self-awareness, you may not be equipped to make the best decisions. Think about all of the time and money spent on those unrealistic goals that could’ve been spent on something more attainable. As with life, it’s a gamble sometimes. With any gamble, one needs to weigh all factors.
I’m not here to crush anyone’s goal or dream. I’m really a positive guy! Really! But there are limitations and the potential disillusionment that must be acknowledged. And I feel there is a responsibility to be realistic. Keeping expectations in check ensures we’re not setting people up for failure and to hopefully enjoy those successes, as unexpected as they may be.
So next time you hear “You can be anything you want to be”, it’s ok to be realistic and think to yourself, “not really.” But then, focus on your strengths, recognize your weaknesses, and adjust your goals accordingly.
