5 Ways to Adjust Your Attitude and Achieve Hollywood Success

If you’re just breaking into Hollywood (like a recent college grad for example) you might think what makes you irresistible to decision makers is your award-winning student film, or the ivy league college you graduated from. Although both of those things never hurt, what really sets you apart is simply having the right Hollywood attitude.

Think about it, if you had to choose someone to work with, would you be more concerned about hiring a person who attended a fancy alma-mater and had dozens of festival laurels? Or someone who radiated positivity, genuine passion, and always went above and beyond their job description?

For all the newbies out there trying to get their foot in the door, here are 5 ways to adjust your attitude and turn yourself into a undeniable job candidate Hollywood won’t be able to ignore:

1. Radiate genuine passion

If you’ve chosen to pursue a career in entertainment, you must have a passion for it (if you don’t, trust me, get out now). Whether your passion is for the industry as a whole, or for one creative aspect of it - find a way to bring that unbridled enthusiasm, energy, and excitement to every meeting, interview and networking event. This might sound easy for some, but for all those introverts out there it can take a bit of practice. So, take a beat to think about why you want to work in this industry. What movies and TV shows inspire you? What kind of career do you aspire to have? Writing everything down can help you organize your thoughts and make you feel more prepared to communicate your passion confidently and clearly.

2. Lead with your own “brand” of confidence

I’m in no way suggesting you have to become totally well-adjusted in every aspect of your life to be successful (if it worked that way, almost no one would be successful in show business). But you do need to have confidence in your ability to “deliver” - to do whatever tasks need to be done with your own personal brand of self-assurance. For example, one young director I know has a great sense of humor and infectious enthusiasm. Believe me, if you met him you would want to hire him. But I also know an executive assistant who is soft-spoken, self-contained, and will easily be running this town one day. As long as you communicate that you can do the job with real conviction, there’s no “wrong” style of confidence (and if you’re having a rough day, fake it).

3. Always bring your “A Game”

Unless you’re very lucky, chances are you have a “day” job to pay the bills as you pursue your Hollywood dreams. Even though your day job is ultimately not what you want to do, don’t fall into the trap of telling yourself it doesn’t matter and not giving it your all. Find a way to bring your “A Game” to every job you do. For one, it will make your life less frustrating. Working with energy and commitment will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment no matter what task you’re working on. Two, you never know who’s watching. Job opportunities in this town pop up at the strangest times in the strangest ways. I’m proof it happens - If I hadn’t been a really great assistant while working at a museum, I never would have been recommended to my first Hollywood boss.

4. Say YES

When someone offers you an opportunity say YES (unless it’s illegal, immoral, or violates your values or beliefs). Saying yes means nothing is beneath you, and you have to leave your excuses behind. Shonda Rhimes, Showrunner and all-around Hollywood powerhouse, is a big advocate for this practice. Shonda is a massive introvert (so much so that she once hired a publicist so she could avoid public appearances). She gave herself the challenge of saying YES to everything that scared her for a year. It was so life changing that she wrote a book about it called, “Year of Yes”. So, whether it’s staying late to sweep the floors, or going to a networking event you’re dreading - try saying yes. If nothing else, your YES will most likely give you the chance to meet people, and meeting people is the key to almost every Hollywood success story.

5. Give 110%

It’s a cliche but it’s true. Whether you’re an intern, an executive assistant, or a PA, do whatever it takes to get the job done - and then do more. Everyone is hungry in this town, which means everyone gives at least 100%. So what can you do to be a passionate overachiever? My first boss told me, after the fact, that he had been leaning toward hiring someone else until he saw me doing eleven straight hours of coverage before he offered me the job. Go that extra mile to impress with your competence, and dazzle with your work ethic. It can make all the difference.

If you want to learn more about having the right Hollywood attitude, check out my book Hollywood Game Plan on Amazon or at Michael Wiese Productions (MWP). You might also be interested in checking out my in-depth video course: Carole Kirschner’s Hollywood Boot Camp.

How did a great attitude help you achieve your Hollywood dreams? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!