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Dear John

Multi-talented but still unemployed

First published 13th April 2006

Question:
I'm a multi-talented performer - I sing, do impressions, have a very funny stand-up comedy act and have written and produced my own shows. But in case you think I'm blowing my own trumpet, I'm actually starting to feel it is more a dilemma than an advantage.

I've always had very good reviews, even from tough critics, and I'm usually the first person people ask for advice when they need to brush up on one of the areas I'm good at. I don't expect an easy ride - I work hard to get better at my skills and on marketing my talents with the tips I've picked up from this column, the paper and the website.

The problem is no matter how hard I work I never seem to actually get anywhere - I'm still more or less as broke as my friends who simply sit by the phone and wait for it to ring. In fact I feel worse off, being not just broke but also frustrated and constantly exhausted.

I know 'all-round entertainers' like Sammy Davis Jr have succeeded in the past and these days singers like Beyonce also have successful movie careers, so surely it's a plus rather than a minus to have a range of different abilities? So why aren't ANY of my careers working?

Answer:
You are actually expressing a very common dilemma - and not just in showbusiness. Yes, some people reading this may well think that if you're truly as good as you think you'd have got somewhere by now. After all, in this increasingly multi-media, 'short-term contract' world, surely being adaptable is a more valuable skill than ever?

But as you have found out, it's one thing to be adaptable and quite another to be unfocused. Never mind the 'X' factor - if there's one thing that makes the difference between being 'multi-talented' and jack of all trades, master of none, it's the 'focus factor'.

Just as with singing, dancing or acting ability, the ability to focus isn't given to all of us equally and it seems to be particularly lacking in many creative and artistic people.

Over several years of studying patterns of success inside and outside this business I've come across no more effective 'secret' than 'make a good plan and stick to it'. I hope that someone reading this saves a fortune in courses, gurus and seminars.

But easy as that sounds, making your plan is a lot more difficult the more options and career paths you have available to you. Even when you get the plan made, sticking to it isn't helped by the creative mind's talent for creating new options, distractions and even whole new plans every time it gets stressed or bored.

On a practical level could I suggest instead of being creative you get analytical for a while. Stop, step back and take an overview of your career to date. Use writing, act it out, do whatever it takes to step out of the personal and look at yourself simply as a business like any other, rather than as either a 'multi-talented performer' or even the 'failed performer' you may be feeling like right now.

Ask some objective questions about your business: "What of all the things I can do has brought me the most success so far, however I choose to define success? Of all the things I can do to a high standard, what do I do in my own unique way?" This may not be your best technical skill. "Of all the things I do, which one gets the best or warmest response from audiences?" Again this can be a different one to the one you most enjoy using.

Get some objective views - someone who likes your work but is neither jealous nor overawed is a good choice.

Once you have an answer or answers, resolve to focus all your work energy on just one area of performance for a concentrated period, say three to six months. Notice I said 'work energy' - a really good business plan also includes time to have a life.

Some coaches will tell you "you can achieve anything you want to achieve if you put your mind to it". I subscribe to the view that "you can achieve very few things at any one time - so make sure you are working to achieve the things that are most important to you''.

Whenever you feel distraction creeping in, remember that after your focused period is over you are perfectly free to continue developing this one avenue if it's working for you - and at that point you may well be able to 'do a Beyonce' and add another 'flavour' to your existing product. If the path you've chosen hasn't panned out, at least you'll have more confidence in letting it rest while you switch your focus to one of your other skills.