A New Approach to 'The Career'

As an actor, director, writer, artist, or dancer trying to make it we often forget to enjoy our work.  When I was pursuing my acting career in London, I chose auditions, acting opportunities, and experiences based on whether or not it would further my goal of becoming a true professional actress.  If it did not, if it was a tiny role with little stage time, then it was not worthy of my time.  Watching this inspirational talk on Ted.com by Charlie Todd made me think....A much healthier way of approaching a creative career would be to ENJOY every moment. To do projects that satisfy the soul, and that allow us to feel at one with others.
Creatives are an interesting breed.  In the beginning I loved the limelight, being the centre of attention, but more than anything, it was feeling like I'd found my niche in high school that kept me in the theatre world.  Yes, the individual element was always present, the ability to expunge my emotions on stage in a healthy way was irresistible, but the desire to be a part of a bigger whole was always greater.
 There are those who are only interested in how their art can bring them fame and fortune, but I don't think many of them are successful.  How many Hollywood actors say in interviews 'I never planned on being famous, I just love what I do'?  I know it sounds cliché and it's easy to think 'yea right', but what if they are all telling the truth?   What if we stopped thinking about our own career and focused our energy instead on being a part of the bigger picture?  What if we took our ego out of the equation?
I remember an agent telling a group of actors in a workshop that 'if you want to be an actor then don't plan on taking holidays! You need to be available 24/7 for auditions and if you're not then you're not serious and I don't want to work with you'.  Well, I don't want to work for someone like that.  I want to LIVE and I truly believe that in order to be a great actor you need to experience life.  How can we portray characters from all walks of life if all we know is the inside of a theatre or the set of a film?  
There is something to be said for continuing to train, for honing your craft, etc but it doesn't have to be tedious.  I hated those terms because it reminded me of practicing violin for hours or doing homework late into the night - it conjured up images of painful boredom.  Instead, I recommend finding friends who share the same sense of humour and artistic vision and getting out there and making theatre, film, or music.  Just do it!  But more importantly, ENJOY IT.  And if you don't?  Find something else.  Or find a way to fall back in love with your passion.  Clowning reawakened my love for theatre.  Doing something else within your craft that might not be your forte can bring new life to your practice.  Agree or disagree. I know I’ll be moving forward by searching for projects that bring a smile to my face rather than a ‘valuable credit’ to my CV.