Be Analytical not Critical!

One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself as an artist is the decision to commit fully to your work and your journey. That doesn’t mean knowing exactly where your career is headed or comparing yourself to anyone else’s timeline. It also isn’t intended to make you feel shame when reading that if you feel you’re not ‘committing fully’ right now. Consider this an encouraging hand on your shoulder (mine), letting you know that you can do it(!), and that you deserve to show up for yourself with honesty, discipline, and curiosity for the path you are on right now.

I heard this phrase recently that resonated with me and made me want to offer it to you. Be analytical, not critical. When assessing where you’re at in any aspect of your life, criticism shuts you down. It fuels doubt, shame, and the voice that says, “I’m not good enough.” Analysis, on the other hand, opens you up. It allows you to look at your choices, your habits, and your performances with clear eyes. Ask yourself: What worked here? What could I explore differently next time? What’s the one adjustment that would bring me closer to truth? That kind of questioning doesn’t punish - it guides. It gives you agency and can inspire excitement in the possibility of growth. 

Commitment doesn’t mean doing it alone. Mark Evans Studio’s motto is ‘Collaboration Is Key’. The best artists know they thrive when surrounded by people who can hold up a mirror, challenge them, and bring out colors they didn’t even know were there - always doing so in an encouraging, respectful way.  If you want to take your work to the next level, ask yourself: Where do I need support? Where do I need a teacher’s eye, a scene partner’s energy, or a peer’s feedback? Then, lean into that. To quote the character Velma Kelly in Chicago “But I can’t do it alone!”

Think of your career not as a series of auditions or jobs, but as a practice - a living, breathing process. Each rehearsal, each scene, each song is a chance to train yourself to think with curiosity instead of judgment. Each collaboration is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself and the work. Stop convincing yourself you will eventually be a finished product. That’s impossible, so stop holding yourself to impossible expectations and standards. 

Committing to yourself means showing up consistently, even when it feels messy or uncertain. It means choosing to analyze, refine, and grow instead of criticizing and shutting down. And it means building a community around you that both supports and challenges you to stay honest.

Your career is built one choice at a time. Choose to commit. Choose to analyze instead of criticize. Choose to collaborate. In doing so, you’ll not only move your career forward - I believe you’ll move closer to the artist and the human being you’re meant to become.

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