Growth in Acting: Why You Don’t Always Feel It (Even When It’s Happening)

One of the biggest reasons actors take class is a simple one: we want to grow. We’re curious, we’re hungry, and we’re eager to feel like we’re moving forward in our craft and our careers. But - and many of you have heard me discuss these themes in class - growth in acting is rarely trackable in the way we’d like it to be. Unlike the gym, where you can see more weight lifted, or a language class, where you can measure words learned, acting growth often happens quietly, underneath the surface. And because it’s not always visible or immediate, we often get impatient. Or worse, we get hard on ourselves. The truth is, just because you can’t feel your growth doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Part of the reason growth feels invisible is because it happens in small, incremental shifts. Each time you take class, rehearse a scene, take in a note, or attempt a new accent, you’re adding to your craft. But those changes are almost impossible to notice in the moment. Acting is also deeply subjective. Unlike fields where progress can be charted numerically, here growth is measured in presence, vulnerability, listening, and truth - qualities that don’t always provide instant feedback AND if you WERE to try and track them in the moment the result will be…..you are not in the moment because you’re watching your own work as it’s happening. 

This can become challenging because, to complicate matters, we fall into the comparison trap. It’s easy to see someone else’s breakthrough and feel like you’re behind, when in reality your growth is simply unfolding at its own rhythm.

Often, the signs of growth are subtle: you take direction more fluidly than you did a year ago, you recover from mistakes faster, you ask more specific questions in rehearsal, or you find yourself braver in your choices even when they don’t “work.” These moments may not feel dramatic, but they are proof that your craft is deepening. A student in one of our classes last week described how a series regular on the TV show he was guest starring on complimented him on his emotional availability and he realised “right, I DO have great emotional availability because I’ve been practicing the CRAFT of emotional availability for years now in class”

To relieve some of the pressure, it helps to zoom out. Instead of judging yourself on a single class or a single audition, look at the broader trajectory of your work over months or years. If you keep a journal of what you’ve tried each week - what scared you, what challenged you, what you learned - you’ll start to see patterns emerge that prove you’re moving forward. Most importantly, try redefining growth itself. It’s not about proving you’re “better” every time you walk into the room. Growth is about showing up, staying curious, and committing to the process even when it’s uncomfortable or requires you to delve into the depths of your soul, with courage, just to get through. 

Like growth in nature, acting growth is slow, often invisible, but undeniable when you step back and take in the bigger picture. Trust that your effort is compounding. Trust that showing up is the work. And above all, be kinder to yourself in the in-between. Because whether you feel it or not, you are growing.

Keep up the GREAT work! 

Mark :)