Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tom Downing. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Tom, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To me, as an actor, survival is success. When I look back on the last 15 years, when most times were tough, the persistence without promise really powers that voltage I carry with me. Most actors think booking the role is success. If that were the case, I’d only be successful 10% of the time and that’s simply unhealthy and unfair to label every other situation I encounter as “a failure”. It’s about doing good work in an audition. The ritual of your practice, whatever medium it is. It’s about surviving the worst days and years. It’s about preserving my light that can be so quickly doused by the drudge of a business like this. And it’s about fostering good people in your circle.

This is the most unrealistic pursuit any normal person could think of. To survive and win what seems like the lottery for every role, half the battle of being successful is having the belief you can be. The more I was immersed in this business, the more I saw the average actor sabotage their opportunity because they didn’t believe they were good enough. How do you gain that? I think it starts with outside sources. It helps to have parents who tell you that you’re wonderful and good and smart and talented. Then having wise and talented people in your corner who will, when it calls for it, praise you and your work. It’s also a lot about convincing yourself. Every actor must create a mental shift. It helped that I saw everyone had confidence issues – even the talented people. I thought to myself “ok, if everyone has a problem with self-esteem, even where great talent is present, that means the feeling is untrue”. It gave me permission to believe any lack of confidence simply isn’t real. It’s just a form of resistance keeping us from living up to our full potential.

You must know that you’re talented – a belief that you and what you create is good, powerful, and something worth capturing.

What really helped convince me that I had every reason to book a role was believing I’ve done everything in my power for opportunity to meet readiness. That means I took the classes, went out to the shows, never passed up an audition or half-assed the preparation for the role. If I did that, and there wasn’t a question about my thoroughness, the pressure was off and all I had to do was rely on destiny.

But thinking your way will only go so far. True success is granted from life experience. For me the zenith of this inner belief was helping people overcome their addictions. I saw, by just a few words or a few interactions, I could save their lives. The color of their eyes came back. They had peace. That solidified my belief I could affect someone on that kind of scale. When you finally see that, it’s hard to walk into a room without presence and confidence. It also helps to realize acting means nothing. There’s something more important on this earth than your audition. Boom – the pressure is off and you can enjoy the fleeting moment of an audition instead of dreading it.

Acceptance is also a huge part of the journey to success. Not just for actors but for anyone. Truly successful people must accept the shi*t. What is the sh*t? It’s the current state of affairs when it’s not going your way. Which is more often than not. It’s expecting not only rough days, but rough years. And welcoming the season your life is in, knowing it will pass.

The hardest thing about living as a working actor is being at the mercy of life outside of acting. Shit side job? You’re there for a reason. Lost a career shifting role to a friend? He was supposed to get it. In the chaos of early child rearing with no time to work on your art? Your home is now the training grounds for character growth and human experience which will season your art. No matter the era of your life – it is there for a reason and you are in it for a divine purpose. Once you start accepting that, wonderful things begin to unfold. That’s not to say you can’t aggressively pursue your way out of it, but a successful person exists in it freely and willingly. That ease of life emits a sense of inner peace which is then felt in the room by everyone. It’s the dis-ease and desperation of the person’s present that dampens the person’s light and prevents whatever opportunity is presented.

Ultimately, success is a lot about being open to the world and what it gives you. For artists especially, they must listen to The Voice within. Everyone – and I mean everyone – has a consciousness inside themselves that gives truth, whispers guidance, and offers revelations. Experience has taught me time and time again the level at which this voice speaks is directly correlated to the time we spend listening to it. And acting on it. It delights in your willingness to listen and bring life to the truth within. It’s deeper than religion. It’s purely cosmic. For the clients I coach, that means they begin and end their day with 10 minutes of total silence without any distraction. The results are powerful and immediate.

Tom, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an actor and my work is mainly in film and television. I’ve been on some incredible projects, but to get there, I had to experience intense struggle and darkness. But that’s what makes it a great story.

I never had a connection or some big break. My journey has always been about taking action, risking everything, enduring terrible discomfort, and leaning into the fear of uncertainty. When someone embraces that kind of perspective, serendipity takes over and delivers.

I grew up in middle America – nowhere near a tv and film industry. So, I had to essentially make my own. I started making short films in my teens and through college. I knew this wasn’t just a hobby. I mean, this thing was saving my life – it gave me air. What drove me into this thing was fear, actually. The idea of my truth not being lived or manifested and having a life-long career that I didn’t absolutely love really drove me, especially in the darkest moments. I’m just not capable of doing anything that doesn’t make me happy, so I was dead set on making this thing happen.

I also had that voice that guided me into this thing. It said it would be the hardest thing I’ll ever do, and that I’d be poor for a very long time, and the pursuit would limit things like my participation in life events. It said it’d take 20 years, but eventually success would come in its own way and its own time. So when that all came to pass, I was able to handle it.

When you begin materializing a dream, that is terribly unrealistic, you must create a plan of action to create a stable progression or it’ll just fizzle away. And it has to be within the realm of reasonability. My idea was to start small so when I was in a bigger playing field, I would be prepared for it. Since I was in Indiana, I found the closest talent agency which was in Indianapolis and got signed which led me to my first professional auditions and booking a commercial. The next step was commuting to Chicago for classes. Once I knew the wheels were turning, I moved. Somehow, someway, my headshot landed on the desk of the biggest casting agency in the city. The owner was friends with a new agent who just set up shop and that referral got me signed.

One day, I was in that same casting office reading for film and they just so happened to be casting a period piece drama across the hall. Mickie Paskal asked if I’d come in and say a line and that got me my first official network television credit. For 5 years, I relentlessly pursued every class, audition, and performance opportunity. For a long stretch, I essentially lived out of my car going from set to set throughout the Great Lakes. I enjoyed every day as if I was looking at it 20 years from the future with all the success. I never understood people who hated their lean years – it’s so rootless and romantic.

So, I auditioned a few hundred times and it led to a number of tv gigs, indie films, and commercials. I soon felt a calling to move to a bigger pool. Knowing Los Angeles would be my final stop, I figured I’d swing by New York for a bit and see what came of it. I was there for 5 years and that was really where my craft began to form. Really, it was sparked by intense growth in me as a person. I booked tons of films, a few more TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and BULL, and some commercials. When the time was right, I hit the road again and made my final move to LA.

This business has a very low success rate, and because I know how to book, I decided to begin teaching what I learned and how I find success to actors who are willing to make the investment and absorb it. My coaching has taken off and it’s fulfilling to be able to solve my client’s problems. After years of struggle, it’s quite a nice feeling to monetize your misery.

I have some great agents in my corner who get me into big rooms. I do audition a lot, but surprisingly most comes from my own submissions. That’s just the way it is currently. And acting is essentially how I make my living. So the voice turned out to be right. And I have the luxury of not loathing my 9-5 which was the motivation in the first place. What was unexpected was the spiritual side of this pursuit burning on the sidelines of acting. Through the trudge, I gained this deeper dimension to my head and heart that will affect me and those around me forever. That’s why jumping into something irrational or unrealistic can be so powerful. If it’s your truth, it leads you to wondrous places.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

As an actor, our opportunities don’t just come from some random audition someone sees. Casting has to know you, like you, and think of you often. I keep that up by always submitting good work – they know if I send in a tape, it’s going to be something they’re comfortable submitting to their clients – that’s directors and creatives who have hired them to recruit their talent. They also have the peace of mind that I’ll win the room. So they’re happy to send me in and give an impression that reflects positively on them. This can only be done by consistency, so holding yourself to that standard by default has always been a priority.

My coaching clients are part of my weekly schedule. I’ve built an online portal where they can access me everyday, no matter where I am. I have office hours that my members have access to, I give private sessions, and have a full course which covers everything an actor would need to be successful in an efficient and concise format.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being a creative is no matter what you’re working on, the people you’re with will be in your circle forever. There’s something so powerful between fellow actors and collaborators which binds them by the power of this creation for this tiny moment in time.

It’s also incredibly rewarding to have the peace of mind knowing you’ve honored that voice which has granted you this vocation. All I have to do is take my number everyday and let it unveil itself. I also get great satisfaction in creating something that my directors, producers, and casting directors can be happy with. Whatever story we’re telling was at one point just a shower idea. And by breathing life into it, I helped make it a reality.

My wife and I produce films through our company XO Productions. We handle casting and crewing up indies. From camera to score and everything in between. I love going through my rolodex and bringing on people whom I love to work with. And 18 months later at the premiere, all these merry bunch of artists are in the same room to see the finished product. And with today’s distribution arrangements, we get the satisfaction of these projects being streamed to every home. What a great time to be in indie film.

Being a creator is a wonderful form of expression. And when you can make a living doing it, it’s the most fulfilling thing in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thetomdowning.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imtombytheway/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorkingActorPro
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@workingactorpro
• Other: Podcast: https://beforethebreak.buzzsprout.com/