We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Monti Washington a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Monti , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

It’s an amazing feeling to make a full time living doing what you love. But you must be willing to PAY THE PRICE. It took me 8 years of constant pursuit and failure to arrive at this point. You have to be all in to make it. It’s important to look at it as a marathon and not something that will ever happen overnight. I believe the only way to speed up the process is to be willing to learn and outwork anyone else. But here are some tips I would give to someone to truly make the dream a reality!

-Learn your craft because you can always lean on your craft

-Learn who you are independent of your art because that what influences your art.

-Choose confidence over being humble. When your to humble people will allow their insecurities to be projected onto you making you question your every move. Being humble is something you do to make others feels comfortable. The journey will humble you naturally.

– Remember its a gift not to get what you want before you are ready for it

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was living in a mens homeless shelter when I first starting acting. I lived there for 4 months because I choose to pay for acting classes instead of rent. Not the smartest idea but I had no other option at the time.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the belief that “Your past dictates how far you go”. I suffered with imposter syndrome for many years. Coming from poverty and being homeless I had to get out of my poverty mindset. When you come from nothing you are more likely to settle for nothing. I had to work very hard to create a new belief system that backed up this dream of making a living off acting.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: monti_washington
• Facebook: MONTI WASHINGTON
• Youtube: @hearhimoutshow