"The Track Will Tell You" with Boyd Varty

We're joined this week by lion tracker and coach, Boyd Varty. Boyd recently published a book called, "The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life." We talk about the art of tracking, his recovery from PTSD after several traumatic events (including getting attacked by a crocodile), his shift to doing coaching and his experience of meeting and living with Nelson Mandela as a boy. Our question this week comes from an actor whose work has dried up.

Boyd's Book
Boyd's TED Talk
Boyd's Website
Instagram

The question this week:

Hey Man -

I’m 47 years old and have worked my entire adult life as an actor. I know I’m lucky to have made a career out of it, but I’m struggling. Like most working actors, I’ve had good years and lean years, but the last couple of years have been particularly lean. In the past, even if I only booked one “big” job a year, I still got steady work with commercials, etc. But in the last few years, everything has dried up. I work maybe once a month. I’ve supplemented it with some other gigs, but otherwise have a lot of time on my hands.

This all also coincides with some big life changes: my wife and I had two kids and moved to the suburbs. Luckily, her career has taken off, otherwise we’d be really stressed. Basically, to be useful, I spend a lot of my free time taking care of our home and kids. I’m left feeling like a house husband. I love our kids, but this is not how I envisioned my life. But I’m dependent on other people to do the work I love. I think other people might say it’s time to find another career, but I’m not ready to let acting go. Still, I can’t just stay at home and be depressed waiting for more work to come my way. What should I do?

Signed,

Wasting Away in Westchester