Talent gets you noticed, but skill and hard work keep you in the game. Great actors train consistently, have a voracious intellectual curiosity, and possess a strong work ethic and commitment to artistry. These acting tips will help you sharpen your craft.

Acting isn’t just about memorizing lines—it’s about illuminating the human condition. The best actors are acrobats of the human heart. The best acting classes in NYC can provide technique and structure, but your growth depends on how much you’re willing to bust your ass.

From technique to mindset, this guide covers what it takes to perform with confidence and consistency. Ready to put in the work? Let’s get started.

Key Takeaways

• Great acting comes from discipline, risk-taking, and relentless training.

• The best actors stay curious, challenge themselves, and never stop learning.

• Success in acting is not about talent alone—it is about showing up and doing the work every single day.

The Actor’s Mindset – Cultivating the Right Attitude

Acting is not just about talent. It takes discipline, risk-taking, and the right mindset to grow. The way you think about yourself and your work shapes the kind of actor you become.

1. Drop the word “aspiring” – when you have earned the right.

If you want to be an actor, learn how to do it. Put the time into learning the art form. 

Would you call yourself a dentist while you're in med school? Or a lawyer while you're in law school? Earn the right! Get professionally trained, and when you do, then absolutely wear that badge with honor. 

You don’t have to wait for validation, but at least earn it. If you have put the years in, and are now going after your professional career, never shy away from saying what you are, an actor.

Some people think you can only call yourself that if you book a job, and that is bullshit. An actor’s life is incredibly rewarding and also deeply challenging. So, eventually, drop that word aspiring when you know it's time to do so.

2. Embrace failure as part of the journey

Every actor has built their success on a tremendous amount of failure and rejection. The ones who succeed are the ones who keep going. Mistakes are not proof that you lack skill; they are proof that you are taking chances and making choices.

The last thing you want is to play it safe. No one wants to work with a cautious actor. If you aren't willing to risk, if you aren't willing to make an ass out of yourself, then what’s the point? 

If you can look at your mistakes as discoveries, if you can always ask yourself, “What did I learn?”, then you can make each failure a teachable moment. This is a much better approach than self flagellation.

3. Train your imagination like an athlete trains their body

The most important part of your creative instrument is your imagination, and that can be exercised. Acting is more than technique. It must begin with the imagination, always. It is about creating a world in your mind and making it real. 

A strong imagination fuels great art in any medium. Your ability to daydream and fantasize is a core part of the actor’s process, and the Meisner Technique embraces this understanding.

The two words WHAT IF, are the springboard into your imagination. How many different shoes can you step into? 

Read plays, write character journals, and spend time people-watching. The best actors don’t just recite lines. They have the ability to read a script and imagine the behavior that needs to be created. How can you create what you cannot imagine first?

Building a Strong Foundation – Core Acting Techniques

Strong acting skills come from a solid foundation. Talent alone won’t carry you if you don’t have a clear understanding of how to break down a script, connect with fellow actors, and make choices that bring a character to life. 

The best actors commit to their craft, practice with intention, and never settle for surface-level performances.

4. Acting is doing – Focus on actions, not emotions

The ability to do truthfully under an imaginary circumstance is the very definition of acting. Most untrained actors think that feeling is more important than doing. Not so. 

Stop worrying about emotion and start learning how to craft. Good actors truthfully do, and bad actors indicate. You want to have an inviolate sense of truth and an inner bullshit detector that goes off anytime something is not grounded in truth.  

Acting is not about performing feelings. The reality of doing is the foundation of all acting. When you train, make sure you are learning how to make this unconscious and a consistent part of your ability. 

5. React, don’t plan – Acting is listening

Real conversations are spontaneous and unpredictable. Acting should be, too. If you decide exactly how you will deliver every line before you step into a scene, your performance will feel forced. 

This is what hack actors do, they memorize how they want to say their lines. It doesn’t matter to them what is actually going on in the moment, they’ve rehearsed in a mirror how they want to do it, and that’s it. This kind of acting is unwatchable to me.

Listening is the bedrock of acting. Listen to your scene partner. Take in and respond to subtext. Really hear them, let their behavior play on you, and respond truthfully. A great performance happens in the moment, not in your head.

6. Don’t just memorize lines – Break down the script

Memorizing words is not enough. You need to understand why your character says them. 

Read the script carefully. You need to be able to pin down the core fundamental questions: what’s the previous circumstance, how do I feel about it, what is the acting relationship, and what is my objective? 

A well-trained actor can also justify text, create impulses, and do actions. A good actor can identify the beat changes and then create them spontaneously in the moment. Working out a script is part of the artistry of the craft, and most actors don’t really understand how to do it. The Meisner Technique does train you in all of this important work. 

Why do I say this? What does this mean to me? How do I feel about what is being said to me from moment to moment? The best actors figure this out and then leave themselves alone. They get into the scene, into the contact, and let their instincts and talent take over. That is possible when your work is grounded in craft and process.

Sharpening Your Instrument – Your Body & Voice

Your voice and body are the actors' mode of expression. If your voice is weak or your movements feel strained and tense, the audience will not be moved by you. All they will experience is your tension. 

If you want to be truly transformational, then you must have complete control over your voice and body. Great actors work on themselves continually so that when an opportunity presents itself, they are ready to go.

7. Develop a strong, flexible voice

Your voice carries the emotions and intentions of your character. If it lacks power or clarity, your performance loses impact. Strength comes from breath control, articulation, and connection to the text. 

Speak from your diaphragm, not your throat. Practice daily warm-ups that focus on projection and resonance. Vary your pitch, pace, and volume to add dimension to your delivery. A well-trained voice keeps you expressive and adaptable on stage and in film.

8. Use your body – Acting is physical

As with all of us, a character’s emotions live in their body. The way they stand, walk, and hold themselves tells a story before they even speak. A confident person moves differently than someone weighed down by guilt or regret.

Pay attention to how physical habits shape identity. Train your body through movement exercises like the Alexander Technique, Laban Movement, or Viewpoints. The more control and awareness you have, the more natural and compelling your performance will be.

9. Observe the world – People are your best teachers

The best actors steal from life. Every person you see is a masterclass in human behavior. Be astute observers of humanity.

Watch how people move, how they react in uncomfortable moments, how they mask emotions. Notice the subtle details—a nervous glance, a forced laugh, a stiff posture. Carry a notebook and write down observations that stand out. 

Build a habit of studying people in different settings. These small details make a character feel real instead of performed.

Expanding Your Craft – What Separates Amateurs from Pros

Actors who stop growing get left behind. It is easy to memorize lines and hit marks and call it a performance, but that is not the work of a serious actor. 

Professional actors are acrobats of the human heart. They create with intention, pull from life and from their imagination, and they study the craft relentlessly. 

Acting is not about talent alone. It is about how hard you are willing to work, and how much of your soul you are willing to risk in order to illuminate the human condition. This requires craft and courage.

10. Fall in love with rehearsal – The work happens off-stage

Rehearsal is an important part of the actor’s creative process. It is about experimentation and risk-taking. Too many actors rush to lock in choices, afraid to look unprepared. Great actors treat rehearsal as a lab where they test, fail, and try again. 

Take risks. Make bold choices. Be willing to look foolish. A scene only comes to life when you stop trying to “get it right” and start chasing something real. Directors and fellow actors are your partners in the process. Trust them, challenge them, and let them challenge you.

11. Build an emotional life beyond acting

If all you know is acting, your performances will feel empty. Great actors are not just trained—they are fully formed people with something to say. 

You cannot play heartbreak if you have never allowed yourself to love deeply. You cannot bring raw grief to a scene if you avoid pain in your own life. 

Engage with the world. Travel the world and immerse yourself in different cultures. Find hobbies that challenge you spiritually, intellectually, and physically. Engage in experiences that shake you. Ask questions. Sit in silence. Read books that challenge your perspective. 

The more you bring to your own life, the more you bring to your work. You cannot bring more to your art than what resides inside of you, so keep taking in every chance you have.

12. Learn from the greats – Watch, read, and study

Every actor you admire has spent years studying the craft. Watch the greats, but do more than admire them—figure out why their performances work. 

How do they handle silence? What choices do they make in high-stakes moments? Listen to their interviews, and to how they talk about their work and the approach to it. Find out about how they handle rejection, insecurity, and failure. 

Read plays not just for entertainment but to study structure, character arcs, and rhythm. Acting is not a job where you show up and hope for the best. It is a lifelong commitment to learning, failing, and getting better every single day.

The Professional Actor – How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Raw talent will only take you so far. The actors who build lasting careers are the ones who treat their craft with discipline and persistence. 

Success in this field does not happen by accident. It comes from consistent training, a strong creative community, and the mindset to keep going when things get tough.

13. Join a serious acting class – Training never stops

Professional actors never stop training. Acting classes give you a place to take risks, refine your technique, and develop the discipline needed for a real career. 

A great studio will not let you fall into bad habits or settle for your second best. Work with teachers who challenge you. Learn from directors who expect more. 

Drama school or an advanced acting program will teach you skills that go beyond the art form—patience, focus, really listening, and the ability to handle pressure are all excellent life skills as well.

14. Find a community – Acting is not a solo sport

Acting is built on relationships. The most successful actors have built professional relationships with creatives who inspire them and who they would love to work with in the future. 

If you are always accountable, if you are always prepared and on time, if you are never the problem but always have solutions, then others will want to work with you again. They will recommend you to their friends. They will champion your success.

Surround yourself with like-minded people who push you to improve. Attend play readings, spend time in theater spaces, and work with fellow actors outside of class. The people you train with today could be the ones you collaborate with in the future.

15. Stay consistent – Success comes from relentless commitment

Acting is not about waiting for inspiration. The actors who succeed are the ones who show up every single day, even when they do not feel like it. 

Work on your craft when no one is watching. Read plays, develop new skills, and practice scenes on your own. Some actors wait for an opportunity. Others create one. The difference between amateur and professional is not talent. It is persistence.

Why Maggie Flanigan Studio is the Best Place to Train

Great actors need serious training. MFS offers a rigorous, Meisner-based program designed to push actors beyond surface-level performances. Our faculty of experienced professionals help students develop emotional depth, sharp instincts, and real discipline.

Acting is more than passion. It requires structure, accountability, and a strong community. Here, you will train with like-minded people who challenge you to grow. Whether you are a young actor starting out or a professional refining your craft, our programs prepare you for success in theater, film, and television.

If you are ready to train at the highest level, apply today. Serious actors start here.

Conclusion

Great actors are made through hard work, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to the craft. Acting is not about talent alone. It is about training, taking risks, and pushing yourself beyond what feels comfortable. Every audition, rehearsal, and performance is an opportunity to grow.

Stay curious. Keep training. Challenge yourself in every scene. The best actors never settle, never stop learning, and never lose sight of why they started. Your career is built one choice at a time. Make it count.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I be good at acting?

Being good at acting takes more than talent. It requires training, discipline, and a deep awareness of human behavior. Study acting techniques, commit to rehearsals, and take creative risks. The best actors approach every scene with truth, focus, and empathy toward the human condition.

What are the 10 rules of acting?

Every actor develops their own approach, but key principles remain the same. 

Listen actively, stay present, commit fully, take direction well, make bold choices, understand your lines, build strong relationships with your cast, practice daily, trust the process, and never stop learning. These rules set the foundation for a successful acting career.

How do beginners practice acting?

Beginners should focus on developing their instincts and skills through consistent practice. 

Get into one of the well-respected acting classes NYC has to offer. Read plays, memorize lines, perform monologues, and take acting classes to gain confidence. Join a creative community, observe daily life, and study great performances. Acting is a craft that improves with patience, practice, and passion.