How to fulfill your dream of becoming a writer, actor, artist or musician

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend a Fan Expo in Philadelphia. The convention featured a long list of celebrities, including Adam Savage, Rainn Wilson, Creed Bratton and Joe Wos. People came dressed as their favorite characters from shows, games, movies and comics. Part of the fun of attending is seeing how people dress. In addition to cosplayers and art booths, there was also the opportunity to attend panels on a wide variety of topics.

The most memorable panel of the day featured Charles Martinet, who voiced Mario in the Super Mario Bros games for three decades. During the panel, Martinet spoke about what it means to be a celebrity and the importance of treating people with respect. He mentioned how painful it would be for someone you admire to disrespect you. For people who aspire to work as voice actors, artists, directors, or in any other creative profession, this is perhaps the best advice you can ever remember. If you ever succeed, people will admire you and it's important to act like someone who deserves to be admired.

Other questions asked were about Nintendo games and lessons learned from Martinet's career. One of the lessons Martinet mentioned was the importance of not locking yourself into just one category. As an example, Martinet mentioned that some people insist on being voice actors. They work hard at their craft, but they never achieve much success, not because they are bad at what they do, but simply because they never get lucky. Then one day they have the opportunity to help with a screenplay or edit someone's written work. Some people who really want to become voice actors find themselves given the opportunity to write or do something else and discover that they really love it. Martinet mentioned the importance of never turning down an opportunity in your profession, because you never know when you're going to really enjoy doing something.

During a creator clash, an event where cartoonists and comic book creators compete in a drawing duel, a young artist spoke about the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people. The opposing artist gave his own advice, emphasizing how important it is to do the things you really want to do. If the thing you love to do is your passion and you want to make a career out of it, it doesn't matter how many setbacks you encounter; you will find a way to succeed.

Whatever your dream, it's important to remember that there are many paths to success. Brandon Rogers, a YouTuber with more than 6 million subscribers, had a booth at the expo with lines longer than some members of The Office cast. Without the Internet, Rogers probably would not have achieved the fame he has. Many creators got their start by finding their place on the Internet. People who are good at what they do and love their job can find ways to do it, thanks to the technology we have. With that in mind, there is no reason why anyone reading this can't achieve their dreams. Luck may be part of these career paths, but that doesn't mean talent won't take you far.

Ultimately, being a part of these industries has always been difficult. Joe Wos, who spoke with me one-on-one the day before the conference, mentioned that it has never been easy, but that the people who do this work do it because they love it. Many voice actors, comic creators, and artists were asked how they achieved their success at different panels, and the answer was always the same. Each person had an obsessive interest in their craft, so much so that no matter what setbacks they encountered, financial or otherwise, they were able to keep moving forward until they got their chance. If you want to work in a creative profession and know that there is nothing else you want to do in this world, just know that you will succeed one day if you continue to push yourself. The key to success is to always work on the things you love and never give up on your dreams until you become the next Brandon Rogers, Charles Martinet or Joe Wos.