Learning to Make the Right Sacrifices

This is a guest post by Christopher Dela Cruz for Contributor Platform. 

Courage. Persistence. Hard Work.

The Entertainment Industry is brutal to say the least. Full of “No’s,” some “Maybe’s” and that occasionally “Yes.” So what are you willing to put on the line to get to where you want? Taking risks requires making sacrifices and that is not so easy to do when it comes down to it. You sacrifice sleep, time, and even money, but are all the sacrifices worth the risk?

Many people move to the city and say, “I’m going to make it in the industry” but what is “the industry” you want to make it in? The first thing to do is decide what being in the industry means to you and then determine what the right sacrifices are.

Growing up I was told that I would have to make sacrifices in my life and learn to prioritize, but as time went on I quickly learned there was a fine line between making a sacrifice and making the right sacrifice. So what is the difference? That is the task that each individual needs to make in order to customize their sacrifices according to what they want and what career path they are trying to take.

In college I thought that I was a responsible adult that could make my own decisions. Little did I know the trial and error process I would endure on my journey. If there was something that I wish I’d had better guidance in it would be learning to make the right sacrifices. Having built my reputation in the entertainment business and fashion industry I know that sacrifices are always being made. Numerous industry professionals told me this, but they were always vague in telling me who or what to sacrifice.

Relationships, spontaneous trips to Vegas, the weekly Taco Tuesday – these were all things I did not want to give up during college. All my friends were doing them and I didn’t want to miss out. Every week I would somehow find a way to convince myself that participating in these events was a smart decision. Not only was I wasting money, but energy and time as well. I look back at these moments and although I had  fun, I wish I had not attended all the functions I did and instead stayed home now and then to focus on my career.

The biggest advice I can give you in making the right sacrifices is to think twice about the decisions you are about to make. Think about whether something is a necessity or a desire. Never do anything for the wrong reasons and always think twice about whether or not it will benefit you and your career. Based on that you will start to learn to making the right decisions to make the RIGHT SACRIFICES.