Turning Audition Anxiety Into Opportunity: My Voice Over Mindset Reset

I’ll be honest: I don’t love auditioning. In fact, I kind of hate it. Voice over auditions can be really discouraging if you let them. It’s only fun when you’re winning, right? And you certainly don’t win every time. If you spend days submitting auditions with no callbacks or voiceover bookings, it can feel like a weight hanging around your neck.

But last week, thanks to a Mel Robbins podcast, I reframed how I look at the whole process of auditioning for voice over work. The podcast wasn’t even about the entertainment industry—it was about shaping the life you want to living 10 years out. But it hit me like a bolt: I’m not auditioning. I’m creating opportunities.

That small mental shift made a huge difference. Think about it: the word auditioning is kind of nebulous. Is it even a verb? It feels passive, like something that’s done to you. But when you reframe it as creating, it becomes active, tangible, and positive.

When you create, you’re growing. You’re building. You’re producing something that didn’t exist before. And when you look at auditions as opportunities you’re creating, suddenly the act feels worthwhile—even before the results come in.

Every time you record a voiceover audition, you’re creating an opportunity to be heard. Casting directors, creative directors, and producers might have dozens of auditions in front of them. They’ll never know your voice fits the project unless you give them the chance to hear it.

You’re also creating an opportunity to be shortlisted. That’s the first step toward booking voiceover jobs. First, they hear you. Then, if your read fits the tone or direction, you get moved onto the shortlist. But none of that happens unless you take the step to create that opportunity in the first place.

And of course, every audition is ultimately an opportunity to get booked. As Jack Campbell famously said, “You can’t win unless you try to win.” In voice talent casting, the win is getting hired, and every audition you send out is another lottery scratcher that just might hit..

Since reframing auditioning as opportunity creating, I’ve noticed a shift in my own mindset. When I sit down with my calendar, instead of seeing hours blocked off for “auditioning,” I see a time slot dedicated to “creating opportunities.” Suddenly, that block of time feels lighter, more empowering, and even more hopeful.

If you’re a fellow voice actor who struggles with the grind of auditioning, maybe try the reframe for yourself. You’re not just auditioning—you’re creating chances to connect, creating a chance to join a team, creating a presence in the marketplace, and creating stepping stones toward your next booking.

Because every audition, even the ones that don’t land, is proof you’re showing up. And showing up is the only way to get heard.