What if the reason your auditions don't reflect your training has nothing to do with your skills—and everything to do with how your brain compartmentalizes practice versus performance?
In this episode of "Conversational with Carrie Olsen," I explore the disconnect between training and performance and why it matters for your voice acting career and beyond. You'll discover how to bring all your hard-earned skills into every audition while staying authentic to who you are.
Episode Highlights:
Treat Performance As Practice Under Observation The mental barrier between practice and performance is artificial. When you reframe auditions as practice sessions where someone happens to be listening, you remove the threat response that blocks access to your acquired skills. This simple mindset shift allows your brain to engage the same way it does in coaching sessions.
Allocate Time That Matches Your Reality If you respect practice enough to block dedicated time for it, your auditions deserve the same intentionality. Start with at least 30 minutes of focused prep work for each audition, treating it with the same priority as a paid coaching session. The time problem is really a priority problem—you prioritize what you truly care about.
Consciously Activate Your Training Skills don't automatically transfer from practice to performance. Before every audition, spend 2-3 minutes asking yourself: What did I learn in my last coaching session? What technique applies to this script? How would I approach this if my coach were listening? This conscious connection tells your brain to bring forward everything you've learned.
I used to wait until right before auditions were due to start working on them, even when I had lead time. I was over-prioritizing practice as "the real work" while treating auditions like they should just flow automatically. But once I started treating every audition like a coaching session—complete with prep time, intentionality, and my notes from past sessions—everything changed. The work I'd put into training finally showed up where it counted.
Next week, we'll continue our implementation series with more practical strategies for bringing your best work to every performance moment.
For the next week, treat every single performance moment—whether it's a practice session, coaching session, or actual audition—with the same level of intentionality. Block at least 30 minutes for preparation, use a pre-performance activation ritual to connect your training to the present moment, and apply a checklist to ensure you're using your training rather than just going through the motions. Document what happens: Do your auditions feel different? Do you access skills you forgot you had? Notice when your brain wants to separate practice mode from performance mode.
Visit CarrieOlsenVO.com/consistent-performance to share your experience.
"You're not starting from scratch with every audition. You have extensive training and capability. The question is, are you bringing it into the moment or leaving it back in practice mode?" - Carrie Olsen