Meet DIANA CASTLE

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful DIANA CASTLE a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi DIANA, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My immigrant parents, who revered the values of democracy, this country and the freedoms it provided them. They taught me that my work ethic and core values are interconnected. I’m a person who naturally values learning. I learned early in life the value of the arts, in all forms, as vehicles for an empathically imaginative experience. Teaching and coaching is meaningful and fulfilling work in alignment with my core values, so this makes showing up for my work wholeheartedly and consistently my great pleasure. I think it was Warren Beatty who said you’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play. I’m so grateful that I get to do this “work of play” with courageously compassionate, talented people who want to expand their empathetic embrace.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve been teaching and coaching professional actors for 35 years. My amazing staff, for over 20 years. Countless actors artistry, careers and lives have been transformed in this time. As I said, I’m a life long learner, so my life’s work has been shaped by many interests. Actors marvel at the individualized care they experience at our studio because we’re not teaching a blanket “technique”- we teach people. I believe in the transformative promise of “acting as the art of the empathetic imagination”- and we get to see it in action daily at our studio. I care deeply about facilitating lasting transformation for each student/client with real career effects. Our introductory workshops are dynamic experiences where the actor acquires practical tools that address their unique needs and can be practiced daily. Every other art form has a clear daily practice- except the art of acting. We all know that a habit is something you do a lot- so you get good at it! The Imagined Life offers a daily creative practice that is not dependent on others and it’s a game changer. This is one of our many unique offerings. Just a few of the words actors use to describe their experience of The Imagined Life® -“enlightening” “transformative” “life-changing” “magical” “powerful” “illuminating” and “fun.” We’re also grateful for the opportunity to coach and teach on zoom as well as in person at our beautiful theatre/studio space. In this way we’re able to share this philosophy, practical application and daily creative practice with actors in Los Angeles as well as worldwide.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Curiosity is a vital quality no matter what a person wants to do in life. I’m an insatiably curious person with a desire to learn, grow and transform. I think that transformation starts with being willing to make “mistakes” and grow from them. Along with being curious- having the capacity to make commitments and follow through with them, I think is absolutely vital in the work of art, in a career, in relationships with others- and most especially in your relationship with yourself. Follow through is everything. Also, getting very clear about what your core values are makes choosing and pursuing goals in life much more satisfying. I believe that the combination of curiosity, a willingness to make mistakes, learn and grow, and the importance of taking committed action in line with core values is vital.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
You! What I mean by this is that every single engagement in my life offers me the opportunity to reflect on my strengths and weaknesses, to grow and develop. I believe it was Joni Mitchell who said “Enlightenment is easy on a mountaintop but eventually you have to come down and buy groceries.” It’s all about opening my eyes to the world around me and staying as engaged as I possibly can. The more I engage, the more I can deepen and expand myself. Certainly, the dynamically creative engagements that I have with my clients and students are extraordinarily fulfilling growth opportunities. Every student and client teaches me so much! But, I also think it’s very important to remember that seemingly mundane life moments contribute to the development of essential qualities for success in life. I cherish those sweet moments of connection with the woman taking my ticket at the parking garage, or the mail delivery person or the young fellow on the phone who’s helping me with a glitch on the internet. I remind myself that these aren’t just moments on the way to living my life- these are my life moments. I find that when I stay present and engaged in these moments, the connection can be quite significant, expansive in empathic promise and always life affirming. Open hearted dialogue with others is very difficult to find for almost everyone everywhere- so any person who is willing to invest in being present, to engage, is deeply appreciated by others. I know that I deeply appreciate anyone who is willing to be in the right here and right now – and certainly, it’s been my experience that by making the effort to connect and brighten someone else’s day, I always brighten my own. So, every engagement is the opportunity for my inner transformation, and supports me in the effort to identify or overcome some internal weakness- as well as reflecting back to me my strengths. Engagement itself helps me to clarify and continue building the essential skills and qualities needed to develop myself. It’s the continued dynamism involved in doing this that I believe is at the heart of my success.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,