We were lucky to catch up with Olivia Bennett recently and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia Bennett , first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
By doing the very thing that I felt I didn’t belong in, again and again and again. Through the difficult times, the unmotivated times, the times where you feel you can’t battle yourself or your circumstances – you keep going. It’s the only way. Do the very thing that makes you feel like you don’t belong enough, and soon the thoughts of imposter syndrome get quieter and easier to manage.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an actor/drummer and writer from Essex. Each job I do can intertwine into the other, which I think is the most exciting element for me – for example, I wrote my own psychological micro short film about a drummer and performed in it – called “The Metronome”. Music has always been a part of me, I started drumming far before acting – but now both are just as important as the other. I want to create more art for the world, art that hasn’t been experienced before – music and acting are the tools for my writing! I want to tell stories that push the boundaries of the comfortable, and show audiences new perspectives, ones we can’t even imagine. With acting credits from the BBC and Amazon Prime, my experience has allowed me to see just exactly what calls to me – exploring the type of projects I want to be a part of and ones I want to write myself.
Each job I do, I also love to teach, I teach acting and drumming to all ages – seeing the creativity each medium can inspire in my students is something I am forever grateful to witness. And in terms of writing, there are a lot more projects I have in development that I can’t wait to make!
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?
1) Getting familiar with failure
2) Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
3) Rest is not negotiable
Failing is the only way to learn, if you want to learn quick – fail hard. Your comfort zone is a cage, don’t settle when you know there is so much more potential to grow. Resting is not something you put off until you need it, you must make it a part of your routine – otherwise your body will choose when to rest for you and it may not be at a convenient time. You deserve to rest.
Do things you haven’t done before, try something new every week – get excited about all the mistakes you will learn from – life doesn’t have to be scary! It’s exciting!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
GoHub Workshops in London. They are run by Jaz Hutchins, a British actor and director. The teachers there are incredible, they are so knowledgeable and only inspire greatness within each actor who goes there to train. It’s not about us, it’s about the work – and that’s what makes GoHub so brilliant. The space has opened me up as an actor and as a person, made me think about how I want my life to be and motivated me to work HARD – harder than I ever have before. Everything I am now, is down to GoHub – I am eternally grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oliviagracebennett.wixsite.com/oliviabennett
- Instagram: _oliviagracebennett
- Linkedin: Olivia Bennett
- Twitter: OliviaBennett01
Image Credits
Jake Stewart – Headshot Photographer – London
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