Reaching for the brass ring

My back story

(Merriam Webster)
odds Noun (plural)   /ädz/
1a archaic : inequalities b obsolete : degree of unlikeness
2a : an amount by which one thing exceeds or falls short of another

Life is a set of odds that lead you down your path….a series of events with given probability, right?  When mom was pregnant, I could either have been a boy or a girl – 50/50.  Would I be blond and blue eye’d – 70/30? (Turns out yes, and yes.)  So fast forward from birth and that probable outcome, and here I am.  30-something.  I just ditched my high-paying career, left my life’s belongings in a 10×12 storage unit, bought a one-way ticket to Hollywood to chase a dream – I’m going to be an actress!!!

My odds? Not so good.  Competition is brutal, and that’s an understatement.  I’m competing with hotter, younger, more experienced, and connected people.  I’m at the very (did I say, very?) bottom of this enormous mountain to climb, looking straight up at a 90-degree angle.  I know no one here – I feel so alone.  No friends.  No family.  Can I do this without their support nearby? You don’t need to tell me, the odds are bad….no, daunting is more like it.  Change is hard enough but tack on the odds of my success and I’m completely overwhelmed.  Yes, I know (and many have been sure to tell me just in case I wasn’t sure), “it’s impossible!”  YES, I KNOW!  I wasn’t born yesterday (as previously pointed out I’m 30-something).  Ok, we’ve stated the odds.  Got it.  Thanks.  I’m a realist and understand what they are.  But you know what?  I won’t look back and say “what if I had moved to LA? Who would I have met? Where would my life have taken me?”  No matter what happens, this is an adventure…a journey.  So I’m fighting to stay positive and optimistic, in the face of what feels like insurmountable odds.

The same questions run through my head.   I’m here, now what?  Can I beat the odds?  I’ve been successful before, can I do it again?  I can’t answer these now.  I try to remember the people who were given a slim-to-no chance and beat the odds like Lance Armstrong, Oprah, Michael Oher, cancer survivors, quadriplegics who were told they wouldn’t get out of the chairs……and did!  What’s the commonality?  They all had tremendous passion to succeed despite the odds.  I have this!  They can do it, why can’t I?

So, I am hopeful about this improbable journey (at least for now).  I will stay focused and do everything it takes to achieve it.  But, I am pushing forward with the belief that it’s about pursuing the goal in the first place.  There are times I think I’m crazy and question my decision….AGAIN life is a journey.   I need to remember…..the final destination is important, but not as much as enjoying the ride.   I hope Damn the Odds drives you to reach for the brass ring.   I believe reaching for it IS worth it.  For me, who knows what the future will bring, but I hope you stick around to see!

— Kristin

Kristin is an aspiring actress who recently relocated to Hollywood.  She is the creator and editor of Damn The Odds.  Her resume can be seen here and her headshots can be seen here.

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4 Comments

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