1. NO ONE IS LOOKING OUT FOR YOU... BUT YOU.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3mvfWHu7Y Forget what your boss says. Forget what your colleagues say. Don't believe anyone at your job who says: "I'm looking out for you." That person may not be actively lying to you... but what they're saying is absolutely a lie. In the TV business lots of people say they're looking out for you: your agent, your lawyer, your manager, the head writer of the show you work on, the producer of the show you work on, the people who sit at the desk next to you. But, they are not. Why? Because they are looking out only for themselves. If you want to succeed as a writer in showbiz -- or in any other job for that matter -- you have to be dedicated. You have to want it more than anyone else. You have to recognize that your career is not a sprint, but rather, a marathon. You have to write all the time, so you get better at your craft. HOWEVER -- even if you fail to do all of the previous things -- there is still one other thing you can never ever ever do: do not be the guy that pisses in the well. Everyone hates the guy that pees in the well. Don't be the person who shows up at work and is constantly bitching about what a shitty show it is you're all working on -- unless you're looking to get fired. The point: when opportunity comes along, the next thing, the next big thing, fuck it, anything, when something else comes along that wants to pay you more -- grab it, even if it leaves your previous employers in a tough spot. Because what we do isn't science... and some days people want cancer causing muffins instead of cancer curing cakes... and if you're a guy who makes muffins, don't stick around praying your current job will suddenly develop a cake fixation, go to where they love cake... and tell the muffin sellers you're leaving for more money... and looking out for your REAL family.
Jon Hotchkiss is the creator of This vs That, a new series. Like ThisvsThat on Facebook.