–

The Power of Personal Transformation
in Achieving Career Success

–

–

By Joan Baker, August 11, 2024

---

–

Transformative experiences don’t happen in a vacuum. There is a certain degree of faith, trust, and purpose that gives rise to them. As my way of hopefully sharing something useful for those seeking a life and career you love, I took a look back at my formative years for the catalysts.

–

Context is everything. I was born in the tumultuous 60s, a decade crammed with racial upheaval and political violence, not unlike today. As if that weren’t enough to shape a impressionable child’s mind, I was the product of an interracial marriage, planted in a community where diversity was a distant dream. My father was white, my mother Black, and we lived in a neighborhood so homogeneous it seemed plucked from a Norman Rockwell painting.

–

Even as a child, I felt the sting of racial animosity, a kind of emotional shrapnel that left deep scars. The weight of hatred and ignorance was palpable, even if it went unnamed, and no one talked about it openly.

–

What motivated me, and perhaps saved me, was an unrelenting dream. I envisioned a future far grander than the strife surrounding me. For me, dreams weren’t just escapism; they were lifelines, pulling me into a world where I was valued. I dreamed of the spotlight, dancing on stages, gracing the big screen, and making a difference as a humanitarian. It was my way of finding a place where I belonged, where my appreciation for others was matched by theirs for me. I threw myself into dance classes, acting lessons, and even landed roles in a feature film and a children’s TV show. These experiences became my sanctuary. After high school, I boarded a plane to New York City on a scholarship to the Alvin Ailey School, ready to turn my dreams into reality. After several years spent immersed in the artistic world of New York City. It became evident that something deeper was tugging at me. I realized a desire to shift my focus from “doing” to “being.” In other words, I declared my role in the world rather than waiting for the world to grant it to me.

–

Article continues after announcement.

–

---

From Society of Voice Arts and Sciences

–

Enter the Voice Arts Awards Here

---

Article continues…

–

The power of my dreams motivated me to look within, using my life as a mirror to discern where my goals were breaking down and where they were flourishing. During this introspective journey, I discovered that I was blocking my own courage, which showed up as resistance to opportunities and challenges. The bigger the opportunity the greater the resistance. Through continued introspection and working with therapists, psychics, and healers, I chose to remove this block by “saying yes” to the things I would normally resist. This simple yet profound shift in mindset led to immediate breakthroughs, revealing unseen opportunities on a courageous path of possibilities.

In fact, my journey of transformation ultimately led me to my life partner and husband, Rudy Gaskins. Rudy is a very calm, easygoing, and humble person, but his brilliance shines bright in every corner of our lives and adventures together. Rudy has been by my side through it all. When I say ‘it all,’ I truly believe our energies were intertwined long before we actually met. Together, we’ve created a life we love. In many ways, we sustain each other. Rudy often says, “We’re like two mountain climbers tethered together, hundreds of feet above the ground and still far from the peak. Each step is as much for oneself as it is for the other.” Together, we have traveled the world, nurtured each other through the worst of times, and cried with joy during the best of times. And through it all, we share a love and commitment for creating something worthwhile for the voice acting community. We honor the positive impact we have had on the voice acting community globally, and we are humbled by the possibility of leaving a legacy that may serve others long after we’ve played our parts.

–

Another example of transformation was my choice to write a book with the support and hands-on commitment of my husband Rudy. When I came up with the concept for Secrets of Voice-over Success, it was a project I took on as a sort of thesis to complete a 2-year course in mindfulness and creating one’s life. Normally, I would have dismissed the idea of writing a book because it seemed too big, and maybe no one would read it, or no publisher would publish it. But instead, I said yes to the possibility! Rudy and I created a project plan with milestones, deadlines, and measurable results to keep us on task. I chose to pursue top voice actors as contributors, people who I would not have approached before inserting the power of “yes” into my life. I knew of these powerhouse talents by reputation but had relationships with only a couple of them.  The mountains became opportunities to say yes,and reached out with complete abandon. Not one request was met with a no.

–

I brought the same zeal to securing a publisher. I even told myself that I would change anything the publisher wanted, except the title of the book. And when they loved everything but asked me to change the title, I immediately said yes.

–

Secrets of Voice-over Success book still has incredible value for beginning and seasoned voice actors almost 20 years later and my relationship to the other contributors changed my life in countless ways. This experience was a example of how saying yes, even when it feels daunting, can lead to unexpected breakthroughs and successful outcomes.

–

 

 

Article continues after announcement.

–

---

From Society of Voice Arts and Sciences:

 

 

---

Article continues…

–

Another example of transformation showed up unexpectedly. In this instance, I was in a learning forum in which transformation was the topic. It was attended by more than 300 people. At one point I was singled out as a guinea pig for the forum leader. The room was mostly dark except for a single spotlight on the chair where I was seated. The forum leader asked me, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Later I learned that it was not a new question in the realm of philosophy, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with this question, take a moment to think about your answer before reading further.  After about 10 seconds that felt like 5 minutes, I blurted out, “The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of one hand clapping.” The forum leader seemed stunned by my answer. This was confirmed when he said, “In 25 years of leading this course, no one has ever given that answer.” and then he went on to announce that it was, in fact, the answer he was looking for, and called for supportive applause. The audience erupted into a standing ovation and many people rushed to the stage to celebrate my breakthrough. It took me years to truly understand the significance of that lesson. But what was clarified for me in the moment, is that I somehow let go of what was supposedly true or false, right or wrong, smart or dumb. I did not get lost in overthinking and unnecessary complexity. I simply stated what was so.  Personal transformation involves shedding layers of conditioning, expectations, self-doubt, etc., to discover and embrace what is there without judgement. Just as the sound of one hand clapping is simply what it is, your authentic self is what it is. You needn’t assign admiration, money, influence, or power over others.  Your authentic self is your authentic self. Said another way, your abundance is your abundance.

–

I’ve come to realize that my passion lies in dreams fulfilled, whether they are my own, those of my community, or the people closest to me. It did not come as planned, and yet what has come fulfills me in ways I could never have imagined. Today, I focus on building and nurturing transformative events like That’s Voiceover!™ Career Expo, now in its 15th year, and The Voice Arts® Awards, celebrating its 11th year. These initiatives are all about supporting and advancing the career achievements of voice actors around the world. I never seriously dreamed of seeing my name and image lighting up Times Square on a forty foot billboard, and yet it happened. As a performer myself, I understand the importance of connecting one’s true self with one’s voice, which is central to my teaching and coaching. This commitment to personal and professional growth is something I deeply value.

–

I’m fortunate to receive insightful guidance from my guru of 13 years, who helps keep me on the journey of peeling back the layers of self-development. This work allows me to support both myself and others more deeply, encouraging personal transformation and a way of being that opens possibilities in one’s life. Although I’ve never worked harder or more passionately than I do today, seeing both myself and others rise, evolve, and achieve career success through fulfilled dreams brings me immense happiness. ♦♦♦

–

---

Joan Baker is the co-founder and VP of the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ (SOVAS™), an award-winning voice actor, producer, and author of Secrets of Voiceover Success. She pioneered the Voice Acting Department as an adjunct professor at the Hartt School, University of Hartford, and serves as a judge for the Daytime Emmy Awards. Joan, along with her partner, Rudy Gaskins, is the creator and driving force behind That’s Voiceover!™ Career Expo and the Voice Arts® Awards, celebrated as ‘The Oscars® of Voice Acting.’ Her work champions transformation and excellence in the voice arts industry.