Get Messy with Maddie

Maddie McGuire
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Get Messy is the mindset podcast for creatives who want sustainable, successful careers — without losing their sanity. Hosted by Maddie McGuire, a performer of 10+ years and currently in grad school to become a therapist, each episode goes deep on the mental side of the creative grind: core beliefs, mindset blocks, facing obstacles, making a living as a creative, chasing dreams, and what it takes to stay in the game.

  1. 6h ago

    81. The First 10 Years Are Just Playing in the Dark | Deb Foster on 20 Years of Acting, Moving Countries, and Finding Her Worth

    Welcome to The Grind — a new series here on Get Messy. Nobody tells you what the middle looks like: the slow seasons, the unglamorous work, and the years it actually takes to build something that lasts. This series is for that middle, told by the people who are actually living it. Deb Foster has been chasing this dream for two decades — from commercials in New Zealand, to bartending her way through London, to fumbling through New York, to finally landing in LA twelve years ago, where she found her people, her husband, and her creative footing. In this episode, she opens up about what it really took to get here: the "fumbling phase," the humbling lessons no one tells you (like showing up to a casting workshop with the wrong resume format), and why she's actually grateful the big things didn't happen for her in her 20s. We get into representation and what it actually looks like to build a team of reps who empower you instead of pressure you, the burnout that came from doing 300+ auditions in a single year, and the wild, full-circle story of booking her first SAG co-star on For All Mankind — down to the DIY astronaut costume she built for the audition. Deb also shares the mindset work she's still doing around self-worth, over-apologizing, and not needing external validation even after getting the yes. This episode is for anyone in the trenches of a long creative career who needs a reminder that the first ten years are supposed to feel like playing in the dark. Key Topics Discussed: Two Decades in the Industry: New Zealand, London, New York, and Finally LAWhy the First 10 Years Are "Infancy," Not FailureBuilding a Rep Team That Empowers Instead of PressuresBurnout From 300+ Auditions in a Year, and Learning to Say NoBooking a First SAG Co-Star on For All MankindStaying Near Yourself Through Rejection and Self-DoubtLetting Go of the Need for External ValidationFinding a Deeper "Why" Behind the Hustle ✨Connect with Deb ✨ Instagram: @debfoster Deb’s Short Film, GoodNight, available to stream on The Night Temple ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Explore Maddie’s Website | @messywithmaddie

    81. The First 10 Years Are Just Playing in the Dark | Deb Foster on 20 Years of Acting, Moving Countries, and Finding Her Worth

  2. 3d ago

    80. The Ladder Never Ends | Learning to Love the Climb Instead of the Arrival

    What if getting the thing you've been working toward doesn't feel the way you thought it would? In this mini episode, I'm unpacking something a guest said that I haven't been able to stop thinking about: "the base is always shifting." Every win quietly becomes the new floor instead of the ceiling you were reaching for, and the finish line keeps moving the closer you get to it. I get into arrival fallacy, the hedonic treadmill, and why this isn't a personal flaw — it's just how humans are wired. I talk about my own relationship to this, including moments where I've hit milestones I only dreamed about at 17 and still never felt like I "arrived," and why the answer isn't to stop climbing, but to fall in love with the process itself. I also share a quote from one of my acting teachers about what a real creative career trajectory actually looks like (spoiler: it's not a straight line). This one's for anyone who's hit a goal and felt weirdly unsatisfied, or who's afraid that feeling will never go away. In This Episode: "The base is always shifting" — a guest's quote that inspired this episodeArrival fallacy and the hedonic treadmill, explainedWhy every win becomes the new floor instead of the ceilingMy own experience with milestones that never quite felt like "arriving""The trajectory of your career will look like a bad EKG" — a quote from one of my acting teachersWhy the creatives who burn out are the ones who decide the ladder is the problemLearning to celebrate a win before chasing the next one ✨Connect with Maddie✨ ⁠Explore Maddie's Website⁠ | ⁠@messywithmaddie

  3. Aug 13

    79. Stop Treating Your Life Like a Waiting Room | A Mindset Reset on Growth

    Social media has us convinced that where we are right now is never quite enough — that there's always somewhere better to be, someone better to become, something better to be working toward. In this episode, I'm asking a harder question: is perpetual self-improvement actually robbing you of your life? I get into the difference between healthy growth and a version of self-improvement that quietly tips into something less healthy — always preparing to live a better life at some future date, always optimizing for the next chapter, and forgetting to actually be who you are right now. I talk about why social media isn't neutral, how it's specifically designed to keep us feeling perpetually behind so we stay reachable to sell to, and the real distinction between "reaching" and "arriving." This episode isn't about giving up on growth — it's about learning to hold growth and presence at the same time, instead of treating your current life like a waiting room for the real one. This one's for anyone who feels like they're always becoming, but rarely just being. In This Episode: Why the constant reaching for "more" can quietly rob you of your actual lifeThe difference between healthy growth and treating your life like a waiting roomHow social media is specifically designed to keep you feeling perpetually not enoughThe difference between "reaching" and "arriving" — and why they're not the same feelingWhy growth and presence aren't oppositesAn invitation to appreciate exactly where you are, right now, today ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Explore Maddie’s Website | @messywithmaddie

  4. Aug 10

    78. The Toddler in Your Head | Why Killing Your Ego Isn't the Answer

    What if your ego isn't the villain you've been told it is? In this mini episode, I'm offering a reframe I got from my friend Sasha Feldman (actor-turned-therapist and a past Get Messy guest): the ego isn't something to defeat, it's more like a toddler — scared, overwhelmed, and desperately needing someone to hold it together, not shame it into submission. I get into what it actually looks like when the "toddler" shows up — that defensive, reactive flare when something feels threatening or small — and why the goal isn't to eliminate that reaction, but to bring in "the adult": the part of you that can witness the reaction without being consumed by it. I also connect this to the window of tolerance, a concept from my grad school work, and why creatives specifically are constantly in situations designed to trigger the ego. This one's a short but powerful reframe for anyone who's been trying to "kill" their ego instead of learning how to hold it. In This Episode: Why the ego isn't the enemy — it's more like a scared toddlerWhere this reframe came from: a conversation with Sasha FeldmanWhat it looks like when the "toddler" flares up (and how to notice it)The role of "the adult" — holding the reaction instead of being run by itThe window of tolerance, and why the toddler blows you right out of itWhy creatives are constantly in ego-triggering situationsHold the toddler, let the adult lead RESOURCES: Get Messy episode with Sasha Feldman ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Explore Maddie’s Website | @messywithmaddie

  5. Aug 6

    77. Burn the Timeline | Sam Valentine on Feedback Loops, Vulnerability, and Making It Your Own Way

    Sam Valentine is back on Get Messy, and this conversation is a masterclass in staying sane inside an industry that runs on manufactured urgency and radio silence. Sam — actor, podcaster (Working Actor Life, formerly One Broke Actress and Not According to Plan), and co-founder of Fast Forward Productions — gets into the "ASAP" culture of auditions and bookings, why there's no real feedback loop in this business, and how she's learned to build her own instead. We talk about burning your mental timeline, why "I need to have this by 25" is a story worth interrogating, and how curating your social feed is actually a career strategy, not just a mental health one. Sam shares her "compliments folder" — a running archive of proof she pulls from when her brain starts mining for negativity — and we get into the deeper theme of the episode: why making your own work isn't settling, it's often the most vulnerable and valuable thing you can do for your career. This one is funny, honest, and full of hard-won wisdom for anyone who's tired of pretending this business isn't as unpredictable as it actually is. Key Topics Discussed: Manufactured Urgency and the "ASAP" Culture of AuditionsWhy There's No Real Feedback Loop in Acting (and How to Build Your Own)Burning Your Mental Timeline and Questioning Every "Should"Curating Social Media as a Career StrategyThe Compliments Folder: Building Your Own Proof of ProgressPodcasting From a Kitchen Table to Building a BusinessMaking Your Own Work: Vulnerability, Ownership, and Why It's Not SettlingLetting Go of Superiority Around "Traditional" Success ✨Connect with Sam Valentine ✨ Instagram:@samvalentine Podcast: Working Actor Life Podcast: One Broke Actress Sam’s Patreon The Membership Waitlist Sam’s Amazon Store ✨Connect with Maddie ✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

    77. Burn the Timeline | Sam Valentine on Feedback Loops, Vulnerability, and Making It Your Own Way

  6. Jul 30

    76. Climb Cringe Mountain | 5 Mindset Shifts Getting Me Through the Second Half of 2026

    We're a little more than halfway through the year, and if 2026 hasn't looked the way you thought it would either — you're in the right place. This episode is my honest mid-year check-in: bookings and money haven't been flowing the way they have in past years, but connection, community, and confidence have been some of the richest I've experienced. Both things are true at the same time, and I think that's worth saying out loud. I'm sharing the five things I've had to remind myself of to keep moving through the back half of the year — from holding onto possibility even in a slow season, to "climbing cringe mountain," to why I'm more afraid of staying where I am than of where I'm headed. I also get into the decision to go to grad school, the identity tug-of-war that came with it, and why zooming in to a day-by-day focus has been the thing that's kept me grounded through all of this year's curveballs. If your year has felt like a series of pivots instead of the plan you had in January, this one's for you. In This Episode: An honest mid-year update on bookings, money, and where things actually standWhy a slow season and a rich season can coexistPoint 1: Hang onto possibility, alwaysPoint 2: Keep climbing cringe mountainPoint 3: Be more afraid of staying where you are than of where you're headedThe decision to go to grad school, and the identity tug-of-war that came with itPoint 4: You're always going to wish you started earlier — so start nowPoint 5: Adopting a day-by-day focus when the big picture feels like too muchMy word of the year: "go big, baby" RESOURCES: My mindset coach, Amy Austin ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Explore Maddie’s Website | @messywithmaddie

  7. Jul 27

    75. Success Has No Zip Code | I Left LA and My Career Got Better

    I've moved six times in six years — LA to Virginia Beach to Miami to Virginia Beach to Miami to Virginia Beach, and now Kansas City — and through all of it, my voiceover career has kept growing. So today I'm talking about something I've learned the hard way: your zip code does not define your success. I get into the hardest move I ever made — leaving LA — and a conversation I had with another actress who was torn up over whether to leave the city too, because so much of her identity was tied to living there. I unpack why that grief is real and worth honoring, but also why the old "move to LA or New York or you're not serious" belief just isn't true anymore, especially in voiceover. I talk about how the industry has shifted, why geography matters so much less than it used to, and why some of my best career years have happened since I left. This one's for anyone who feels like where they live is capping what they can build, or who's afraid that leaving a place will mean losing a part of themselves. In This Episode: Why I left LA, and the identity grief that came with itA conversation with a friend on the fence about leaving LA for familyHow the industry shifted — from in-person auditions to self-tapes to fully remote workWhy geography used to matter so much more, and why it doesn't anymoreWhat I've gained since leaving LA: community, opportunity, and some of my best career yearsZip code as lifestyle, not ceiling — the difference between the twoWhy you have to start with where you'll thrive as a whole person, not just as a creativeSettling into Kansas City and what it's taught me about resilience ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

  8. Jul 23

    74. More Money, More Problems | Olivia Sarafina Washington on Financial Highs, Lows, and Investing in Yourself as a VO Artist

    Money is one of those topics everyone's curious about but few people actually talk about — and in part 2 with Olivia Sarafina Washington, that's exactly what we dig into. We get real about the financial rollercoaster of building a voice-over career: the highs of hitting six figures, the lows of not making SAG health insurance minimums, and everything in between. Olivia opens up about what it was like to have her life change overnight after booking a major campaign, why she thought the money would last forever, and the hard lessons that came with not being financially or emotionally prepared for that level of abundance. We talk about money as an energetic and emotional experience, not just a practical one — the anxiety of being seen as "the money machine" among friends, the nervous system response to sudden wealth, and what it actually takes to learn to trust yourself with money. We also get tactical: what equipment investments are actually necessary when starting out in VO (spoiler — it's a lot less than people think), when to invest in things like Source Connect, and why the slow seasons might be exactly what your creativity needs. This episode is for anyone who's ever felt weird talking about money, or who needs a reminder that financial ups and downs don't mean you're doing something wrong. Key Topics Discussed: The Emotional Side of Money in a Creative CareerFinancial Highs, Lows, and Learning to Ride the WaveNervous System Regulation and Sudden WealthMoney Education, Family Patterns, and Breaking Old HabitsEquipment Investments: What You Actually Need to Start in VOWhen to Invest in Source Connect, Better Mics, and BoothsWhy Slow Seasons Spark Creativity and New OpportunitiesThe Power of Financial Community and Talking Openly About Money RESOURCES: Listen to Get Messy: Finding Your Voice Over Path | Olivia Sarafina Washington on Audition Strategies, Industry Challenges, and Building a VO CommunityListen to Get Messy: Voice-Over Sessions: Red & Green Flags with Reps, Casting Director Workshops, and How to Go into Your Next V.O. Session with ConfidenceStephanie Zenos — money/finance coachStephanie’s Xenos Podcast - Money Musings ✨Connect with Olivia Sarafina Washington ✨ Instagram: @oliviasarafina Listen to Pink Pod Podcast ✨Connect with Maddie ✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

    74. More Money, More Problems | Olivia Sarafina Washington on Financial Highs, Lows, and Investing in Yourself as a VO Artist
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Get Messy is the mindset podcast for creatives who want sustainable, successful careers — without losing their sanity. Hosted by Maddie McGuire, a performer of 10+ years and currently in grad school to become a therapist, each episode goes deep on the mental side of the creative grind: core beliefs, mindset blocks, facing obstacles, making a living as a creative, chasing dreams, and what it takes to stay in the game.

Information

  • Creator
    Maddie McGuire
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Maddie McGuire
  • Show Website
    Get Messy with Maddie

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