Get Messy | Mindset Podcast for Ambitious Creatives

Maddie McGuire
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  • Self-Improvement
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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 who's made seven-figures in commercial voiceover, 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. 22h ago

    93. You’re Afraid of Yourself

    What if the thing you’re really afraid of isn’t failure or rejection or never reaching your potential? What if it’s you? In this episode, I’m unpacking a line from my past guest Corinne Evans that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about: “What keeps me up at night is often me being afraid of myself.” Underneath so many of our creative fears is one quiet belief: “I can’t trust my own judgment.” I get into why this fear hits creatives especially hard in an industry that almost never gives you clear feedback, and how our brains fill in the gaps with fear-based stories. I talk about learning to filter feedback (Amy Austin’s window screen visual), why you’re always allowed to choose again, and how self-trust gets built the same way trust gets built with anyone: through consistency. I also bring in a metaphor from my grad school counseling classes about a bucket of water, and what it looks like to keep making small deposits into your own self-trust, even on the days when it’s only a teaspoon. This one’s for anyone lying awake second-guessing a decision they’ve already made, or wondering why their gut feels so shaky right now. In This Episode: A line from Corinne Evans that stuck with me: the fear underneath the fearWhy failure, rejection, and fear of not reaching your potential can all lead back to “can I trust myself?”Why creatives rarely get clear feedback, and how our brains fill in the blanksWhy you can book a job and still wonder why, or not book and have no idea why eitherAmy Austin’s window screen metaphor for filtering feedback“Your talent is in your choices,” a quote from an old acting teacherWhy you’re always allowed to make a new choiceBuilding self-trust through kept promises, one deposit at a timeWhat I’m learning in grad school about trust and rapport in the therapeutic relationshipThe bucket metaphor for self-trust, and what to do on the days you have to take a scoop outA new question to ask when anxiety shows up: what’s the fear underneath this fear? RESOURCES: Get Messy episode with Corrin EvansGet Messy episode with Sam ValentineMy mindset coach, Amy Austin ✨Connect with Maddie✨ @maddiemcguirecoaching | @maddiemcguire4

  2. Oct 29

    92. I’m Not Waiting to Be Chosen | Mallory Gonyea on Self-Produced Films, Best Actress Wins, and Letting Go of Desperation

    Mallory Gonyea is an actor and producer based in Nashville, and this conversation is full of the kind of golden nuggets that only come from someone who has done real inner work. A former elite athlete who majored in theater and graduated straight into the pandemic and the writers’ strike, Mallory shares what it took to start pursuing acting professionally in the last three years, and why she’d tell her younger self that the healing isn’t a detour: it’s the gateway. We get into the realities of a long stretch without reps (three years without agents, then three more to find the right ones), how she’s working through comparison in a culture that makes everyone feel behind, and why constant rejection is the part of this career that’s hardest to separate from your worth. Mallory also shares how the online community around her helped her think bigger than her market, how creating her own work, including her production company Eden Pictures and her award-winning short film Had I Found You, took away the desperation to be chosen, and how she’s learning to allow good things to come in. She closes by naming her current chapter, and it’s a mic drop. This episode is for anyone who’s felt behind, overlooked, or unsure whether it’s okay for things to finally get easier. Key Topics Discussed: From Elite Athlete to Actor: Finding Joy and Purpose in ActingWhy Healing Is Part of the Path, Not a Pause on ItLetting Yourself Live Life Instead of Rushing the TimelineBattling Comparison, Age Anxiety, and Body Culture in the IndustryYears Without Reps and Not Attaching Your Worth to RejectionThinking Bigger Than Your Market: Building Connections Through Online CommunityThe Power of Creating Your Own Work and Choosing YourselfWinning Best Actress and Learning to Celebrate Without Feeling Like You’re BraggingReframing Pursuing Acting as Service Instead of SelfishnessLearning to Trust Your Own Voice Instead of Outsourcing DecisionsAllowing Good Things to Come In and Breaking Generational Patterns RESOURCES: Listen to Get Messy: The Art of Persistence: Jim Meskimen on Acting, Creation, and The Role of CuriosityEden Pictures, Mallory’s production companyHad I Found You, Mallory’s short filmThe Spark, Amy Austin’s membership community ✨Connect with Mallory Gonyea ✨ Instagram: @mallorygonyea | Mallory’s IMDB ✨Connect with Maddie ✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

    92. I’m Not Waiting to Be Chosen | Mallory Gonyea on Self-Produced Films, Best Actress Wins, and Letting Go of Desperation

  3. Oct 23

    91. Stop Grinding Through the Slow Season | How Small Positive Shifts Widen Your Perspective

    Have you ever noticed that when one good thing happens in your day, everything else starts flowing in that direction too? That’s not a coincidence, and there’s actual science behind it. In this episode, I’m breaking down the broaden-and-build theory, a framework from positive psychologist Dr. Barbara Fredrickson that I came across in a Bustle article, and what it means for navigating the emotional rollercoaster of a creative career. I get into how positive emotions widen your thinking and build resilience over time, while stress and spiraling shrink your perspective into tunnel vision. I talk about what contracted thinking looks like for creatives in slow booking seasons or when your content isn’t getting traction, and why the way out isn’t pushing harder, it’s one small, intentional shift toward something good. I share the micro moments I use to shift my own state (including walking into an audition as if I’ve already booked the job), and why recovery has to be built into your week for any of this to work. This one’s for anyone in a hard season who feels like they’re working harder than ever and seeing no results. In This Episode: A quick story about my $6 Paris sweater (and the coincidence that came with it)Why one good thing in your day can make everything else start flowingThe broaden-and-build theory, explainedWhat contracted thinking looks like for creatives in slow seasonsWhy a small positive shift, not forced positivity, is what widens your perspectiveMy go-to micro moments, from movement to the Activations app to going into an audition like I’ve already booked the jobMicro shifts to try before a self-tape, audition, or creative sessionWhy recovery is the prerequisite for creativity, not a reward for working hard enoughWhy the way through a hard season isn’t more pressure RESOURCES: Bustle article on the broaden-and-build theory by Carolyn SteberDr. Barbara Fredrickson, creator of the broaden-and-build theoryLisa Chen, licensed psychotherapist referenced in the articleThe Activations app ✨Connect with Maddie✨ @maddiemcguirecoaching | @maddiemcguire4

  4. Oct 15

    90. You Only Get Judged by the People Who Aren’t Doing It | Andrew Klasnic on Leaving LA, Fatherhood, and Getting Out of His Own Way

    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. Andrew Klasnic started acting at five, moved to LA right after high school in 2011, and has since built a career across LA, Atlanta, and now Charleston, South Carolina, all while working a full-time job in hospitality, running a business, and raising two daughters. In this conversation, he talks about why leaving a national market made him a bigger fish in a smaller pond, how he landed a new TV and film agent out of hundreds of submissions, and what it looks like to get put on hold for shows like Outer Banks from a regional market. We get into the realities of working Fi-Core (and the heated opinions that come with it), the financial and logistical juggling act of an acting career with a family, and what he’d tell his 19-year-old self about creating his own work instead of waiting to be picked. Andrew also opens up about finally climbing cringe mountain on social media, how fatherhood has become his anchor for staying present, and the story behind his mobile headshot studio, The Studio Trailer, and his children’s book, Why Not Me? This episode is for anyone balancing a creative career with real-life responsibilities and wondering whether it’s still possible to go after it all. Key Topics Discussed: Building a Career Across LA, Atlanta, and CharlestonWhy a Regional Market Can Make You a Bigger Fish in a Smaller PondWorking Fi-Core: What It Is and Why It’s PolarizingLanding New Reps Out of Hundreds of SubmissionsGetting Put on Hold for Big Shows From a Regional MarketRunning Your Own Race and Letting Go of ComparisonGetting Out of Your Own Way on Social MediaStaying Present Across Fatherhood, a Full-Time Job, and an Acting CareerWhy Taking Care of Yourself Is How You Show Up PreparedStarting The Studio Trailer: A Mobile Headshot Studio on WheelsWriting the Children’s Book Why Not Me? and Believing You’re Capable RESOURCES: Listen to Get Messy episode with Corey CliffordBig Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert ✨ Connect with Andrew✨ Instagram: @klazzact Andrew’s Children's Book: Why Not Me? — children’s book written by Andrew and illustrated by his wife Andrew’s Business: The Studio Trailer — mobile headshot and portrait studio VOTE for Andrew in his Super Dad Competition ✨Connect with Maddie ✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

    90. You Only Get Judged by the People Who Aren’t Doing It | Andrew Klasnic on Leaving LA, Fatherhood, and Getting Out of His Own Way

  5. Oct 8

    89. Someone Half as Talented as You Is Living Your Dream | Why Audacity Matters More Than Talent

    Someone out there is half as talented as you, living a version of your dream just because they had the audacity to put themselves out there. When I heard that, I didn't get angry, I got lit up, because it means the thing standing between you and everything you want might have nothing to do with talent. In this episode, I'm talking about audacity: the word that has been following me around all year, and what it actually takes to cultivate it. I get into why audacity is the new confidence (but louder, grittier, and a little bit delusional in the best way), why I believe it matters as much as talent, and why our nervous systems are hardwired to protect us instead of promote us. I talk about the people I took acting class with years ago who were profoundly talented, and why the biggest differentiator in who went on to build a career was their level of self-belief. I also get real about why self-belief has to come before the evidence, and why audacity isn't just talk: it's built in action, one kept commitment at a time. I'm recording this on a day that doesn't feel great, and I share why that's exactly the point. This one's for anyone who's waiting to feel ready, confident, or validated before they go after what they want. In This Episode: The quote that lit me up: someone half as talented as you is living your dream because they had the audacity to go for itWhy the word "audacity" has been following me around all yearAudacity as the new confidence, and what makes it differentWhy audacity matters as much as talent (and what I've seen in people from my old acting classes)Why our nervous systems are wired to protect us instead of promote usWhy self-belief has to come before the evidenceHow the brain can read the absence of evidence as proof of failure, and how people quietly kiss their dreams goodbyeWhy audacity isn't just talk: it's built through action and kept commitmentsShowing up on a hard day, and why the gap between where you are and where you want to be is smaller than it looksThought replacement, signing your own permission slip, and taking action before the evidence arrives ✨ Resouces in this episode✨ "You Have the Talent, What You Need is the Audacity" via the Crystal Clear Substack"The Artist's Way" by Julia CameronJessi Jean, online content creator ✨Connect with Maddie✨ @maddiemcguirecoaching | @maddiemcguire4

  6. Oct 1

    88. Not All Feedback Is Good Feedback | Ruchi Loomba on Filmmaking, Motherhood, and Owning Your Own Path

    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. Ruchi Loomba is an actor, writer, producer, and director based in Seattle, and this conversation covers a lot of ground: juggling acting with another full-time career in healthcare, pursuing outside representation in markets like Chicago, and the two short films she's written, produced, and self-funded — including one deeply personal story about mental illness in the South Asian community. She also opens up about becoming a new mom just 11 weeks before this conversation, and what it's looked like to figure out how to make space for creativity in a completely new season of life. We get into the damaging "this has to be your Plan A" rhetoric so many actors are raised on, why most actors don't make most of their money from acting (and why that's nothing to be ashamed of), learning to discern good feedback from bad, and the power of community — including the serendipitous referral that landed her outside representation in Chicago. Ruchi also shares what it's been like to navigate this industry as a person of color, and how that's shaped the kind of work she's chosen to create herself. This episode is for anyone balancing a creative career with another job, another identity, or a completely new season of life, and wondering if that makes them any less of an artist. Key Topics Discussed: Balancing Acting with a Full-Time Career in HealthcarePursuing Outside Representation and the Realities of Being a "Local Hire"Why "This Has to Be Your Plan A" Is Damaging, Limiting AdviceLearning to Discern Good Feedback from BadWriting, Producing, and Crowdfunding Her First Short FilmStepping Back from Acting to Direct Her Second FilmNavigating the Industry as a Person of ColorBecoming a New Mom and Making Space for CreativityThe Power of Community and Serendipitous Connections ✨Connect with Ruchi Loomba ✨ Instagram: @ruchiloomba Website: ruchiloomba.com ✨Connect with Maddie ✨ Explore Maddie's Website | @messywithmaddie

    88. Not All Feedback Is Good Feedback | Ruchi Loomba on Filmmaking, Motherhood, and Owning Your Own Path

  7. Sep 24

    87. Your Calling Will Always Find You: On Purpose, Timing, and Finally Saying Yes

    I got nominated to give a speech in front of 150 people at my grad school residency, and what came out of that week — the stories I heard, the things I haven't been able to stop thinking about since — is something I knew I had to bring here. In this episode, I share what unfolded during my grad school's yearly residency, including getting nominated as my cohort's group leader and having to give a speech in front of the entire program. I get into the three biggest things that came out of that week: why your purpose and your calling will always find you on the right timeline, why the people in your inner circle are keys that unlock the next door you're meant to walk through, and why zooming in on the next step (instead of the whole mountain) is often the only antidote to future tripping. I also share my own winding path to grad school — including a conversation with a past guest, Sasha Feldman, that planted the seed years ago, and a strange, chills-inducing moment involving Tim Tebow's Instagram bio that pushed me to finally act on it. This one's for anyone who feels like their calling has been trying to get their attention for a while now. In This Episode: Getting nominated as group leader and giving a speech to 150 people at grad school residencyMy own winding path to grad school, including the conversation that planted the seedThe Tim Tebow story that gave me chills and pushed me to finally commit"Your purpose and your calling will always find you on the right timeline"Why the people in your inner circle are keys that unlock your next doorWhy clarity often comes from moving forward together, not figuring it out aloneFuture tripping, and why the antidote is zooming in, not outThe bravery of saying yes to something that scares youRESOURCES: Get Messy episode with Sasha Feldman✨Connect with Maddie✨ Schedule a Call with Maddie | Explore Maddie’s Website @maddiemcguirecoaching | @maddiemcguire4

  8. Sep 17

    86. Climbing Cringe Mountain | Corey Clifford on Creating Your Own Work, Coaching, and Community

    Corey Clifford is a SAG-AFTRA actor, writer, director, and acting coach based in LA, and this conversation is a masterclass in staying in the game for the long haul — with humor, humility, and a whole lot of reality TV references along the way. We get into what it actually takes to balance the craft and the business side of acting, why the old "ladder" of co-star to guest star to series regular doesn't really exist anymore, and why creating your own work has become less optional and more essential. Corey opens up about becoming a mom nearly two years ago and figuring out what it means to stay an artist while raising a toddler, the terrifying-but-necessary decision to end a manager relationship that wasn't serving her, and the years-long journey of writing a feature film with her husband that they're now determined to actually get made. We also talk about coaching actors through self-doubt regardless of how much they've booked, the "actor's rejection muscle," and why climbing cringe mountain — reaching out, self-promoting, putting yourself out there — is nonnegotiable in this version of the industry. This episode is funny, honest, and full of real, practical wisdom for anyone building a long-term creative career in an industry that keeps rewriting its own rules. Key Topics Discussed: Balancing the Craft and the Business Side of ActingWhy the Old "Ladder" of Career Progression No Longer ExistsCreating Your Own Work as a Non-Negotiable Career StrategyBecoming a Mom and Staying an Artist at the Same TimeEnding a Manager Relationship and Learning to Advocate for HerselfCoaching Actors Through Self-Doubt at Every LevelClimbing Cringe Mountain: Self-Promotion, Reaching Out, and the Actor's Rejection MuscleWriting and Pursuing Funding for a Feature Film with Her HusbandThe Importance of Community and Accountability Groups ✨Connect with Corey✨ Corey’s Instagram Corey’s Website Corey’s Podcast: Cinema Possessed ✨Connect with Maddie✨ Schedule a Call with Maddie | Explore Maddie’s Website @maddiemcguirecoaching | @maddiemcguire4

    86. Climbing Cringe Mountain | Corey Clifford on Creating Your Own Work, Coaching, and Community
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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 who's made seven-figures in commercial voiceover, 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.

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