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Have a Backup Plan!


There's nothing wrong with reaching for the stars and seeing yourself on the pages of magazines, catalogues or strutting down a runway. But turning these dreams into a reality without having a plan B or backup plan is unrealistic.

Definitely shoot for the stars and put as much effort into getting into the modeling game as you can, but make sure to have something legit and stable to fall back on. Having a plan B, C, D, etc. can only help you and not hurt you.

Realistically speaking, the chances of anyone getting to Tyra/Giselle/Adriana status is slim but not impossible. However, you need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If the modeling thing doesn't work out for you once you get into it, or if you just don't get anywhere at all with it, you don't want to be left out in the cold without any other options.

For the younger gals and even the older ones, learn to balance your schoolwork with your efforts at modeling. Think about college or if that is a possibility for you. Plan how you want to combine college life with modeling. Maybe you also want to be a vet or a nurse.

Make space for those plans as well. If you make it big in your modeling career, obviously you won't have to worry about this stuff right away, but I'm talking about if things slow down in your modeling career or if you can't even get your modeling efforts off the ground--both of which are highly likely to happen.

Higher learning isn't for everyone but it is a viable option for you. For example, even though I've been modeling and acting since I was 15, I went to college straight after high school and got my B.A. in Radio/TV with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Journalism.

 I enjoyed modeling but knew that I wasn't going to make it big right away, so I took a hiatus from modeling altogether so I could focus on my academic life. After four years, I got my degree and now I have a stable and well-paying job as an editor for an online magazine.

This course of action now allows me the opportunity to model part-time or even full-time, while I still get a paycheck that allows me to pay my bills and afford my comfortable lifestyle. My job also allows me to take paid leave in case I need to leave for a gig. Trust me, it's hard to leave for a few days for a shoot when you don't have any money coming in to fund your modeling excursions!

Just because I took a break from modeling back then, that didn't mean I gave up on it. As a result of my planning and decision making, I now have the reassurance that if I don't make it as big as I want or if I wanted to walk away from it completely, my degree and skills will let me get any job in the broadcasting field. So now I'm set and know that I can take care of myself.

I'd hate to see anyone pursue modeling so hard that they neglect the rest of the alternatives that life has to offer. Rejection is hard and the moment when you realize that you won't be a model is hard as well. But waiting too long to get your life back on track is even harder.

Be wise, be smart and educate yourself about the other goals and aspirations you have aside from being a model. Whether it's going to college or going after a different dream job, the important thing to do is make sure you can take care of yourself when the modeling world won't.
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