Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Martin Jr.
Hi Jeff, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, I’ve been around entertainment my entire life. As far as I know, I’ve always been an entertainer. Whether it was imitating my favorite scenes from television or reciting the lyrics to a song I heard.
As an adult, I played with the idea of being a full-time entertainer, but for some reason, I could never fully commit to it. I find it funny that I always encouraged others to follow their dreams, but I couldn’t take my own advice. One day, I got tired of thinking “What if it wouldn’t happen” and started thinking “What if it does happen”…. the rest is history.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Most definitely not! However, I believe that the difficulties are put in place to weed out those who claim they want this. In both music and acting, there are many late nights and early mornings and last-minute schedule adjustments or cancellations. The most significant challenge I’ve encountered is understanding that everything comes at a cost. As entertainers, at our core, we believe our reason for being is not for ourselves, but for others. Our most valuable currency is time, but sometimes it’s difficult to understand that you only have a finite amount on any given day for any and everything.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an actor and recording artist. I don’t value one over the other. They’re both equal parts of who I am. When I was younger, I remember someone telling me I would one day have to choose what I wanted to be because, as they said, “You can’t do it all”. I have always been offended by that notion. Why can’t I? My father used to tell me all the time that most people didn’t have a fear of failing; they were scared to succeed. That’s what kept them from trying new things like starting a new career, introducing yourself to your secret crush, or chasing a dream. What sets me apart from others is the fact that I’ve never been afraid to fail. What used to keep me up at night was the thought that I may never get the chance to show what I could do if given the chance. I’m most proud of the fact that I finally took my own advice and stopped waiting for “the right time” to be me.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe risks are extremely important; I believe in mitigating them as much as possible in case there is some negative blowback. In entertainment, you have to take risks or be in uncomfortable situations to push yourself to new levels. Growth only comes from areas of discomfort. Shout out to all the risk takers!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheJeffMartinJr
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/Officialdskills
