Wow. I really enjoyed listening to that, and strangely enough it echos a message that I’ve received in several ways, including in spam comment on my blog that had a message I’ve kept in m mind all week. The core of it is this.
The failure to be perfect does not mean you’re not a success.
For the last year or more I’ve been dealing with regrets about the past, and finding direction and purpose in my life now. I’ve even dabbled in returning to the arts, acting and singing, where I kinda got my start. My blogging is probably the most creative thing I do now, in terms of writing. But I’m always comparing myself to others, instead of appreciating what I can do. So I’m learning not to do that any more.
So, thanks for that five minutes of wisdome, Andy, and the reminder that perfection is not required, just a willingness to try your best. For what it’s worth, based on what I just heard, I think you’re probably a great coach.
Right on Andy! Great reminder to all of us creative, actor-singer-dancer-writer-etc-types! To take your comments a step further…
1) We all worry at some point along the way if what we do, create, produce etc… is “good enough.” That seems to be the continual creative discontent that we all face over and over again. But in reality we are asking a meaningless question… I think we do ourselves a HUGE disservice to use words like “enough.” We treat the phrase “good enough” like it was a measurable thing… as if there was some standard that we could measure up against. What if, instead of asking if we are good enough and instead started from the place that “I am MORE THAN ENOUGH… so what needs to happen to reach my goal.” The immediate shift is from victim (poor me, I’m not enough) to achiever (what can I DO to make this happen)!
Second, creative people so often over identify with their art. What the hell does that mean? Well, how often have you been asked by someone you just met… “so what do you DO?” We blindly respond ‘I am an actor (insert your career here).’ Suddenly we have used the ‘I AM’ to describe what we DO. The truth is we are much more than what we DO. We bring unique qualities, gifts and talents that are independent of what we do! If I say “I AM an actor” then who the hell am I when I am NOT acting? The truth is I AM creative, quick witted, funny etc… and WHAT I DO is perform. Imagine the power of really knowing what you BRING to your art as seperate from what you do. So the next audition you go to, imagine going in knowing what you bring instead of asking the casting director to validate you by “letting you BE an actor.” Knowing what you bring takes your power back and gives you some control in a very subjective business!
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So, when are we gonna do that podcast?
Wow. I really enjoyed listening to that, and strangely enough it echos a message that I’ve received in several ways, including in spam comment on my blog that had a message I’ve kept in m mind all week. The core of it is this.
For the last year or more I’ve been dealing with regrets about the past, and finding direction and purpose in my life now. I’ve even dabbled in returning to the arts, acting and singing, where I kinda got my start. My blogging is probably the most creative thing I do now, in terms of writing. But I’m always comparing myself to others, instead of appreciating what I can do. So I’m learning not to do that any more.
So, thanks for that five minutes of wisdome, Andy, and the reminder that perfection is not required, just a willingness to try your best. For what it’s worth, based on what I just heard, I think you’re probably a great coach.
Right on Andy! Great reminder to all of us creative, actor-singer-dancer-writer-etc-types! To take your comments a step further…
1) We all worry at some point along the way if what we do, create, produce etc… is “good enough.” That seems to be the continual creative discontent that we all face over and over again. But in reality we are asking a meaningless question… I think we do ourselves a HUGE disservice to use words like “enough.” We treat the phrase “good enough” like it was a measurable thing… as if there was some standard that we could measure up against. What if, instead of asking if we are good enough and instead started from the place that “I am MORE THAN ENOUGH… so what needs to happen to reach my goal.” The immediate shift is from victim (poor me, I’m not enough) to achiever (what can I DO to make this happen)!
Second, creative people so often over identify with their art. What the hell does that mean? Well, how often have you been asked by someone you just met… “so what do you DO?” We blindly respond ‘I am an actor (insert your career here).’ Suddenly we have used the ‘I AM’ to describe what we DO. The truth is we are much more than what we DO. We bring unique qualities, gifts and talents that are independent of what we do! If I say “I AM an actor” then who the hell am I when I am NOT acting? The truth is I AM creative, quick witted, funny etc… and WHAT I DO is perform. Imagine the power of really knowing what you BRING to your art as seperate from what you do. So the next audition you go to, imagine going in knowing what you bring instead of asking the casting director to validate you by “letting you BE an actor.” Knowing what you bring takes your power back and gives you some control in a very subjective business!
Roger