Are you trying to get it perfect? I know I have been!
Welcome to the first blog and apologies to those who have received emails about classes and offerings without blogs or “value add.”
In my efforts to keep it short and sweet I never really expanded to blogging and videos. Plus there has was another reason. I believe all of you deserve perfection, my absolute best, and in trying to give that to you, it prevented me from sharing. Confession: Two years ago I wrote on the NoActingPlease.com website that I would be blogging and I didn't. There was a lot to share in that time but nothing was written.
The problem stopping me was, how do I do it right? I've never blogged before, or added it to a website, which is the right way to do it, what's the easiest? What's the right format? Then there was question of content, what’s the perfect combination of inspiration, encouragement and relevance with a happy ending to help other actors and artists grow? Things did come up in my personal journey and in classes and private coachings. I had one idea, then another, but never did I get started. None of them were "perfect" enough. I am using this opportunity, this evening, to share something of value that took me years to learn – and I hope you can benefit from it right here and now in these few minutes.
“Don’t get it perfect, just get it started.”
I learned this from a mentor and advocate named Dallas Travers who walked me through several programs from her "Book A Job Challenge" meant to stretch out and try to land more desired acting gigs to her "Representation Race" to find a bigger and better agent when the time was right. I also learned from her coaching for coaches as I started to teach. In each instance I knew the result I wanted but didn't feel ready or know how to get to share my best. That overwhelm kept me many times from just starting.
Truth is, this can be applied to anything and everything you want to do.
In acting…
a scene, a monologue for generals, your headshots, creating your own content, connecting to someone in the industry you admire or want to work with or for, finding an agent, or finding a new/better one, trying to establish a better connection with someone in casting...
In life…
a better body, a diet or workout routine, losing weight, or accepting yourself as you are, meditation, cooking, a new hobby or interest, maybe a new artistic pursuit like singing or playing a guitar, making a new friend, talking to that girl or guy you see but don’t know what to say.
In my instance today, sharing a blog. It's not perfect, in fact I have edited it even after writing and sharing it. But I got it out after getting it started.
What happens is fear, disguised as perfectionism gets in the way of our progress. It has with me. And when we are waiting to get perfection we are not getting things started, and actually robbing ourselves or sometimes someone else, of an opportunity as well. I thankfully had her as a mentor who walked me through some terrifying outreaches in the past, and the more I learned to get it started vs. having it right, or in my case “perfect” the more I realized I was the only one holding myself back.
So, whatever it is, don’t get it perfect, just get it started.
Here’s to you, to me, here’s to us all getting more things “started” and less concerned about getting anything at all perfect. (And maybe in another blog I’ll tell you the exercise of actually practicing imperfection for the extreme cases).
Best to you all, speaking from the heart,
Adam
