Embarrassing Myself In My New Acting Class
I am always looking for ways to improve myself as a communicator, and my latest approach has been to take an acting class. The last time I did any official acting classes or acting was in high school, over 20 years ago.
Are you willing to be bad at something in order to eventually become good at it?
I have to admit-- most of the things I do these days are things that I am good at...and I like that. I like being good at whatever I spend time doing. I sail, play in basketball leagues, speak on stages, and create all kinds of marketing collateral. I'm pretty good at these things.
Do you put off trying new things because you'll look bad as you learn?
I rarely try new things because I can be competitive and/or I don't want to look bad. I know, that's prideful and a character flaw that I am working on. I only have so much time, so can you blame me for doing things that I am already good at and that more easily give me satisfaction and happiness?
I have a new film project in the works that I wrote and will have a role in (more on that later), not to mention I am always looking to improve my speaking career and my communication skills. No, keynoting and communicating are not about "acting," but acting teaches so many things, such as how to:
- Reach a greater range of emotions
- Connect with an audience
- Test your limits in various larger-than-life scenarios
- Memorize and internalize soundbites and segments
- Look bad as you learn
The last one was/is probably the hardest for me. Everything I discuss in television interviews, speak about on stage, and share in groups, is something that I have studied for years and that I am entirely an expert on. However, to stand in a group of other people and be thrown into acting exercises in which I have no experience -- I am bound to be less than perfect.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that I'm making an idiot of myself and looking pretty silly trying to act out various scenes. I recently did a monologue that I wrote myself where I acted like I was looking into a mirror as I gave myself a pep talk about giving my son the sex talk. My teacher and class watched and critiqued as I did it again...and again.
So what sacrifices are you willing to make to improve and become a master? Just how bad are you willing to look in order to be better?
David T. Fagan
The Icon Builder
P.S. Sign up for our next Icon Mastermind and JV Event January 19-21 in Newport, CA. Details are at www.IconMastermind.com. Email me back if you want information on special deals for VIP tickets and discounted tickets. We are still booking speakers and expert panelists as well, which always starts with our paying clients first.