The Performance

“Tranquility comes when you stop caring what they say, or think, or do."??? - Marcus Aurelius

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It’s finally here.? Much like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween it happens once a year, but the anticipation has heightened with each day that passes.? Eight months ago it seemed like a distant evening in the future; who thought time would pass so quickly?? The hours of preparation and practice will now be put to the test.? The dance recital and school play season has arrived!? Tonight six year-old Scarlett and her ensemble will dance to Toni Basil’s, “Hey Mickey”, and tomorrow evening we will watch Grace’s performance as she and her fifth grade classmates present “Frozen Jr. ”.? And as quickly as? the performances arrive, they are over, and the ritual begins again.

Following both performances the children will receive accolades from parents, grandparents and maybe even their brother.? Bouquets of flowers will be presented to the dancer?and actress?alike, and a general sense of happiness will pervade both venues.? Unfortunately that will change over time.? As the children get older a new element will be introduced and it will change everything; performances will be judged, formally and informally.? What began as a whimsical fun experience will take on a competitive nature.

We live in a society obsessed with performance. For both young and old, competitions, awards and rankings are an inescapable feature of life.? It especially resonates in an age of social media, where we present our lives on social platforms and watch each other’s performances play out.? Equally, if not more important, how well we perform – in the classroom, at work, on the sports field or even in life in general – influences how we see ourselves. In some cases, this influence can be so strong that we come to see our performance as a key part of who we are; what many refer to as “Performance Identity”, and that’s not a good thing.

Performance Based Identity occurs when our sense of self depends completely on how well we do when compared to others. The symptoms are perfectionism, fear of failure, avoiding loss and looking to others as a point of comparison.? However, according to Dr. Michael Gervais, a high performance psychologist who studies and coaches world-class athletes and musicians, our true identity is not to be found from external validation, but rather from aligning our actions with deeper intrinsic values; with our purpose.

Those with a Purpose Driven Identity set goals that are attainable, participate in activities that are personally meaningful, and are connected to something greater than themselves that contributes to the world.? They are strong individuals because they do not let their self-image be created or controlled by others. ?To develop a Purpose Driven Identity, one must seek to discover what they value the most, making it a priority.? It then becomes a journey of aligning your values with the goals and activities you pursue. Interestingly, it can be this journey that is independent of wins and losses, that subsequently creates an avenue that can contribute to better performance.

Dr. Ben Houltberg, Director of Research at the USC Performance Science Institute has found that the mindset associated with a purpose-based identity can actually enhance performance.? By slowly beginning to view competition as an opportunity to better themselves, rather than an arena in which they need to prove themselves, performers reframe negative experiences, set attainable goals, and connect with people who care about them despite their achievements.? Overall, they are happier and healthier (mentally and physically).

What is my purpose?? Why am I here?,? Or as I asked a few weeks ago, “What was I Made For ”?? There is no one reason and the answer is not something that will come to you quickly. ? If we want to know how something is supposed to work and its purpose, the easiest thing to do is ask its creator.? Sometimes our faith becomes the best place from which to start.? “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory?of God.”(-1 Cor. 10:31).?

Embrace Your Purpose

Embrace the Challenge.