Surprisingly a lot of entertainers and dance teachers standing up in front of people are introverts and not extroverts. To do a job which requires you to stand up in front of people and talk takes tremendous courage. Walter Laird once told me that he was an introvert and that trained introverts often achieved a better result than extroverts.
We all have gremlins in our ears telling us that things may not work and for a lot of people this often results in them not actually starting a job or project in the first place. For many this means that a good idea is shelved before it has had a chance. For others it means that they tentatively try and at the first sign of trouble the project is shelved. Like many people I think I have the capacity to write a book, but I have only started one in the last few years: The fear of rejection being stronger than the impulse and grit to get on and complete the project.
I am sure everyone reading this blog will be able to pinpoint a project, plan or idea that is still shelved. For some it is gruelling to realize that others have forged ahead and completed something or carried out a plan that we have talked ourselves out of.
So what is stopping us? Is it shameful to fail or is it shameful to not have tried?
According to social researcher Dr Brene Brown, author of Daring Greatly, we should all be gladiators in the arena and risk our vulnerability to transform the way we live. Of course this takes tremendous courage.
Being real and owning up to our failings also takes courage. One week (not so long ago) at a dance class I completely mis-taught a figure I have known for a very long time. Halfway through the class it occurred to me that the reason people were finding it difficult is that I had conjoined two technical steps in the waltz. Once realized I felt the honest thing to do was to own up and put it right. It took a lot of courage to tell them. I was going to go for the “Now you’ve learnt that I am going to show you a more advanced version which works better” approach. My class and I laughed together over my error and many said it was good to know that someone with my experience can also make mistakes. It made them feel better about their own learning. To be able to tell them I had to face my own feelings of shame and vulnerability.
What can you do this week to show up and let people see the real person that you are? Start those new classes, work on that show or begin that next phase of your school development.
Be courageous!
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