Fear of failure??

I was listening to a great video along with an amazing article (links below) that was discussing the fear of success, vulnerability, and reaching the emotional level in a monologue.

Both articles were amazing and provided valuable insight about self. 

First I want to talk about the fear of failure. This is utter BS! No one has a fear of failure when if comes to auditioning.

How is this true?

Think about it, you attend an audition and you fail (don't get cast) then you don't have to change your life, you can continue as before. However if you do get cast or succeeded (congratulations), you have to chance everything. You life has altered and that can be difficult.  

However there is more to this fear of failure vs fear of success. 

When performing an actor may feel that they are "playing a character" and not the truth and this is because the actor has a fear of "openness" or vulnerability. We all face it. It is mush easier to "hide ourselves" then to allow the success of the moment flow through our veins. It is scary to be open to allow people to see our true selves on stage, but once we can get there it allows success and truth to come through.

(Video to the left is an amazing video that explains the fear of failure vs. the fear of success)

Don't get me wrong, there are brilliant moments when that mask is being paced on, but if you allow the mask to come off and let your body move and be effected from the scene then the truth will flow. Making the scene and show a thousand times more brilliant. 

This is something extremely difficult to do, to allow ourselves to free in front  for an audience that does not know you.

How to you reach that emotional state, the richness of truth??

"Every feeling you have has an associated physical sensation. If you physicalize the piece and attach a sensation to the emotion, it will be much easier to call up that emotion when you’re doing the piece...So when you’re preparing, don’t just stand there—move! And when the time comes to finally stand and deliver, you’ll find yourself able to access your emotions easily and powerfully." -Criag Wallace

That is very important to be able to move. You move, you get freedom, you feel much more loose, and all of that combined allows the actor to start bringing themselves to the piece instead of putting on a mask. 

Over all we humans all have a fear of success, we don't want to change our current path in life because that would cause some headaches. When on stage we don't want to "succeeded" by being being open to ourselves and in the moment. I know I have a lot of secrets, and showing them on stage can be tough. 

All actors need to always allow the moment to be rich with life and truth by taking this mask off and being yourself on stage. Don't worry about what people think, you are doing this for yourself and no one else! We are artist, all of us are! Do it for you and not the audience member that you will never see, they will just enjoy what they see on stage!

OK enough of my ramblings. Click below to read the articles that inspired this post. 

 Reach an Emotional Level article

One Things Actors are Really Afraid of? article

Have an Amazing day,

Daniel Sukup