How to Perform Without Fear
One of the greatest inhibitors to success in any field is fear. It arises out of the feeling that we are under threat. In the West, we live in the safest period in recorded history, the level of physical threat is relatively low. However, fear is also a response to emotional threat too.
So, for most of us in the acting industry, fear is an emotion connected to the imagined negative outcome or consequences. But although it may be concerned with imagined outcomes, but it is a very real feeling. Many acting careers have been ruined by fear’s sabotaging influence. We all have made decisions in the past out of fear of imagined negative future consequences. And avoided opportunities. There are various types of fear that performers encounter:
FEAR OF FAILURE (Fear of Fucking Up)
The basic fear of failure and what is means to you. We’ve had clients so fear doing poorly in an audition that they have refused to go!
THOUGHTS ON FEAR: Everyone fears messing it up. But it’s when that fear causes us to freeze. Failure is something that you should actually embrace, it is a necessary component of the journey to success. Think of it like this. If you were driving from Glasgow to Edinburgh, you’d might have to drive through Falkirk (before the M8). If you’re from Glasgow and you’re on your way to Glasgow, when you pass through Falkirk are you suddenly from Falkirk? No. So when you’re driving on the path to Success Town, when you drive through Failure Town, you’re not a failure are you!? The thing is, when you become okay with the idea of fucking up, you rarely do it.
FEAR OF FALLING (Fear of Social Embarrassment)
This is a social fear that others will see you as a failure. This often prevents performers from taking risks in auditions, rehearsals or performance. Social fear is paralysing, we do not wish to be excluded from our social groups.
THOUGHTS ON FEAR: The focus here is on what others think, that’s really not going to help you. What others think is really none of your business. Acting from a fear of falling in public, is placing too much focus on what’s happening outside of yourself. The focus should be on improving what you’re doing and not concerning yourself with what others think. You do not need social approval.
FEAR OF FAILING OTHERS (Fear of Failing Others)
This type of fear is when we are afraid to let others down. Your agent has arranged a killer audition and now you’re afraid of letting them down.
THOUGHTS ON FEAR: Again the focus here is on a kind of social fear. Failing others. You cannot act for others. You cannot audition for others, you can only put your focus of attention on giving the best audition possible. Don’t ever try to get the part, to do your best, you should focus on doing just that, doing your best. Then, the outcome – which is out of your hands is less important than knowing that you did your absolute best. If you did your best, you cannot fail anyone.
FEAR OF FLYING (Fear of Success)
Really? Yes! Many of our clients are worried about what success will bring. Particularly how it will change the relationships they have with others.
THOUGHTS ON FEAR: This is one that people struggle to imagine until it strikes them. We have an inherent fear of being ostracised from our social group. When we are successful, we fear that this will happen. The best answer that we can give comes from Marianne Williamson. It’s inspiring:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Performing fearlessly means reducing the impact of fear on your life and your acting career. To escape fear, we must see things as they are and not follow the story that our fear response creates for us. Things are as they are. Focus on doing the best you can do and let the chips fall as they will.