Feeling pressured

[kargo]

People have been telling me that I'm really good at acting lately, but I'm having trouble buying it. They all seem to think I'm gonna be some Hollywood bigshot or something. (eye roll) I was just wondering, what do you think? I'm of the opinion that I suck horribly, but, then again, I've of that opinion for anything I do.....anyway, several "oversupportive" friends think that I'm going to end up like M or something, and do a bunch of the stuff she's done....you know, solos, lots of plays, etc. For some reason, some people think that since I'm friends with M, and she's my role model, and we have similar interests, that I'm somehow going to turn into M junior or something and be super talented at everything. I really don't want people expecting that out of me. I love her and all, and I enjoy acting and singing, but that doesn't mean I'm her, with so much talent that she's 1,000,000 times more than I could ever hope to be. It'd be cool to be like that, but seriously. What kind of person believes I can be like that? I could never live up to her standards. Actually....I'm sort of nervous about (if I get into the play, and if she can come) her watching me. I mean, how in the world could I possibly do well enough to make her proud of me? Good news is, I ordered my own book of skits because I'm so addicted. Actually, I was doing skits and monologues in the shower the other night. I've heard of singing in the shower, but acting?! I've become obsessed, officially. I want to do this, and I know I'll have a blast with it, but I loathe people thinking I can be her. It's just....not possible.

Here's a video of me reading a monologue. I don't think it's that good, and I could have done better. I may do another one soon.

 

[sfw2]

Sweetie, you don't need to be her. You're you. You're special in your own right, with your own gifts and talents. The only one who can put pressure on you is . . . you.

If you enjoy performing, go for it! Don't worry about what your friends do or say about it. Although it's nice that they're supportive, even if they do seem to go a little overboard!

 

[kargo]

The thing about my friends, though, is they don't say. "You're good." They say, "You sing/act just like/as well as/better than M!"

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Don't try to be M, and if you are compared with her, say "Thank You" if it is a complement, and if it is not, then make some polite mumble. Everyone at many points in their lives emulates people they admire. Often when we are spreading our wings in a new endeavor, we copy what we admire, but as time goes one, we develop out own sense of how we think it should be done. Even then we are often a compilation of various people whose talent and skills we have admired, but pulling it all together is a unique self.

Right now you may not have as much training or experience as M, but that doesn't mean that you don;t have every bit as much or more talent than she has. Acting can be a lot of fun! Go enjoy it!

 

[kargo]

Quote:
I don't want to be her. It's a good thing, too, because I'd be out of luck if I did. I'm me, not her. But.....it WOULD be nice to do some of the things she does. (Mostly have that much fun with acting!) See, thing is, I hate people comparing me to her. I admire her so much, and have firmly convinced myself that I could never, ever, ever, ever, ever do what she does the way she does it. (In other words, be THAT good at acting!)

Nope. Haven't done any acting except for a few skits. M has 12 years of experience. I made a remark to her one day about, "I feel like a late bloomer. Maybe I should just forget it and try again in some other life." (I don't believe in other lives, really. I don't know why I said that. I guess I just meant "give up." She looked at me and said, very gently, but firmly, "no, no, no!" I do enjoy acting.
Actually, I'm now addicted. I did SKITS in the SHOWER the other day. SKITS. As in more than one person. Me being all of them. Did I mention this was in the shower?! I've heard of singing in the shower, but acting?! I also ordered a book of skits and I do some of the monologues and skits just about every day. It's a lot of fun just messing around.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

So enjoy it, and stop comparing yourself to her. Doesn't matter how good she is or isn't--that is no barrier to you--the only barrier is your own doubt. Focus on yourself, not on M.

 

[BarkerChickens]

If you enjoy acting, then do for it for you...and you alone.

 

[kargo]

Quote:
I'm scared, though. What if she starts cracking up at how pathetic my acting is? Of course, she didn't do that the first time, but....

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

That's why you do it for your own enjoyment and pleasure; not for hers or anyone elses. Think about it this way, if you have a wonderful time, but are only so-so, does that mean you enjoyed it less? Of course not. And if you have a wonderful time and do an awesome job, does that mean that it was more fun while you were doing it? Of course not--because you didn't know that you were doing an awesome job versus an ok job until after the fact when people tell you how they perceived you. Yes, it is more fun to be told that you were awesome than to receive a mediocre critique, but that doesn't alter the fact that you enjoyed the moment. And the best actors take their critiques and use them as a tool to improve.

Think about it, would you be the kind of person to deliberately hurt someone's feelings by laughing at their endeavors? Would you even want to admire someone who would do that?

 

[Boyd]

your good at it, because you give part of yourself with each performance. I also think that with practice comes confidence. If you are confident you can sell anything, including being another person. How do you think con artists operate?