OVERCOMING FEAR - WORDS FROM A ZEN PRIEST

Feb 20, 2008 - 11:24 AM PST

Being an artist can be terrifying, especially when performing in front of people you respect and admire. There is nothing worse than getting the opportunity of a lifetime and then freezing up in the moment. Fear can be paralyzing, but with a little bit of work and practice, you can overcome it.

As a Zen Buddhist Priest, I am deeply involved in helping people unleash their potential through the mastery of fear. To master fear, you have to develop an understanding of what it is.

Fear is the product of a belief system, or perspective on life created by your mind convincing you that people and situations are a threat to your survival. This is why the “big” audition or “new” gig causes so much anxiety. To our minds, we might as well be walking into a pack of hungry lions.

Overcoming fear requires a few things. Being present to your immediate environment is crucial. Although you may not realize it, those people sitting in the chairs waiting to hear you perform, do not represent a real threat. They may have thoughts or opinions about you, but that does not equate to a threat. Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Another aspect of overcoming fear is succumbing to the mentality that “there is no getting around fear.” Anyone who tells you they don’t experience fear is lying. The gateway to having fear drop away is through fear. When I work with clients I tell them, “if you want to grow and achieve the things that matter the most, you are going to have to do the things that you do not want to do.”

For young artists I recommend taking as many auditions as you can. For the first 10 or so, go in with the intention of failing. Really! Go in, fail and see what happens. Next, as often as possible, make sure that you are the least experienced person in the room. Then get over yourself; it’s not all about you! Find someone to hold you to your commitments; keep the right person by your side to catch you when you fall. Finally, spend as much time learning about human nature as you do practicing your craft.
Developing an understanding of your internal and mental landscape will make the biggest difference of all.

If you do these things, you will experience more freedom to do what you love. Have fun and remember life is short!

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