“If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.”
As a recovering perfectionist, I know exactly how it feels to fret over every mistake, whether it’s a slipped line, a flat note, or a ‘C’ on a math quiz. If this sounds like you, you are the quintessential fearer of the stage, because you view every opportunity to shine on stage as the potential to also fail on stage. I mean, that’s all stage fright is anyway, right? Some deep-seated fear that you’ll make a mistake and be rejected by your audience.
If you feel debilitated because you can’t tear your mind from the idea that you might make a mistake in front of an audience, consider looking at your situation from a different vantage point. Try thinking from your future self’s perspective. Even if you want to become famous one day, is fumbling a line, or falling going to ruin your chances? I guarantee you: there is no famous actor on this planet that has never made a mistake on stage.
This one time, Barbara Streisand blanked on her lyrics. Another time, Rod Stewart was so nervous, he hid on stage behind a stack of speakers. And I cannot count how many celebrities have fallen on stage. The point is, nobody cares, and these celebrities still became celebrities despite innumerable mishaps. Ya know who never made it in the biz? The people who were so scared to fail, they never got around to trying in the first place. That is, by far, the ultimate failure.
Interested in more stage fright tips? Try these.
Get Over Stage Fright: Enroll in a Group Class
Get Over Stage Fright: Pretend
