Speaker 1Shut up, and sit down. Welcome to Being On Stage, the only podcast that gives you motivation, inspiration, and confidence to be better on stage. No matter how you entertain, sing, dance, band, comedian, public speaking, MC, drag, burlesque, performance art, or street performer, this is the show for you.
Speaker 2Hey, rock stars. Reggie Dawson here, your host and performance coach in the Being On Stage podcast. Welcome back. I gotta tell you, this is a late one. It's been a while since I've done one at 11 p.m. at night, but I'm keeping to my promise of podcast every day in July. Perfection is something I try to steer away from, and I'll promise you one thing, this podcast will never be perfect. But what is perfect, really? As performers, I always feel like we are questing after the perfect performance, the perfect routine, the perfect act, the perfect melody, the perfect song, the perfect show. And that's an idea that we need to just rip out of our heads, out of our vocabulary, and just chuck it. Because there's a few points I'm going to make to you today, and the first one is going to be that there really is no such thing as perfect. I mean, for one, I think we need to define perfect first. So the perfect in the sense of what you may think it is, is not really what perfect is. So the definition of perfect, per my Google dictionary, is having all the required or desired elements, qualities, or characteristics as good as it is possible to be. Definition number two is absolute or complete, like a perfect stranger. And then there's, you know, to perfect, which is making, this is the one that is not possible. To make completely free from faults or defects. That's not possible. If your performance is completely free of faults and defects, and if it is as, you know, as ideal or complete as it can be, you have nowhere to go from there. So, one, you know, I guess. Really, in that sense, keep chasing perfect, because that means you're going to continue to grow. But what I also want to remind you of is, when you're on stage in front of your audience, it's always going to, sometimes, well, I can't say always. Sometimes it's going to feel like it's just not quite perfect. And it's going to feel that way because of the audience reaction. And you cannot judge your, quote unquote, perfection on the audience reaction, because, you know, think about that. That's the definition. Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics as good as it is possible to be. The audience is there to be entertained. They're there for an experience. If they don't get quite what they're looking for, their reaction isn't going to be there. But that doesn't mean that you weren't perfect. In the sense of, you know, you have all the desired elements and characteristics. But on the other side. In that sense, it's never going to be perfect. And it's something that we have to stop chasing perfect. Because perfection is like a drug. You're going to get addicted to that chase, that thing that you're going after, that perfection. While, yes, it's going to push you, it's going to drive you to be better, it's going to push you to grow, it's going to motivate you to move forward. But for how long? How long before you say. I give up on perfect. Because perfect is stressful. Chasing perfection is stressful. Chase success, by all means. Chase growth. But perfection? And furthermore, to let the audience tell you when you're quote-unquote perfect, that's not going to work. Because, one, you're an artist. That's important to recognize. You're an artist. Congratulations. Yay! You're a creative person. You know, and part of being a creative person is you're putting yourself and a part of yourself on that stage. Are you perfect? No, it's not a trick question. But are you perfect? Do you have flaws? Do you have defects? Of course you do. You're human. We all have flaws and defects and issues and problems and whatever you want to call it. We all have it. We all have that. We all have that stuff, you know? So, to say that your performance is going to be perfect, it's not in the sense of it's going to have everything and it's going to be absolutely amazing and 100% accurate and no flaws, no defects. Because in you being a creative person, you have to put the flaws and the defects on that stage. Otherwise, you're just going through the motions. It's a very transactional performance. If you want perfect, then. I mean, I don't even know. I don't know where to send you for perfect. But here's what I can tell you about perfect. What is perfect is you, just the way you are, with your flaws, with your defects. You are complete, as complete as you can be. That doesn't mean you can't be more complete later. But in this moment, you're as complete as you can be. And that is what you have to put on stage. Because I have news for you. Your show will not be perfect. Your show will not be perfect because your audience likes it. Your show and your performance will not be perfect because you get a bunch of follows and likes on social media. Your show will not be perfect because everyone tells you what amazing job you did. Your show will not be perfect because you get paid hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars. And your show will not be perfect just because you have a video camera on you. What's going to make your show perfect and what really makes it perfect is the fact that it is you. With those flaws, with those defects, every part of you, flaws and all, is out on that stage. That's what people want. That's authenticity. And authenticity is what makes perfection nowadays when we talk about performing. Your audience does not want someone that's going to do something perfect. They don't want someone that's going to hit all the right notes, play all the right chords, do all the right movements with perfect precision. They don't want that perfect technique. They don't want that perfect 10.0 gymnastics routine. They don't want that perfect ice skating routine. If you want perfection, join the Olympics because those people are chasing perfect. And even still, how many of those routines have you seen? Ice skating, gymnastics, whatever. Anything that's judged. How many of those things have you seen that you're like, wow, that was fantastic. And they walk away with like a 7.2. It wasn't perfect. It was real. It was emotional. There was a connection. It was authentic. It was that performer, that gymnast, that ice skater, that dancer, that person putting themselves out there in a creative, authentic way that made it perfect. That's what makes it perfect is the fact that you put yourself out there. You put your realness out there. You put your authenticity out there. And it doesn't matter what you do on stage. You could juggle fire bowling pins. You could spin a ball of fire. You could. You could tell jokes about elephants. I don't care what you do on. I mean, I do care what you do on stage, but it doesn't matter what you do on stage. Your talent is not what makes a perfect, quote unquote, performance. What makes your performance perfect and what really sets it apart is the fact that it's you. You and your flaws and your realness and your personality. That's what makes your performance perfect. That's what captures your audience. That's what makes them go, I need to see more of this. Ergo, follow, like, repeat, audience member, growing into a fan, buys your merchandise, subscribes to your list. I don't know. Maybe they even start your fan club. Because of a connection. Not because you could go out there and play a perfect melody. Not because you can go out there and hit all the notes, including a high C. Not because you can go out there and hit all of your movements with perfect precision. Because you gave them a connection. You gave them something that they could feel. You gave them an experience. That's perfection. Giving your audience an experience. Taking your talent and turning it into an experience for your audience. And that's what I want to help you with. That's the whole reason this podcast was created, was to help performers turn their talent, into an experience for their audience. Through motivation, through inspiration, through confidence. All that stuff is rolled in there. But ultimately, you're turning your talent into an experience. That's what it's all about. Hop on my calendar, beingonstage.com slash calendar. I want to chat with you. I want to help you turn your talent into that experience for your audience. I want to help you get rid of perfection and get into yourself. And get into that authentic perfection. performer that you are destined to be. Keep on shining.
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