In order to risk, we must jettison our accepted limits. We
must break through “I can’t because ...” Because I am too
old, too broke, too shy, too proud? Self-defended?
Timorous?
Usually, when we say we can’t do something, what we
mean is that we won’t do something unless we can
guarantee that we’ll do it perfectly.
Working artists know the folly of this stance. There is a
common joke among directors: “Oh, yeah. I always know
exactly how I should direct the picture—after I’m done
directing it.”
As blocked artists, we unrealistically expect and demand
success from ourselves and recognition of that success from
others. With that as an unspoken demand, a great many
things remain outside our sphere of possibility. As actors,
we tend to allow ourselves to be typecast rather than
working to expand our range. As singers, we stay married to
our safe material. As songwriters, we try to repeat a formula
hit. In this way, artists who do not appear blocked to the
outside eye experience themselves as blocked internally,
unable to take the risk of moving into new and more
satisfying artistic territory.
We cannot escape fear. We can
only transform it into a companion
that accompanies us on
all our exciting adventures....
Take a risk a day-one small or
bold stroke that will make you