Overcoming Your Acting Fears

Summary

In this insightful video, the speaker introduces 'TAG', a creative technique to confront and overcome fears, particularly in the context of auditions for actors. TAG stands for Truth, Acceptance, and Go, encouraging individuals to face their deepest fears through a process of self-reflection and writing. The speaker shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the power of recognizing and challenging old beliefs that hinder personal growth and performance. The technique involves identifying fears, tracing them to their roots, and replacing them with empowering truths, ultimately leading to a more authentic and fearless approach to life's challenges.

Takeaways

• 📝 The TAG Technique: Introduced as a method to confront and overcome fears by creatively engaging with them, symbolized by 'playing tag'.
• 🎭 Embracing Fears: Encourages actors to face their deepest fears head-on, as they are not as threatening as they seem, and are safe to explore.
• 🤔 The Paralysis of Fear: Shares a personal story of avoiding action due to fear, highlighting how fear can immobilize even when action is necessary.
• 🔑 Uncovering Old Beliefs: Suggests that beneath surface fears lie deeper, often irrational beliefs that have been internalized over time.
• 📉 The Illusion of Control: Points out that many fears stem from a desire to control outcomes, which is not always possible or healthy.
• 🌟 The Power of Acceptance: Advocates for accepting one's fears and old beliefs as part of the process, rather than trying to ignore or suppress them.
• ✍️ The Writing Exercise: Recommends a writing exercise to uncover and confront old beliefs, suggesting that writing by hand can be more effective.
• 💡 Moments of Clarity: Describes pivotal moments that lead to self-realization and the importance of acting on these insights before they fade.
• 🌈 Crafting a New Truth: Encourages the creation of a new, empowering belief that contradicts the old, unhelpful belief, to foster a healthier mindset.
• 💭 Feeling the Feelings: Advises to acknowledge and feel the emotions associated with old beliefs, as they are a part of the process of change.
• 🛠 Taking Action: Suggests that identifying the next right action, based on the new empowering truth, can help in overcoming fear and taking steps forward.

Q & A

What is the acronym TAG stand for in the context of the script?

In the script, TAG stands for Truth, Acceptance, and Go. It is a technique to help individuals confront and work with their fears.

What is the purpose of the TAG technique as described in the script?

The purpose of the TAG technique is to help individuals creatively work with their fears and obsessional thoughts, particularly in the context of auditions and acting, by uncovering and addressing deep-seated beliefs that may be hindering their progress.

What does the speaker suggest is the relationship between old beliefs and auditioning?

The speaker suggests that old beliefs can block an individual's ability to audition effectively. By addressing these beliefs through the TAG technique, one can improve their audition technique and overall approach to acting.

Can you explain the story of the speaker's experience with their agent regarding headshots?

The speaker recounts a story from their early acting career when they received a voicemail from their agent requesting new headshots. Despite the urgency, the speaker avoided this task for over a year due to fear and old beliefs, which highlights the impact of such beliefs on one's professional life.

What does the speaker mean by 'old beliefs' in the context of the script?

In the script, 'old beliefs' refer to deep-rooted, often irrational fears and assumptions that individuals hold about themselves or their abilities, which can limit their actions and potential success in various areas of life, including acting.

How does the speaker describe the process of uncovering old beliefs using the TAG technique?

The speaker describes a process where one starts by identifying a current fear or obsession, then writes down a series of 'because of that' statements until reaching a core belief that is clearly false. This process helps to bring these subconscious beliefs to the surface for examination.

What is the NET acronym mentioned in the script, and what is its purpose?

NET stands for New Empowering Truth. Its purpose is to help individuals counteract their old beliefs with a new, empowering statement that reflects a more accurate and positive understanding of themselves and their situation.

How does the speaker suggest using the new empowering truth to change one's behavior?

The speaker suggests that once the new empowering truth is identified, individuals should own the feelings associated with the old belief, contemplate the truth, and then consider what actions they would take if they truly believed the new empowering truth, thus guiding their behavior accordingly.

What does the speaker mean by 'feelings are workable' in the context of auditioning and old beliefs?

The speaker means that even though feelings associated with old beliefs can be intense, they can be managed and worked through. This allows individuals to act despite these feelings, rather than being paralyzed by them.

Can you provide an example of how the speaker's personal old belief affected their acting career?

The speaker's personal old belief was that if they were not successful as an actor, their life would have no value or meaning, and they would be crushed by regret. This belief affected their acting career by causing them to avoid certain actions, such as calling their agent, due to fear.