I owe a lot to fear. I’ve won an Emmy, directed award-winning webisodes, and given speeches to rooms full of people who don’t speak a word of English, all motivated by terror and a healthy sense of self. The more hairy and audacious the challenge, the more willing I am to give it a try.
I’d never given this fact much consideration until a recent lecture I presented to a delegation from China, introducing them to the principles behind U.S. TV and film production. Not a single person in the room understood English. All of my jokes were met by blank stares until they were translated, and then I got only polite smiles. When I was asked how I won my Emmy and responded, “Fear,” the blank stares persisted until I explained.
I told them I was given the opportunity to direct a documentary—something I had never done before—and worried that I could get it done on time and budget. On top of that, I was tackling a genre I didn’t even particularly like. I told them, “I was terrified. And that’s why I said yes.”
Here’s what I did to accomplish this:
- I acted “as if” I knew what I was doing.
- I made mistakes.
- I learned from my mistakes.
- I asked for help when I needed it.
At the end of my speech to the Chinese delegate I told them, “I actually accepted the offer to speak to you today because I had never done anything like this before…and I was afraid.” I waited for the translator to finish and watched their faces. I said, “I like to jump off cliffs! ” As she translated, I mimed a big jump. They smiled!
