Ever had one of those days when you just didn't feel it? You didn't feel like performing. You didn't feel like working. You didn't even feel like getting out of bed. You just weren't emotionally driven or motivated. Or you felt just plain worn out and drained. It's something we all experience. Maybe you're experiencing it right now. Years ago, as a young actor, I had that feeling for the first time on a night when I was scheduled to perform. I was scared and convinced that I couldn't go on, because I wasn't feeling it that night. Thankfully, I got some very good advice from another, more experienced actor just before I went on. He said, "Trust your technique." And here's what he meant. When you rehearse (or practice), you create an emotional and technical foundation for your work. So even when you're not feeling the part, your technique is always available for you to lean on. The emotional inspiration won't always be there, but the craft that you've honed by actually doing your work doesn't go away. And sometimes, committing to doing your best by trusting your technique will lead you to the missing inspiration. We all have days when we feel anything but inspired. Don't panic. You've developed a technique in your work that you can trust. Rely on your skill and discipline to keep you in the game. Keep going forward, even if a little slower, until the spark returns. And it will. |
