To Be the Best, Learn From the Best

Years ago, I took an acting class with the intent of going into musicals as a singing actress. My coach was a strong believer in role models and learning from those who have gone before, and felt the best way to learn these valuable lessons was to find a successful person in your field of choice who has a personality similar to yours, then study all you can about that person—read or listen to interviews that person gives, find biographies on that person, and, if possible, meet them in person and ask them questions you may have on how they approached certain subjects. You must also be ruthless, and look at that person’s mistakes, too, and try at all costs to avoid them so as to maximize the good and minimize the bad decisions you may make in your area of expertise. Studying motivational psychology, too, I hear this as a recurring theme—find a mentor, or at least a role model. Too many people go about this the wrong way, however, so here are a few guidelines to getting the most out of someone else’s education.

WHO’S THE BEST FOR YOU?

This is often the hardest decision. Who to pick? First, you really need to look hard at the style you like to write in—is this the genre you wish to stick with, or do you have a strong leaning in another direction? You might incorporate a friend or two, here—the person you think is perfect may be totally wrong for you, because your personalities are radically different, and there is absolutely no way you would ever approach things the same way that person would. Look at things, too, like childhoods, young adult experiences, home environment, how that person did in school, and so forth. Actually, my instructor summarily shot down my personal first choice, and the second was suggested by my lead guitarist and heartily approved at my next class, and I was completely disgusted at the prospect of that person as my role model. My instructor and my co writer suggested I do some research, though, and, afterwards I reluctantly had to admit they were right. Like green eggs and ham, to borrow from Dr. Seuss, you may find you actually love something if you let appearances go and give it a try. For me, my first choice was a gutsy woman, but the person I ended up with was, instead, a sensitive male, and not at all the monster the media had painted him as once I honestly studied his background. You need to be really open and honest with yourself and the person, here, or the process really doesn’t work. On second review, I had to admit that I was better off looking at someone who had a similar upbringing and intelligence rather than the child performer who started long before I did, and didn’t really have the same childhood at all.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4