Anything Goes : The Art & The Ego by Gabriel Shaughnessy

One way to judge how high you are is by the number of people telling you to come down. A few years ago I had the thought that you know you're heading in the right direction when you get a few haters. And I've been noticing a few more people telling me my ego is inflated as of late. Now, such comments should be cause for some self-introspection, which I do, or at least try. But I also use them as a sign that I'm breaking through some ceilings, shaking up some comfort zones, making an impression on the lives and minds of others. And that's the big thing, are you making an impression on the lives and minds of others. And it doesn't have to be doing some glamorous pursuit like acting. Your presence on a moment to moment basis has profound effects on the lives and minds of those around you. Never underestimate your power. Some people will tell you that to become an actor you need a big ego - how else can you go around shamelessly promoting yourself. And make no mistake, that is what needs to be done. You need to sell yourself, you need to sell your ideas and you need to sell your presence. All the time. And that applies to every industry. That sounds like it could be stressful. I don't like stress. The thing is, the best salesmen don't sell. They don't need to, because you already bought, and they know that. I've also been told, "Well I do it because I love the art. You're just doing it to be popular." Ahh yes, the starving artist mentality. What is this art you speak of? Is it the sorrowful lament of he who hasn't been able to create the life he's dreamed of? Because that's art I most likely won't buy. I've been noticing that as I gather strength, and am doing things this year that I would've squawked at last year, that I need to watch the ego even more closely. After you kick some ass, and a bunch of people see it happen, it can be quite tempting to replay the scene over and over in your head, analyzing various sentences, various reactions, revelling in how awesome you were, and are. At the same time when you look like a duphus in front of a bunch of poeple, you can question the purity of all the golden nuggets you just shit out. A lot of very talented people reach a ceiling in their lives and their careers, and it is self imposed. It comes from the highs and lows of being pretty sweet. To become great, you need to dissolve the ego. This means you are in the moment, ideally, all the time. It's one thing to be in the moment when you're on camera, or in the game. It's another thing to be in the moment afterwards, letting go of whatever trials or triumphs happened in the public arena. And that is the toughest thing about putting yourself out there - everyone can watch, judge, praise or condemn. I regularly notice myself getting caught up in past performances - on stage or in passing conversation. The trick is in giving less fucks while expanding at an ambitious rate. I like sales. And I especially like selling shit that I like. And I like selling me, not so much because I think I'm The One, but because I feel like I've began to uncover The Source, within myself, which connects to who knows what - the universal order and whatnot. You can feel it when you tap in. Things get easier. You're in flow. It's like hitting a home run, or landing a knockout punch, there's almost no resistance when you find the sweet spot. Everyone's connected to it. You might just be thinking too much to know.