Backstage with Dylan
How many times do you have to perform in front of 15,000 people before you’re relaxed in the hours before you
go on stage? No pre-show jitters at the 3,000th show, certainly.
It’s not the show that makes us nervous. It’s the story about the show, and doing the work makes the story go
away.
HOW
MUCH
DO YOU
GET
PAID
TO
WATCH
TV?
Bravery and courage are for other
people
It’s entirely possible that you are physically able to
be a thoroughbred’s jockey or lead a battalion into
battle or work the night shift as a cop. These are risky
and difficult jobs, and they require bravery.
And it’s more than likely that there are tasks you’re
avoiding doing because they require significant
emotional labor and the ability to overcome
perceived risk. They’re not physically dangerous, but
they require courage nonetheless.
It’s easy to use words like “bravery” and “courage”
because they pigeonhole the work. It is work for the
brave and for the courageous, not for us.
By labelling yourself as not-quite-brave or almostbut-not-yet courageous, you let yourself off the hook.
It’s a label, and it’s a label for other people, people
who are in a better place than you are, apparently.
Getting off the broken escalator requires neither
bravery nor courage. It’s not risky. It merely appears
to be risky.
I’m not asking you to be a brave person or a
courageous person. I’m not pushing you to be some
sort of creative genius when you believe you’re
actually not.
No, the opportunity lies in merely seeing what’s
actually happening. False perceptions leading to a
cycle of fear that’s baseless.
You don’t need a permit or a blessing or any sort of
permission to decide to take your turn. You only have
to open your eyes and look. And then choose.