I came across this quote the other day and it applied to so many different areas of my life.
My last contract ended earlier than anticipated. As upsetting as it was, one of the worst parts about it was that I had to return to NYC to audition all over again. When I look back at this time last year in August, I auditioned my butt off. However, I reevaluated my strategies and the smartest idea I have was to be audition smarter, not harder. Last year, I went to literally almost every EPA, ECC, every open call, sometimes auditioning for the same production twice. Now, I’m putting new songs in my book, I am trying to consistently stay in dance classes, and continuously refresh and research old and new plays, movies, musicals so I have a reference point to draw from. Small habits every day make a large difference over time.
I’ve also applied this quote to pageantry. Your girl’s back in the pageant game again. After realizing that this is my last year eligible to compete for Miss America, I decided why not give it one more try and surprisingly enough, I won the first local of the season, Miss Atlantic Shores. It’s one of the most sought after titles within the Miss New Jersey Organization. When looking at the stats of the girls who won “Shore” titles in the past they have almost always placed at the state pageant and it is truly an honor to wear that same sash.
However, again, re-evaluating my performance from two years ago when I competed at the state pageant, I am aiming to not make the same mistakes again. One way is to stay on top of deadlines. This should be much easier to do now, since I have practically married my google calendars and have learned to manage my time more productively. Another is focusing more on the components of the competition, rather than the superficial. I cannot lie, two years i think i spent more time worrying if my wand curls would make it through an entire appearance than ensuring my talent was perfect.
My takeaway is be glad you have experiences to draw upon. No, you may not be where you want to be, but be glad you are not where you used to be (I’ve heard that so many times before, but now it finally makes sense). When you return to the drawing board, you may not know what will work, but at least you know what doesn’t. If there’s anything I am hard on myself about, its having to learn the same lesson more than once, and if you can avoid it, do so.
