I hear a lot of people tell me what they're bad at. Sure it's good to identify those things, to a point.
So what about the things you're good at?
Make a list of three things you're good at (related to your art), whether it's visual, musical, ki-related, etc. They don't have to be three things you're better at than other people, just things you feel are strengths of yours.
If you want, you can also make add three things you really want to get better at, to make it a more well-rounded experience. Just be careful not to think of them as "things I suck at", because that's already taking a bite out of your confidence.
Simply making the list is the point here. If you acknowledge those three strengths, you'll always have something that reflects your style. You may find that someone does those things better than you, but comparing yourself to other people like that is ultimately self-defeating. Again, I focus on the word style here. Also, if you acknowledge the other three "areas of interest", as I like to call it, then you have things you know will make you an improved artist if you work at it.
I admit, I'm a list-oriented person. Writing short lists down (or creating them mentally) helps me see things clearly and helps me focus on what matters. My hope here is to give people more of a balanced look at their skill set, instead of seeing only the "bad".
Just yesterday I wrote about taiko in the context of D&D character statistics. It obviously doesn't capture everything about taiko, but was still a fun thought exercise that helped me assess where I am.
ReplyDeleteMy feel for rhythm and ma are good. I solo quite well, and the quality of that will be brought up by the other things I need to improve. My stance is getting lower and better.
Stage presence, body awareness, physical stamina, and a strange habit with my grip are the main things I need to work on.