I’m not interested in feeling bad when I don’t measure up.
I spend a lot of time around people who are a lot better than me at things. That comes with the territory of coordinating All-State Jazz Choir, working alongside my brilliant wife and other colleagues, and generally keeping company with some pretty fantastic people. (Not to mention constant exposure to the great things people are doing via social media.)
It’s easy to get frustrated with your own inadequacy when you’re alongside titans. But that doesn’t help anything. A better path is to glean what you can from them, and day by day work to incorporate it into your practice. After watching and talking to Dr. Kate Reid for a weekend, I’m committed to approaching my weekly rehearsals with and expectations of Shades of Blue differently, so that in time I can begin to grow into the director I want to be.
It won’t happen overnight, but by spending time around brilliant and skilled individuals, I can begin to be better myself.