citizencorps-escambia.info|

Every presentation is a performance, and Benjamin Zander knows a thing or two about the art of performance.

You have to take a risk

In most cultures making a mistake is the worst thing you can do. Zander says that it’s dangerous for musicians, for example, to be so concerned with competition and measuring themselves against others because this makes it “difficult to take the necessary risk with themselves to be come great performers.” However, only through mistakes can we see where we’re lacking, where we need to work. But we hate mistakes so we play it safe. Yet long term nothing could be more dangerous if our goal is to be insanely great at what we do. Zander suggests that instead of getting so dejected by mistakes, we instead exclaim loudly (or to ourselves) “How fascinating!”

every time we make a mistake. Think about that. Another mistake? How fascinating! Another opportunity [...]