dance like everyone's watching

i don't watch a lot of tv. i like to, but usually i'm too busy to commit to a show and then i just get upset when i miss an episode and then i don't want to watch the next one until i see the one i missed and then it becomes a vicious cycle. but i was making dinner the other night and decided to flip channels while things boiled and i happened across "dancing with the stars." i had heard rave reviews about this particular show, so i watched it for a while. it was cool. apparently famous people learn how to do dances. and then they to them in front of lots of people and judges and people get voted off (thank you, reality tv, for keeping one thing constant amongst nearly all your shows) and then it's over.

i watched these people get up and do their thing and then be either ripped to shreds or generously complimented by the judges. i didn't see much difference between most of the dances, as far as technicality and precision is concerned (but then, i'm not really an expert dancer by any stretch of the imagination), but the judges did. and some dancers took risks and some dancers played it safe and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't but they all tried. every one of those dancers woke up that morning thinking, this is what it is going to take to win, and was very sure of themselves. because if you didn't plan the winning routine, what was the point of going on the show at all?

i think this must be true in real situations. i mean, no one gets dressed, looks in the mirror and says, eh. this'll probably be okay. i like to think that when people are acting or reading or just doing things in general that they are at least trying. because why be an actress or reporter or doctor or teacher (or anything, for that matter) if you don't think that you are awesome at it? you have to wake up every morning believing that you are going to give 100% and that it will be fabulous. otherwise, why bother?

for some reason, i thought of the old adage, "dance like no one's watching." surely this is encouragement for people to come out of their shell and experiment with new things and not be worried about alternative consequences. and yet...you have to be whatever kind of awesome you want while still being the best. and typically it's other people who decide what "best" is and you have to impress them. so, i guess you just have to be aware (and wary) of that.

thanks, world, for setting expectations that need to be met and exceeded in order for anyone to get by. also for not voting me off (yet).