A dancer reflects on decades of commitment to the craft, the teenage years spent training instead of partying, and why that sustained passion built self-esteem. Social media and comparison culture kill motivation; the guest says comparison is the thief of joy.
Now looking back, it's kind of sad for me to say, but the only thing I wanted to do was dance. I never was interested really in trying other sports or things because I knew I was so passionate about this one thing.
Why do you say he's sad?
Because I'm like, oh man, I wish I would have gone to my high school prom or like wanted to go to football games or wanted to try soccer one time, but I just never did. I was like, no, I want to be a professional dancer. I want to go to rehearsal for six hours, I want to practice extra. You know, that was my mindset at a very young age.
I mean, this is just an observation on, on my part is that people at a, that are kind of obsessed with something at a young age and have some sort of success eventually end up having pretty high self esteem and you know, they live better lives than people that don't have something like that. Yeah, I could see that you're getting approval in an area where you're putting in a lot of work, which is the right kind of trade for equity instead of like, I don't know, showing your on Instagram and getting approval. I'm not, not trying to, you know, be like so simple, but there's sweat equity put into the approval that you're getting and then that builds real confidence because you have a real thing.
I was always motivated, which I think in this day and age too, it's really hard for this generation to be motivated about something.
Why do you think that is? Help me figure this out. Let's figure this out for the country right now.
I wish we could in one sitting, honestly, to help everyone. I think social media is a big part. It's easy to get lost in other people's things and just do this. Like it's so hard to put your phone down, stand up and do something like be motivated and passionate about that. And it's so frustrating to see because I have a love hate relationship with social media. Oh my gosh. But yeah, I don't know what it is, but I wish that we could fix it. I mean, what do you think, what do you think it is that the lack of motivation.
I think that it's kind of what we were saying is like we're not sticking to one thing. It's like everybody wants the easy button or the get rich. Like, yeah, you gotta put in the work and then you learn about yourself in the work. Social media is this thing where people are like traveling and doing all this cool stuff all the time and you get caught up in comparing yourself, then what? Yeah, like, comparing yourself is never the answer when you're young, focusing on what you can control is usually a better path than what you're good at and figuring yourself out.
My dad actually gave us this quote growing up all the time. But comparison is the thief of joy. It just really is. And that's something that's always been for me. Like, when I've been my lowest, I am obsessed with what others are accomplishing and not focusing on what I can do and, like, what my worth is. So I. I agree.
