Here’s something I once told some neophyte performers prior to opening night of their first show when they expressed concern about screwing up on stage and embarrassing themselves:
“Go on stage and perform poorly or, worse, tentatively and you will quickly dissolve into the wash of mediocrity that is everyone’s daily life; they won’t even remember you by the time they get to the door. But take the chance to strive for greatness and, by chance, actually achieve it and they might just remember you for the rest of their lives.”
