Being talented does not give you license to be an asshole.
In fact, you could just as easily say: Being [insert awesome trait here] does not give you license to be an asshole. Excelling at anything does not give you that License.
Don't get me wrong. I totally understand the compulsion. But you must refrain from being "that guy." It makes you weak, pompous, and unlikable. But more, it stunts your growth as well as the growth of others. And that, my friends, is cruel.
No matter what business you are in, what gifts God has given you, there will always be something that you Can't Do and something that you Don't Know. And that makes you just as flawed and ignorant as everyone else.
On the other end of the spectrum, being ignorant does not give anyone license to treat you like a dumbass.
When you think of the word "IGNORANT", I bet you think it is a derogatory term; something synonymous with "dumbass." Do you know what the definition of ignorant is? Allow me to enlighten you:
Ignorant= lacking knowledge or information. That's it. Simple as that.
I guess if you didn't know that definition, that would make you ignorant of "ignorant." But I digress.
You see, there is nothing in that definition that implies that you are less of a human, or that you are stupid as a whole and therefore afflicted with dumbassery. (Trademark to come on the term dumbassery(C)).
You should never be ashamed of saying, "I don't know." Because usually what follows those words, if you are smart about it and not in front of a person carrying an Asshole License, is you learn how to do that thing that you were ignorant of.
As an actor we are always learning, always changing, always finding the different colors of humanity. We know that. But what we also need to know is that that applies to our normal life as well. One is not separate from the other.
So, here's how to avoid earning your Asshole License as well as avoiding Being Afflicted with Dumbassery:
Know. Your. Worth. But don't shove it down people's throats.
When we "toot our own horn" we want everyone to look at us and GIVE us our worth. We expect reaction and applause. We look to others to fill us up when we feel empty. You can get information from others, you can get tools and knowledge. But you CANNOT get your self worth from them. They cannot give it to you. If they try, it isn't worth, it's them imposing their need for validation on you.
How do you recognize the difference between knowledge and people shoving need at you?
Well, one feels like a hug. It feels like someone has handed you a decadent meal when you were starving. And you can walk away from the experience on your own two feet.
The other feels like you've been patronized and dragged behind the back of a Buick on a leash. You walk away (if you walk away at all) feeling bruised and small.
I saw a sign on the side of a church once that said "When you recognize your worth, you stop giving discounts." That's the truth. When you know it and live it, you don't feel the need to scream it at people or force "what you know" in their faces. You also rarely allow people to speak to you in a way that is degrading or make you feel subservient without your permission (hence the not giving discounts).
Now. Even knowing all this, I still fall victim to it. But there is a difference between a person who is decent with asshole or dumbass tendencies, and those carrying their Licenses. When I do something well or am rewarded for something that means a whole heck of a lot to me, a part of me wants to let EVERYONE know. I want a pat on the back and I want them to ask how I did it. On the other end, when someone I thought I respected comes down hard on me for something I didn't know, I want to hunch down into myself and take the whipping. But I try to find that middle ground.
Tell your mom how awesome you are. She already knows and she'll agree with you. The only person who beeps that ego horn louder than you is your mother. At least that's true with mine. But leave your temporary superiority at the door. It doesn't mean that you can't tell people about your successes, but don't then "school" them in how they can be more like you. Don't treat them like a subordinate.
Instead, when you are feeling awesome and you find yourself with the opportunity to lift someone up by teaching them something new, treat them like a colleague, make them an ally, because someday you may be looking at ignorance yourself and they may be the one to dig you outta that pile of manure that is the "not knowing."
And when you feel like you are coming down with a bad case of dumbassery, don't beat around the bush. Don't waste time. Say "I don't know." Then go find the answer from someone without a License. You'll get where you wanna go faster, stronger, and there's no shame in that.
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