Life in a circus

"There are only two people in the world: the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe."

As time goes by, I feel like being put in a cage being shown in the circus enticing passersby to stop and watch the full show. I owe people entertainment, so I have to pull it off – always.

When the show is done, the smiles are all gone. Now back in my cage, being fed with appreciation like “you did great / good job/ you are the best” hoping you’ll do better to entice more people to watch the next full shows. I nod and smile to every positive comment being said and next hear recommendations to better my craft and expect me to do it in my next full show.

Appreciation is what a performer always looks forward to. It is like a vitamin that is essential to keep you going. Appreciation is a confirmation that the performer did what is expected or even beyond. However, when an appreciation is spoken with lack of sincerity, would you still be motivated? When appreciation is uttered routinely without really checking your performance, would you perform the same? Or when the observer failed to point out the performer’s improvement, would you even bother change your strategy?

At the end of the day, there are only two people in the world: the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe. Unknowingly, I am both.