In this world of “Instafame” and “YouTube Stars”, there is one main problem, and five dangerous mindsets that hold dancers back in their careers and finances. As a result, the dance world is at an all-time low, when it comes to the true substance and respect for our art form. Many you are caught between trying to simply survive while doing what you love, and figuring out how to stand out, compete, and gain popularity on social media.
Well, I’m here to tell you that:
But before I start preaching on here, let me get back to the topic at hand.
What is the #1 Problem with Dancers?
A “Lack Mentality”
A “Lack Mentality” has been slowly destroying the dance industry, over the past 10 years or so, since social media has become such a prominent and dominating force in our world, and in our industry.
Let me break it down to you like this…
Here are 5 Dangerous Mindsets That Are Holding Dancers Back Every Day (due to a “Lack Mentality”):
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You lack true confidence in yourself, so you look for validation from external sources. The jobs and gigs on your resume, the number of followers you have on social media, and the number of views and comments on your videos, all fuel your confidence. But the truth is, your confidence should not be based on superficial things like these. God already validated you when He created you. That’s where your confidence should come from; God, the one who created you, with a specific and unique purpose in mind.
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You lack a true understanding of your purpose. As a result, you think you have to put down, steal from, or “hate on” the dancer next to you, because there’s only so many opportunities to go around, and you don’t want anyone else to take what you believe is yours. But the truth is, we all have a purpose given to us by God, and what God has for you, is for YOU! No one can take what’s yours. If you stay in your lane, and pursue God, and pursue your purpose, you cannot lose.
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You lack money because you don’t see your true value. So you constantly settle for less, and then you end up with even less than you settled for, again, and again. Then, you assume that, because you’re broke and struggling, everyone is. This “lack” mentality leads you to never ask for the money that you deserve from your jobs/gigs/clients, never negotiate your rates, and always have the “just glad that I have a job”, or, “just glad to get paid to do what I love” mentality, which will keep you living in poverty, until you die!
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You lack a sense of community. You think the decisions you make for your career, only affect you, when in fact, they affect every dancer around you, and those that will come after you. The more you help maintain the status quo, keep your standards low, settle for less than you’re worth, and refuse to push the industry as a whole forward, you’re perpetuating a vicious cycle. You’re making it harder for the next dancer to rise up, build a better future, and create a more sustainable industry for dancers worldwide. It’s not just about you. What one person does affects all of us.
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You lack hope for your future because you’re not thinking about it, planning for it, or preparing for it. Where there is no vision, there is no hope. Do you really want to be teaching dance classes in your 70’s because you HAVE TO, in order to survive? Have you even thought about that? Do you really want to be commuting to several different dance jobs, after you’ve started a family, because it’s what you have to do to make ends meet? What do you want your financial future to look like? Do you want to become a homeowner? Do you want to own your own business one day? How do you plan to support yourself 10, 20, 30 years from now? Do you still want to be doing what you’re doing right now, in 20 years? If not, what are you doing now, to build a better future for yourself?
This lack mentality is a very dangerous mindset, and we need to do away with it immediately dancers. It’s not helping you, and it’s not helping our industry as a whole. We must do better, to create a better future for ourselves, and our fellow dancers.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Please post a comment below, and share this post on social media to keep the conversation going.
Renew. Refresh. Reset.
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