Have you ever been in a room and felt like you weren’t at the same place as the people around you? Maybe it seems like they get more opportunities or friends. They just seem like they know what they are doing. When you are working on your single pirouette, they are working on their triple pirouettes.
Here’s a fact for you, you are not falling behind. You are just creating your own plot. It is easy to think that you need to have things figured out at a certain time. But that is not a realistic approach to life. You can move at a different pace and still be so successful in everything you do.
The Thought of “Falling Behind”
Sometimes we put a timer on our achievements. It can feel like a race is happening, but yet you aren’t able to catch up. Setting an expiration date on your goals makes it harder to be proud of yourself. Instead, you’ll find that you’re building anxiety about not achieving each goal “on time.”
Your path isn’t going to look the same as anybody else’s. If you’re not on pointe by 12, or winning nationals at 14, that doesn’t mean that you are behind. You are writing your own story, and that often ends up meaning much more than trying to follow everybody else.
Nobody Has the Same Timeline
Some dancers will go viral when they are 7 years old, while some won’t until they are 30. The same applies to booking opportunities like music videos. Some dancers excel in one style while some train in every style possible. There is no one way to be a dancer or one path you need to follow. And most importantly there is no age limit to achieving your dreams. You can do anything you want if you put in the work.
Growth is a Process
People can be quick to rush the process of growing. Growing is a slow process, but a good one. You get to experiment, learn new things about yourself, and gain new life experiences. When you are constantly competing to match somebody else’s pace, you miss the amazing things happening for you. You get a new skill after months, taking second place instead of third, learning a new combo faster than you have before. The most successful dancers aren’t those that are only talented. They also stay consistent and hardworking.
It is All Going to Be Something
We have all heard the saying “Look at the bigger picture,” but it really is true. Everything that you are working towards and putting effort into is going to become something. Effort never goes unnoticed. It is okay to want to achieve big things and still feel like you are getting nowhere. That doesn’t mean you are falling behind. It means you are going at your own pace. Big dreams take patience. If the process was easy, everyone would be doing the same thing. You are exactly where you need to be.
