Artists Are Athletes Too

Hello Friends!

It's been a while since I've last posted... I know. Life has been busy as well as my work as a Musician. For those who are familiar with the life of an Artist, you know that there is no such thing as a vacation!

The recent wrap up of the Rio Olympics left me thinking. Seeing the looks on those Olympians faces, the hope, the drive, the determination, the focus, the joy, the disappointment, and the relief at the very end of the competition. 

These are all familiar emotions to me, as both an Artist and an Athlete.

Often, at a young age you start focusing and striving to reach the stars when pursuing the Arts, similar to becoming a professional athlete. You start doing extra camps and intensives, meeting with specialists and working with some of the most elite in your field to try and learn their tips and tricks to success. You learn to push yourself to newer heights, and you start to compete for a living. 

You realize that you need to start spending more time training and practicing meaning you have less time to spend with your friends at the mall, yet you start making friends at these rehearsals and practices. These friends often form a tighter bond with you because they too know how you feel, and are able to empathize with the pressure and stress you may feel. From personal experience, my artistic friends are often the ones who are able to relate the most with how I feel. Between life, school, work and relationships, they too understand the importance and strain that I can feel when I have to always have a constant focus on my art. 

You slowly learn that your personal image is so important. You must be dressed and ready to perform your best at the drop of a hat because you never know who is watching. You re-assess who you hang out with and whether they are a good influence on you. You watch what you post on social media and are careful with how you present yourself when you are out at a party...if you even allow yourself to go out. One wrong photo could possibly ruin a career, especially in the performance stream of the Arts. 

We've all seen the downward spiral that Ryan Lochte has been stuck in...no? 

You start to learn that you need to travel and build upon your accomplishments to become successful and known, placing first at the provincial level then making it on the national stage. You buy costumes, and shoes, and paints and brushes, and music and suits and gowns, just so that you are prepared to your best and comfortable with your materials before you have to start to work. The same competition and intensity applies to these famous athletes that we are praising on the television, for obvious reasons. 

You also find out that there is a small window to reach your peak. That over the age of 30 there is little to no hope as a performer. That if your paintings or novels haven't been picked up, you should go find a day job and just foster these as hobbies. This is similar to these elite athletes as they must compete while they are still in their physical peak. 

And the most important part -- The Emotions.

When you have dedicated your entire life for a specific moment, there are many feelings that you feel. In the moments leading up to it, you will most likely feel nervous, stressed and excited. Once you start, you feel focused, worried and determined. You have to think positive even if you make the smallest mistake as you are just doing the best you can. And at the end, if it goes well, you will feel an overwhelming sense of pride and joy that may bring you to the brink of tears. You will feel grateful and so excited. If it doesn't go well... the downfall is tough. You will be disappointed in yourself, and critique everything. You will re-assess everything and overthink your every move, you'll kick yourself over and over again. 

The emotions are almost the most exhausting part as they change so constantly and quickly due to adrenaline. And I think that is one of the most similar things that we Artists can relate to Athletes. 

The extra costs, the lost hours, the uniforms, equipment and outfits. The constant training, the pressure to fit into a small window of time to hit your peek of success. The insane amount of pressure to succeed and be the best, are all things that Artists and Athletes have in common. 

I hope that this post opens your mind a little just for the next time you come across an Artist or their work. Just to rethink all that they've had to endure and give up to be in the place that they are. They sacrifice just as much, and a recognized less in most places. 

Thank you so much for reading! I will hopefully be posting more throughout this year, but please feel free to always leave ideas in the comments below!

Until next time,

Tessa