In my first few years as a street performer, I did way better when there were no other entertainers around. I could connect with the crowd and give them the good stuff that they wanted. I didn’t have to worry about being innovative, creative or a genius. I was more generous and giving. I lost myself to the act of entertaining.
Our tribe is the audience
When we hang out with a lot of other people who do what we do, we get into this incestuous way of thinking. It’s easy to find crave the validation of other peeps in our industry. But that makes us self-centered.
Our tribalism kicks in and our performer tribe becomes the one to protect. The audience / the gatekeepers are seen as a different tribe. They are the enemy. They are the threat.
Tribalism is an evolutionary instinct and it’s going to happen. The solution is to remember who our tribe really is. We are connecting and building a brand new tribe with every new audience. Not only is tribing up with the audience gonna help us do better and adjust our priorities, but it’s also gonna trigger a tribal response in the audience.
We can so easily become the outsiders. When I’m about to step on stage for 1000 business investors, I might have thoughts flash that I’m not like them. They are from a different world. So, I remind myself I’m not here as a visitor from a different village bringing my weirdness. I’m here as the weird part of this tribe. I’m a business person too and I want us all to have a good time at this event. I care about people, friendships and family. I love laughing. We’re the same tribe and I’m going to do my part for the tribe.