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"Nashville - The Show Must Go On - Final"
August, 2013

In a previous blog, I wrote about how we all have bad days no matter who we are... athletes, hosts, singers, actors... you name it.

While catching up on ABC's "Nashville" recently, the show's lead character, Rayna James, was about to go onstage when her husband calls her up, blindsiding her with the news that he wants a divorce. She tells him she’s about to go on stage and it's not a good time to discuss it. Well you can't "undo" that conversation... So Rayna goes onstage and just stands there for a few moments, making those around her worried, but of course, like a true pro, she gives a great performance - as is expected of her. And as they say, "the show must go on."

These things will happen along the path of your hosting career - hopefully not something as traumatic as a divorce, but life happens - good or bad. Whether it's an audition or shooting a show, you have to put whatever the issue may be behind you and make the best of it. If you're the person who comes to the set or audition with drama and are too emotional, the producers and crew might not be so sympathetic, in fact they probably won't be. They have a show to do and delays in production result in big bucks. They'll move on to someone who doesn't bring their personal lives to the job. It's not personal, it's business.

So how do you leave it behind? Self-talk. Giving yourself a much-needed pep talk to be in the moment and do what you need to do in that moment. If it's not a life or death emergency then worrying about it won't help the problem, it'll only affect the job you're hired to do. Try and stay present and tell yourself that you can get thru it for the next few minutes, hour, whatever it takes. You may need to keep up the self-talk the entire time but trust me, it does work!

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