I’m in The Poconos with my wife Shay to see the world premiere of her award winning play, Cold Feet. It’s closing weekend for this farcical comedy based on the idea, “When an Italian wedding and an Irish funeral get double booked at the same church, all hell breaks loose.”

It’s really funny and will now get even better. Once a writer sees their play on its feet with live actors, they then know what works and what can be improved. Shay will tighten or cut certain sections, sharpen characters, and incorporate new ideas.

After this run, armed with great photos, testimonials, and a proven track record, she can then pitch the show with great confidence to bigger opportunities in major markets. In other words more work, risk, and potential rejection.

The lesson – we can all be apprehensive pursuing ambitions. For instance:

Not going after the job you want.

Reluctance to share your creative ideas and get feedback.

Holding back from accepting responsibility.

Embracing a new community of friends.

We all get cold feet – doubt and resistance. At such times it helps to remember achieving anything takes courage – being willing to fail or be criticized. But the upsides of rapid learning and new confidence make it so worthwhile. So, what’s your next stage? Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.