Everyone is a Performer | Charlie Krebs | TEDxOshkosh

is everyone a performer absolutely is

is everyone a performer absolutely is that a good thing

that a good thing

that a good thing absolutely and I’m not talking about

absolutely and I’m not talking about

absolutely and I’m not talking about performing in a theatrical sense I’m

performing in a theatrical sense I’m

performing in a theatrical sense I’m talking about performing tasks we all

talking about performing tasks we all

talking about performing tasks we all perform tasks all day long and a lot of

perform tasks all day long and a lot of

perform tasks all day long and a lot of them we perform by habit without a whole

them we perform by habit without a whole

them we perform by habit without a whole lot of thinking I contend that what we

lot of thinking I contend that what we

lot of thinking I contend that what we ought to do is do them by choice with a

ought to do is do them by choice with a

ought to do is do them by choice with a lot of thinking I’ve spent most of my

lot of thinking I’ve spent most of my

lot of thinking I’ve spent most of my adult life in the theater I was a

adult life in the theater I was a

adult life in the theater I was a designer I was an actor and now as a

designer I was an actor and now as a

designer I was an actor and now as a director one of my favorite things to do

director one of my favorite things to do

director one of my favorite things to do is to coach actors and when I coached

is to coach actors and when I coached

is to coach actors and when I coached them I asked them three questions the

them I asked them three questions the

them I asked them three questions the first question is what is your character

first question is what is your character

first question is what is your character want that’s their objective second

want that’s their objective second

want that’s their objective second question is what is your character do to

question is what is your character do to

question is what is your character do to achieve that objective and that’s what I

achieve that objective and that’s what I

achieve that objective and that’s what I call their verb and that will be the

call their verb and that will be the

call their verb and that will be the heart of what I’m talking about today

heart of what I’m talking about today

heart of what I’m talking about today and the third thing that we talk about

and the third thing that we talk about

and the third thing that we talk about is what is their obstacle what gets in

is what is their obstacle what gets in

is what is their obstacle what gets in the way of them doing that and if this

the way of them doing that and if this

the way of them doing that and if this process can work for a character in a

process can work for a character in a

process can work for a character in a play why can’t it work for me in my

play why can’t it work for me in my

play why can’t it work for me in my everyday life why can’t this science of

everyday life why can’t this science of

everyday life why can’t this science of action help me get everything that I

action help me get everything that I

action help me get everything that I want in my life it can and it can work

want in my life it can and it can work

want in my life it can and it can work for you as well and here’s how there are

for you as well and here’s how there are

for you as well and here’s how there are four things that we can do to perform

four things that we can do to perform

four things that we can do to perform better those things are we can magnetize

better those things are we can magnetize

better those things are we can magnetize our objective we can play better verbs

our objective we can play better verbs

our objective we can play better verbs we can manage our thinking and we can

we can manage our thinking and we can

we can manage our thinking and we can also loosen our grip what I mean by

also loosen our grip what I mean by

also loosen our grip what I mean by magnetize our objective is to find a way

magnetize our objective is to find a way

magnetize our objective is to find a way to want it more if I really want what I

to want it more if I really want what I

to want it more if I really want what I want it takes some of the work out of it

want it takes some of the work out of it

want it takes some of the work out of it so what I can do is put emotion into my

so what I can do is put emotion into my

so what I can do is put emotion into my objective and that turns on an automatic

objective and that turns on an automatic

objective and that turns on an automatic pilot and that automatic pilot will take

pilot and that automatic pilot will take

pilot and that automatic pilot will take me where I want to go with a lot less

me where I want to go with a lot less

me where I want to go with a lot less work the other thing that I can do is

work the other thing that I can do is

work the other thing that I can do is I can deserve my objective and by

I can deserve my objective and by

I can deserve my objective and by deserve I don’t mean it in a cocky way I

deserve I don’t mean it in a cocky way I

deserve I don’t mean it in a cocky way I mean it in a way such as children

mean it in a way such as children

mean it in a way such as children deserve love and crops deserve rain so

deserve love and crops deserve rain so

deserve love and crops deserve rain so if I magnetize my objective I really

if I magnetize my objective I really

if I magnetize my objective I really want it think about the difference

want it think about the difference

want it think about the difference between these two things I want a new

between these two things I want a new

between these two things I want a new car and I want a new cherry red Porsche

car and I want a new cherry red Porsche

car and I want a new cherry red Porsche 911 GTS I can taste that one the second

911 GTS I can taste that one the second

911 GTS I can taste that one the second thing that we can do to perform better

thing that we can do to perform better

thing that we can do to perform better is choose better verbs to perform if we

is choose better verbs to perform if we

is choose better verbs to perform if we choose verbs that are active it means

choose verbs that are active it means

choose verbs that are active it means they’re more compelling if we choose

they’re more compelling if we choose

they’re more compelling if we choose verbs that are positive they become

verbs that are positive they become

verbs that are positive they become elevating if we choose verbs that are

elevating if we choose verbs that are

elevating if we choose verbs that are deliberate they have going somewhere

deliberate they have going somewhere

deliberate they have going somewhere nests to them so those are good verbs we

nests to them so those are good verbs we

nests to them so those are good verbs we want to stay away from bad verbs bad

want to stay away from bad verbs bad

want to stay away from bad verbs bad verbs are things that are in the past

verbs are things that are in the past

verbs are things that are in the past tense things like find I can’t do find I

tense things like find I can’t do find I

tense things like find I can’t do find I can do seek but I can’t do find I also

can do seek but I can’t do find I also

can do seek but I can’t do find I also want to stay away from verbs that have B

want to stay away from verbs that have B

want to stay away from verbs that have B in them

in them

in them because I can’t do B imagine I say to

because I can’t do B imagine I say to

because I can’t do B imagine I say to you right now

you right now

you right now be an audience what do you do to do that

be an audience what do you do to do that

be an audience what do you do to do that you already are another thing that we

you already are another thing that we

you already are another thing that we want to stay away from is try you can’t

want to stay away from is try you can’t

want to stay away from is try you can’t do try in Star Wars Yoda put this very

do try in Star Wars Yoda put this very

do try in Star Wars Yoda put this very well I wish I could do his voice he said

well I wish I could do his voice he said

well I wish I could do his voice he said do or do not there is no try right now

do or do not there is no try right now

do or do not there is no try right now look at the person next to you and try

look at the person next to you and try

look at the person next to you and try to smile are some of you doing this you

to smile are some of you doing this you

to smile are some of you doing this you can’t try to smile the other thing to

can’t try to smile the other thing to

can’t try to smile the other thing to stay away from is don’t you can’t do

stay away from is don’t you can’t do

stay away from is don’t you can’t do don’t I hear people all the time saying

don’t I hear people all the time saying

don’t I hear people all the time saying things like don’t be nervous well how do

things like don’t be nervous well how do

things like don’t be nervous well how do you do don’t be nervous do me a favor

you do don’t be nervous do me a favor

you do don’t be nervous do me a favor stand up right now

I want you to do something for me okay

I want you to do something for me okay don’t sit down

how do you do don’t sit down you can’t

how do you do don’t sit down you can’t do that

do that

do that thank you please sit down the next thing

thank you please sit down the next thing

thank you please sit down the next thing that we can do to perform better is to

that we can do to perform better is to

that we can do to perform better is to manage our thinking most of the thinking

manage our thinking most of the thinking

manage our thinking most of the thinking that we do we do by habit without a

that we do we do by habit without a

that we do we do by habit without a whole lot of thinking but if we do our

whole lot of thinking but if we do our

whole lot of thinking but if we do our thinking carefully we can make it work

thinking carefully we can make it work

thinking carefully we can make it work really well we were never taught really

really well we were never taught really

really well we were never taught really to think we learned to think a little

to think we learned to think a little

to think we learned to think a little bit by accident imagine if we had

bit by accident imagine if we had

bit by accident imagine if we had reading writing arithmetic and thinking

reading writing arithmetic and thinking

reading writing arithmetic and thinking what a different world this might be the

what a different world this might be the

what a different world this might be the thinking process is an expectation ‘el

thinking process is an expectation ‘el

thinking process is an expectation ‘el and what I mean by that is things that

and what I mean by that is things that

and what I mean by that is things that we expect to come true sometimes tend to

we expect to come true sometimes tend to

we expect to come true sometimes tend to come true raise your hand if you think

come true raise your hand if you think

come true raise your hand if you think you’re good at remembering names one two

you’re good at remembering names one two

you’re good at remembering names one two and a half people maybe raise your hand

and a half people maybe raise your hand

and a half people maybe raise your hand if you think you’re bad at remembering

if you think you’re bad at remembering

if you think you’re bad at remembering names there you go

names there you go

names there you go okay now all of those of you that raised

okay now all of those of you that raised

okay now all of those of you that raised your hands because you think you’re bad

your hands because you think you’re bad

your hands because you think you’re bad at remembering names I bet you expect

at remembering names I bet you expect

at remembering names I bet you expect that you’re bad at remembering names yes

that you’re bad at remembering names yes

that you’re bad at remembering names yes so the expectation I say precedes the

so the expectation I say precedes the

so the expectation I say precedes the reality it’s sort of like a prescription

reality it’s sort of like a prescription

reality it’s sort of like a prescription you go to the doctor she writes a

you go to the doctor she writes a

you go to the doctor she writes a prescription you take it to the pharmacy

prescription you take it to the pharmacy

prescription you take it to the pharmacy and they give you the medication the

and they give you the medication the

and they give you the medication the subconscious works a lot like that we

subconscious works a lot like that we

subconscious works a lot like that we have a thought I’m bad at remembering

have a thought I’m bad at remembering

have a thought I’m bad at remembering names and we think that simply a

names and we think that simply a

names and we think that simply a description but it’s actually a

description but it’s actually a

description but it’s actually a prescription we end up hearing somebody

prescription we end up hearing somebody

prescription we end up hearing somebody say their name at a party and before

say their name at a party and before

say their name at a party and before they get it out of their mouth we’ve

they get it out of their mouth we’ve

they get it out of their mouth we’ve forgotten their name and it’s because we

forgotten their name and it’s because we

forgotten their name and it’s because we have an expectation that we’re going to

have an expectation that we’re going to

have an expectation that we’re going to forget their name so the subconscious

forget their name so the subconscious

forget their name so the subconscious makes stuff happen in our brain it

makes stuff happen in our brain it

makes stuff happen in our brain it distracts us while we’re hearing that

distracts us while we’re hearing that

distracts us while we’re hearing that person’s name the

person’s name the

person’s name the other major thing that we can do to

other major thing that we can do to

other major thing that we can do to think better so we can perform better is

think better so we can perform better is

think better so we can perform better is to reframe our thinking I remember the

to reframe our thinking I remember the

to reframe our thinking I remember the first day that I taught public speaking

first day that I taught public speaking

first day that I taught public speaking at the University where I work now I was

at the University where I work now I was

at the University where I work now I was a nervous wreck and I really didn’t have

a nervous wreck and I really didn’t have

a nervous wreck and I really didn’t have any reason to be a nervous wreck because

any reason to be a nervous wreck because

any reason to be a nervous wreck because I taught speaking for many many years

I taught speaking for many many years

I taught speaking for many many years but that day I was I was crazy and

but that day I was I was crazy and

but that day I was I was crazy and halfway through the class I looked down

halfway through the class I looked down

halfway through the class I looked down and my chest is soaked in sweat soaked

and my chest is soaked in sweat soaked

and my chest is soaked in sweat soaked and as the thought started across my

and as the thought started across my

and as the thought started across my brain I grabbed it and I thought you

brain I grabbed it and I thought you

brain I grabbed it and I thought you know what there’s got to be another way

know what there’s got to be another way

know what there’s got to be another way to think about this and I decided the

to think about this and I decided the

to think about this and I decided the new way of thinking about it was I must

new way of thinking about it was I must

new way of thinking about it was I must take teaching pretty seriously to sweat

take teaching pretty seriously to sweat

take teaching pretty seriously to sweat this much and just like that my sweat

this much and just like that my sweat

this much and just like that my sweat soaked chest was a badge of honor I did

soaked chest was a badge of honor I did

soaked chest was a badge of honor I did that to myself and my confidence soared

that to myself and my confidence soared

that to myself and my confidence soared and I performed the verb teach for the

and I performed the verb teach for the

and I performed the verb teach for the rest of that class like the wind the

rest of that class like the wind the

rest of that class like the wind the fourth thing that we can do to perform

fourth thing that we can do to perform

fourth thing that we can do to perform better has to do with loosening our grip

better has to do with loosening our grip

better has to do with loosening our grip sometimes I take myself a little too

sometimes I take myself a little too

sometimes I take myself a little too seriously I hold on a little too tight

seriously I hold on a little too tight

seriously I hold on a little too tight and that doesn’t do me any good it

and that doesn’t do me any good it

and that doesn’t do me any good it clouds my brain and it stresses me out I

clouds my brain and it stresses me out I

clouds my brain and it stresses me out I remember many years ago about a month

remember many years ago about a month

remember many years ago about a month after I got my first motorcycle I was

after I got my first motorcycle I was

after I got my first motorcycle I was invited to a party about half an hour

invited to a party about half an hour

invited to a party about half an hour away and halfway there

away and halfway there

away and halfway there I hit a patch of road that had all these

I hit a patch of road that had all these

I hit a patch of road that had all these grooves in it you know before they’re

grooves in it you know before they’re

grooves in it you know before they’re getting ready to repave it and all of a

getting ready to repave it and all of a

getting ready to repave it and all of a sudden I started struggling to keep the

sudden I started struggling to keep the

sudden I started struggling to keep the bike on path and everything and I

bike on path and everything and I

bike on path and everything and I thought I either have to turn around or

thought I either have to turn around or

thought I either have to turn around or I have to pull off the road and I

I have to pull off the road and I

I have to pull off the road and I thought there’s got to be another way to

thought there’s got to be another way to

thought there’s got to be another way to think about this and so I thought all

think about this and so I thought all

think about this and so I thought all right let go what not really let go but

right let go what not really let go but

right let go what not really let go but loosen up just a little bit and as I

loosen up just a little bit and as I

loosen up just a little bit and as I loosened up suddenly those grooves

loosened up suddenly those grooves

loosened up suddenly those grooves became my friend

became my friend

became my friend I started going boom on the motorcycle

I started going boom on the motorcycle

I started going boom on the motorcycle and all of a sudden it was enjoyable

and all of a sudden it was enjoyable

and all of a sudden it was enjoyable because

because

because I let the road be my friend instead of

I let the road be my friend instead of

I let the road be my friend instead of my enemy so I loosened up so those four

my enemy so I loosened up so those four

my enemy so I loosened up so those four things can help us perform better and

things can help us perform better and

things can help us perform better and here’s what I want you to do today or

here’s what I want you to do today or

here’s what I want you to do today or maybe in a couple of days it’s called

maybe in a couple of days it’s called

maybe in a couple of days it’s called five days of verbs and when I suggest

five days of verbs and when I suggest

five days of verbs and when I suggest that you do is for the next five days or

that you do is for the next five days or

that you do is for the next five days or let’s say next week five business days

let’s say next week five business days

let’s say next week five business days everything that you’re going to do

everything that you’re going to do

everything that you’re going to do infuse a little bit of a verb in it

infuse a little bit of a verb in it

infuse a little bit of a verb in it let’s say encourage every time you

let’s say encourage every time you

let’s say encourage every time you interact with another person infuse it a

interact with another person infuse it a

interact with another person infuse it a little bit with encourage then the next

little bit with encourage then the next

little bit with encourage then the next day pick another verb and maybe the last

day pick another verb and maybe the last

day pick another verb and maybe the last day use the verb value so that every

day use the verb value so that every

day use the verb value so that every person with whom you interact you are

person with whom you interact you are

person with whom you interact you are finding a way to value that person a

finding a way to value that person a

finding a way to value that person a little bit so you’re performing the verb

little bit so you’re performing the verb

little bit so you’re performing the verb value right along with everything else

value right along with everything else

value right along with everything else that you do you’re not adding anything

that you do you’re not adding anything

that you do you’re not adding anything new to what it is that happens in your

new to what it is that happens in your

new to what it is that happens in your day and see what happens see how other

day and see what happens see how other

day and see what happens see how other people treat you see what you’re

people treat you see what you’re

people treat you see what you’re performing does to your reality so as

performing does to your reality so as

performing does to your reality so as long as we perform I contend that we can

long as we perform I contend that we can

long as we perform I contend that we can perform better and the ways that we can

perform better and the ways that we can

perform better and the ways that we can perform better are magnetize our

perform better are magnetize our

perform better are magnetize our objective perform better verbs we can

objective perform better verbs we can

objective perform better verbs we can also manage our thinking and we cannot

also manage our thinking and we cannot

also manage our thinking and we cannot hold on so tightly and if we do those

hold on so tightly and if we do those

hold on so tightly and if we do those things then we can perform superiorly