Find Out What You Are Bad at to Find What You Are Really Good At
Dan Levy is now best known for his portrayal of David Rose in the hit hit Schitt’s Creek about a once-wealthy family living in a city they jokingly bought. Levy is also the author and creator of the series, and has some tips on how to develop your creative talent.
In a new GQ interview found on Kara Kutruzzul’s Brass Ring Daily newsletter, Levy explained how he managed to create such a successful TV show right out of the gate. I’m usually pretty skeptical of any industry family member who comments on the challenges of breaking into the industry. (Levy’s father is Eugene Levy, who also plays his father, Johnny Rose, at Shitts Creek .) But Levy’s thoughts on how he went from being mostly MTV hosting to being proficient in show are very relevant to anyone who tries to develop an artistic voice. … Here’s what he learned:
“Many people are very afraid,“ What if it’s not good? “ Or What if I realize I’m not talented? But it’s just as important to know what you don’t want to do — what you’re not good at. It is a door that you can close in your life path. And I think closing doors is just as important as opening them. “
While it might not have been easy to create Shitt’s Creek if David Levy were Rando McWhover, Levy did go through the process of figuring out what he could actually do by trying: fail auditions, face rejection by agents and management, work over your script. … Try and fail were part of the process, and this process is especially important in a creative career; few of them have a direct path. Sometimes it seems that you have to do everything forever until you collapse into a pitiful heap.
Nope. Give it a try, and if that doesn’t work, don’t be shy about giving up what you’re not good at. This leads you to what you are good at.
In addition, I would recommend asking yourself why you persist in pursuing something that doesn’t work: are you looking for confirmation? What do you hope to gain from success? Is this goal distracting you from everything you love? But all of this does not mean that you should give up what you want. Levy says removing the ego from trial and error will help you get a lot more out of that trial and error. And it might one day make you a popular TV show.