10 Learnings From a Trapeze Artist

Author: Team xMonks | Published on: Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:47:26 +0000

The trapeze artist is a sight to behold. The act is courageous and keeps our hearts in our mouths. There's so much more to the performance than meets the eye.

When fear creeps in, like flying on a trapeze, you need to reassure yourself that everything is fine. Smiling is a choice, and by making this choice, you determine the tone of your own experience. But isn't that what we do in our own lives? We argue, rationalize, and fail to act.

There are many comparisons between the stunts performed by these artists and the way successful people act in real life.

1. Seizing the opportunities life has to offer

The flyer has only one chance to leave the bar and risk being caught by the catcher. Similarly, we are constantly faced with opportunities to step outside our comfort zones and pursue our goals. However, out of fear or lack of trust, we often refuse to let go of our 'bars.' Successful people embrace these moments and seize them with full vigor and intent.

2. A successful act takes a lot of hard work

Trapeze artists work for weeks, even months, to strengthen their muscles and master swinging, letting go of the bar, performing acrobatics, and transferring to the other bar. They repeatedly practice their actions, both physically and mentally, until they are confident in their abilities. In real life, you must develop the habit of working hard to succeed in your endeavors.

3. Do not be afraid: Calculate your risks

Trapeze artists are aware of the heights at which they perform. They must feel comfortable to perform at these speeds. This is a valuable life lesson. Every business/industry has its own challenges and risks. It's crucial to understand these risks before investing your time and resources.

4. Have trust in your team

Trust is a two-way street. Trapeze artists spend most of their act in the air, hoping their partner will be there with open arms at the right moment to catch them and continue the act. In the same way, you must be able to earn the trust of your colleagues, supervisors, and loved ones, and trust them in return.

5. Achieve finesse and be the best in your act

One thing that makes trapeze flying so captivating is the professionalism of the performers. They make it look effortless, enthralling the audience. Similarly, it's crucial to achieve such finesse in everything you do that the final outcome becomes a wow factor. Look at the big products and services that have become brands—that's how you establish yourself.

6. Believe in yourself!

You are the most important factor in any accomplishment. The act can only gain momentum if the trapeze flyer believes they can actually fly amidst a system of bars and other flyers at such heights. If you don't believe in what you are doing, it won't work in life. Sometimes you make poor decisions because you're swayed by others instead of your own judgment.

7. Get out of the comfort zone

There is no such thing as a comfort zone. It's just a manifestation of your fear of failure, lack of self-awareness, and procrastination. Look at the trapeze artists. There's no turning back once you're on the trapeze rope. Every moment must be meticulously planned and executed flawlessly. Theoretically, there's an option, but in reality, there's little to none. What you can do now, you won't be able to do in the future because the dynamics will be totally different! So get out there and work!

8. Be in control

The trapeze flyer has only themselves to rely on between leaving the bar and hitting the catcher. To perform the same act as during rehearsal, they must maintain extreme mental and physical control to ensure the act's accuracy is not compromised. During the execution phase of your work, you must also have complete control over all essential aspects.

9. Do your best and leave the rest

After all the performances and rehearsals, the trapeze flyer goes back to practice on the swing. Similarly, after you've done your best, simply focus on your important meetings, deadlines, presentations, and decisions, leaving the outcome in the hands of other powers that be. There's no point in dwelling on what could have been.

10. You have to perform more than one act

After the show, trapeze artists go back to their lives, away from their act and audience. There are other matters that need attention. Similarly, success at work is a part of your lives, but there are other aspects of your lives that are just as critical and demand the same commitment, even if you don't play a central role in them. Life is much more, full of events to which you must be fully receptive in order to play your part, no matter how small, in leading a complete life.

From a coach’s perspective, there is a lot to learn from a trapeze. Coach Gaurav Arora (MCC) adds:

The instruction to a trapeze is not to listen so much as to enjoy the music. When you think about it, these two commands are pretty good predictors of trapeze performance. People who have conquered their fears and let go of their resistance by listening to their own internal cues live very fulfilled lives. Enable yourself to let go of resistance so that you can hear and follow your inner guidance. To put it another way, take a leap of forward momentum and you are ready to fly.