RE:FOCUS: The Problem With Goal Setting

Growing up in Fargo, ND, performing on Broadway seemed like an impossible dream.  There were no fancy schools for musical theater in Fargo and there weren't many big shows that came through town.  But for Jessica Pariseau, making it to Broadway was her life's goal.

Flash forward a dozen or so years and a couple of cruise ship revues later, Jessica made it to Broadway.  Her big break came when she got a part in the national tour for Cabaret. After that she landed a part in one of the most celebrated shows in Broadway history - in the Broadway production of Mel Brooks's The Producers. It was miraculous.  She proved that with enough tenacity and a goal-oriented mindset, you could achieve anything. 

But then what?

Jessica spent her whole life focused on her goal that she neglected to think about what she would do if she achieved it.  For 20-something years she was so driven and so focused on that one thing, that after she achieved her goal, she didn't know what to do next.  Though performing was still fun, though she still enjoyed the singing and dancing, that steely-eyed focus and direction wasn't the same. 

This is a common feeling for many young performers who set their sites on making it to Broadway and make it.  They focus all their passion and energy on that one point that when they get there, they don't know what to do next.  Many simply go on to perform in show after show, but the passion is at a decidedly different level.  A few find new careers and go on to do other things.  But one thing becomes very clear - passion is not about the destination, it's about the journey.

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