How To Prepare Mentally For Your Audition or Job Interview.
The dullest title ever, but google says it works.
There are several things that vex me on a daily basis. Sloppy use of language is one that irks me. I can’t stand all this “wall-ah” business. It’s voila! and it’s French for “there it is.”
MSNBC’s Luke Russert seriously intoned on a cachet of weapons last week. Seriously? He meant cache.
But I have a soft spot for a good malapropism. My Hungarian grandmother was famous for them. When she was really happy she was on Cloud 7.
So I was kind of tickled when a clip from a reality show landed in my inbox. It featured a woman complaining that another b*tch stole her look, “it took real kahunas to wear the same dress as me.”
I believe she meant cojones which is Spanish for testicles.
I laughed. I might have been slightly derisive (was a snort involved?)
As I marinated on this, though, I was struck by the mental image: A pair of kahunas might very well help me grow a pair of cojones when I need them.
You see, you don’t just need to prepare the material for an audition, you need to mentally prepare as well.
Adopting a positive mental image is a powerful tool to give you strength, purpose and focus when you need it.
Choose something that evokes power, success, calm under pressure or other attributes you need when it’s clutch time. Save the image to your desktop and on your phone. Look at it daily. Associate those attributes with yourself.
Derek Jeter, one of the greatest clutch players of all time, makes an excellent audition spirit guide. And now that he’s retired he’s available.
Personally I’m inspired by Hillary Clinton’s testimony at the Benghazi hearings. Regardless of your politics, Madame Secretary owned the room – and it was a tough room.
Mrs. Clinton has helped several of my clients champion in challenging final job interviews.
But there’s something about the kahunas that appeals to me. Kahuna is Hawaiian for high priest and expert. Like, truly exceptionally expert. Kahuna nui he’e nalu is the “principal master surfer” which is how The Big Kahuna became part of the popular lexicon.
Unfortunately kahuna imagery online tends to be hokey (The Brady Bunch in Hawaii anyone?) so I’ve turned to King Kamehameha I for inspiration. He was a great surfer – a skill I wish I had, a sport I love to watch. Kamehameha was also 7 feet tall, a fierce warrior, brilliant leader and wise visionary.
Olivia Pope has her gladiators. Raymond Reddington has Dembe. I have my Kamehameha.
