Who is it for, and what is it for? The audition version.

I learned these questions from acting coach Jen Waldman and leadership coach Pete Shepherd, via author Seth Godin. I use them to guide every project I work on as a way to get clear on my audience — the people I seek to serve — and the purpose of my work.

Recently in the audition class I'm teaching, I asked my students: Who is it for? and What is it for? in the context of an audition. The answers I received weren't wrong, but they were limiting.

According to my students, who is it for is "the auditors," and what is it for is "to book a role." But if the purpose of an audition is to present your work to your audience — the auditors — in order to receive a role, then by that definition, an audition will rarely feel like a successful endeavor. We all know we can't control the outcome of an audition, only the inputs we put in to achieve the performance we want. So if booking the role isn't a fair measure of success, what should who is it for and what is it for actually be?

What if who is it for is YOU, the person auditioning? And what if the answer to what is it for shifts depending on your needs as you grow in your career? For example, what is it for might mean:

• To introduce myself and my work to new potential collaborators

• To show off the work I've been doing to expand my range and hit that high C

• To share a sassier, bolder side of me that they haven't seen before

• To GET to perform and enjoy the act of performing again

Don't those intentions feel more within our control — more process-based, more generous and joyful? How might this shift your mindset and approach at your next audition?