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Being spontaneous


Spontaneity is the current of flow. Things happen smoothly and effortlessly. When spontaneity gets blocked, it feels like you’ve got nothing. This is usually because of two obstacles: thinking and judgment. Here are ways to deal with each of these blockages.

Go before you know – Thinking is a useful tool, but not when you need to be spontaneous. Imagine that you’re walking alone down a dark alley, when a large, shadowy figure suddenly leaps out at you. You don’t stop to think, “Ah, a large, shadowy figure. This might be dangerous. Hmm, what should I do? I could fight. Maybe screaming is a better idea. Or should I run away?” To be spontaneous, you don’t think, you do. Do something. Do anything. Go before you know.

Dare to be bad – The other thing that interferes with spontaneity is judging what you do before you do it. That’s your ego getting in the way by trying to help you be “good.” Prejudging your response paralyzes action. You can avoid paralysis by allowing your response to be bad, or wrong, or stupid, or boring. When you give yourself permission to be “bad,” it’s easier to act spontaneously in spite of the judgment that might get in the way.

To be spontaneous, go before you know and be OK with whatever shows up.

Updated: July 23, 2024

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Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance