‘It’s not necessarily all about being at the front of the stage’
Someone said to me recently that they liked being in a position where they had a degree of authority but they didn’t want to, quote, ‘Wear a crown’. It’s best to be honest about how you really feel about the way the need for personal significance shows up in your thinking and, even more so, in your feeling.
There are many positions one can occupy on the stage including in the wings. As a teacher and nowadays a coach and trainer, I realised, some years ago, that I didn’t need to stand alongside my protégés at the front of the stage to get the recognition I needed. The fact that my ‘audience’ knew the protégé had been developed by me and couldn’t have got to the front of the stage without me. You could call it reflected glory, I suppose.
Where do you feel most at home on the stage and with whom? Some people are happy to be on stage so long as it’s part of a group of people rather than on their own. If you can relate to that, how many people do there need to be in your group?
Are you happiest making the costumes or doing the make-up and not actually appearing, other than in the credits? Perhaps, you need to feel more important than this so being the Director or Producer is nearer the mark. These positions have a strong connection with the need to make an important, behind-the-scenes contribution in order to be recognised.
Once you have established where you need to be to gain your required level of significance, you have to decide how this equates to your life (unless, of course you really do need to be associated with the theatre in some way!).
Incidently, if this metaphor or analogy doesn’t work for you, find another, it will help you identify a position for you in the world. You will become known for this and it will serve you well in terms of gaining the personal significance you need.