They say creating is only half the job.
The other half is marketing.
Over the past week, I’ve learned just how true that is. As my Fringe show gets closer, I’ve poured countless hours into creating social media posts, designing images, editing videos, writing blogs, recording reels, and trying to let people know that my show exists. Every day I told myself I was being productive. Every post felt like another small step toward filling seats.
But somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened.
I became so busy promoting the show that I stopped working on the show.
I also stopped calling friends. I turned down invitations. Conversations became shorter. My world slowly shrank until almost everything revolved around marketing.
It wasn’t intentional.
In fact, it happened so gradually that I didn’t even notice.
Today, with only six days until curtain call, I had to admit something to myself.
I’m not where I hoped I’d be. There are still lines to remember. Transitions to smooth out. Moments that need polishing. The show isn’t finished in the way I imagined it would be.
For a brief moment, I felt disappointed in myself.
Then I realized something.
This is what creating something from nothing looks like. No one tells you how much energy happens behind the scenes. People see the finished performance, the polished website, the Instagram posts, or the full audience. They rarely see the countless decisions competing for your attention every single day.
Do you rehearse?
Or do you promote?
Do you create another video?
Or memorize another page?
Do you spend time with people you care about?
Or tell yourself you’ll reconnect after opening night?
There are no perfect answers because all of them matter.
This week reminded me that balance isn’t something you achieve once. It’s something you keep adjusting, often imperfectly.
Six days from now, I’ll walk onto that stage whether I feel completely ready or not. The show won’t be perfect. Neither will I.
But maybe perfection was never the goal.
The goal was to have the courage to create something meaningful, share it with the world, and trust that the audience isn’t coming to watch perfection.
They’re coming to watch someone who had the courage to begin.
And for now, that’s enough.