Self Conscious Guy (1951)

[Music] it began the night of our January School play not myself self consciousness but my story of overcoming it we had a party on stage after the play oh I wasn't in the cast not me I was on the stage crew because but I I'll tell you about that later the point is somebody grabbed a spotlight and started a sort of game when the lights stopped on you you'd have to get up and make a speech Jack sure did all all right but why not he was the star of the play that sort of thing was easy for him of course I wanted to do well too I wanted to to shine I started planning what I was going to say I'd wow him and then it happened there I was in in the spotlight and I felt uncomfortable and and awkward and different and they were all watching me and and laughing at what at me what was I doing wrong did I look funny unaccustomed as I am to public speaking I I guess I'll just shut up and sit down it was terrible I knew it hey that was neat Marty but don't be so self-conscious about it self-conscious that was my trouble that was why I felt so queer and I begin to remember other times I'd had the same feeling I remembered giving a book report in class it was exactly the same yes as if there were a spotlight on me and everybody was watching me oh I managed to get through my report all right but I was miserable and then I remembered the first time I asked June for a date I knew just what I wanted to say but when it came right down to it yeah I felt spotlighted again and the words didn't want to come out and she was staring at was my face broken out again and I remembered coming to try out for this play boy I really wanted a part I felt sure I could get get one too until uh I'm I'm not going to try out uh uh I'd like to work on stage crew the stage crew well it was fun but it wasn't what I wanted yeah the night of the party Jack said it and I knew he was right self-conscious I felt I could never get up in front of the class or ask a girl for a date or do anything in public again yeah I was a self-conscious guy I couldn't even stay out for party oh hi Marty oh hi Jack say what happened to you last night uh I I didn't feel so good oh too bad boy wasn't that something when they had that Spotlight on us see I was so scared my nie were knocking I could hardly talk you you were self-conscious sure I guess everybody is sometimes everybody I guess that's right say listen I've got to get to class sure hope you're feeling better all right so on so on everybody everybody's self-conscious after that I began to notice other people bill for example he always seems relaxed and comfortable but but a couple of years back I can remember what a self-conscious guy he was he really has overcome it then there's an she likes to play for people watching her I remembered two or 3 years ago and how terribly self-conscious she was if anyone watched her [Music] [Music] play She certainly has changed well you can get over being self-conscious the question is how it wasn't long after and I made a big discovery about how to overcome self-consciousness I was helping Jack with his ping pong game he hadn't been playing very long but he was learning and doing right well then Hank and bill came in and hung around watching and suddenly it seemed as though Jack was feeling on the spot he started fumbling and then he quit now what made Jack suddenly feel self-conscious was it because he didn't play well I wasn't self-conscious about pingpong why the difference and then well I had to talk to Jack had an idea about self-consciousness everybody wants to show up really well you want people to think you're pretty good but then you start thinking about yourself how everybody's watching you what you must look like to them and then you make a mess of it sometimes but usually you don't you just think you do but look if if you can do something really well then you're more confident self-consciousness doesn't bother you quite so much if I could do more things well you going to try out for the class play in April I guess so me too only this time I'm really going to try out well Marty h Hello Marty are you going to help us out on the stage crew again this time well thanks but I this time I really want a part in the play I that's fine why don't you go ahead and read some lines for me when I am in trouble eating is the only thing that consoles me indeed when I am in really great trouble as anyone who knows me and boy I really had to fight self-consciousness then but I knew that was the only way I'd ever be good enough you know I got a part I practiced a lot I figured it was like the pingpong deal if I could become skillful I wouldn't be so scared of it it was easy alone and finally I got so it wasn't too hard with my family I'd forget about myself and just think about doing it well at rehearsal with the other kids I could try another idea turning the spotlight onto someone else thinking about other people and telling myself I wasn't so important and it work part of the time but when it came my turn to speak then where could I turn the spotlight while we're stop let me remind you all of something you know as we go through these things you should try to keep the whole situation in mind because you know after all what other people are thinking and doing is just as important as what you're doing will you take those lines again keep the whole situation in mind there was an idea would it work at the present moment I'm eating muffins because I'm unhappy besides I am particularly fond of muffins well I cheat them they were laughing but now I knew they were laughing at the situation not at me yes it really helps to develop skills so I can concentrate on what I'm doing instead of how I'm doing it it helps to think of other people and remember that I'm not so important and it helps to turn that Spotlight on the whole situation then I can almost forget to be self-conscious almost is right I'm getting closer now cuz I'm getting more and more practice in turning the spotlight onto the situation as a whole it helps in class too when I feel self-conscious I remember that the class isn't interested in me but in what I have to say well there it is I still feel a little self-conscious at times but by concentrating on others by doing my best to make the whole situation easier I overcome my own self-consciousness it helps me enjoy being with people and I think it helps people enjoy being with me it could help you too couldn't [Music] it