Happy Sunday, Creative Army!

Let’s kick things off with a huge shoutout to everyone who has already jumped into this month’s Introduce Yourself Weekend. Thousands of creatives from around the world are connecting, sharing their stories, and building relationships that can lead to collaborations, opportunities, and lifelong friendships.

If you haven’t made your introduction yet, you still have time. Head over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge before the weekend wraps. Be bold. Introduce yourself. Your next great opportunity could be just one connection away. Now, let’s grab that coffee and dive in…

This week's featured video comes from People, and it is pure joy for anyone who loves the craft: Disney Composer Alan Menken Breaks Down His Most Iconic Songs.

In it, the eight-time Oscar winner sits at a piano and walks through the songs that shaped a generation, from The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin, Pocahontas, and beyond. What makes it worth your time is not the nostalgia. It is watching a true master reveal how the magic actually gets made. He breaks down how "Part of Your World" was almost cut after a test screening, how a single melodic idea becomes a character's entire emotional arc, and how decades of iconic work came together one song, one collaboration, and one revision at a time.

And that is exactly what I want to talk to you about today. Because when you watch someone at Menken's level, it is easy to assume they always knew they belonged. But that catalog was not built in a single triumphant leap. It was built one song at a time, often through doubt, revision, and the occasional number that almost did not make it. Which brings me to something every single one of you has felt.

Everyone Has Imposter Syndrome. Here Is How You Beat It.

Let me tell you a truth that might make you feel a whole lot better this morning. Everyone has imposter syndrome. Everyone. And everyone, no matter how successful, takes hits to their confidence along the way. So if you have ever felt like you do not quite belong in the room, welcome to the club. It is a very crowded, very talented club.

The good news is there are two real ways to get through it, and I want to give you both.

The first is to recognize and celebrate all the little micro goals on the way to your macro goal. So much of the anxiety we feel comes from staring at the giant prize, the sale, the deal, the greenlight, and feeling like we are nowhere close. So stop staring at it all the time. Stay in your smaller lane and focus on the next step in front of you. Finish the scene. Send the email. Take the meeting. Do the rewrite. When you celebrate those small wins, you start to see something powerful: you are making progress. You are moving. And progress, not perfection, is what quiets that voice telling you that you do not belong.

The second way is the one I believe in with my whole heart. You have to surround yourself with a like-minded community. This is why I always tell people to sign up for Stage 32. It is free to join, and to be clear, I do not make a dime off of you signing up. I tell you to join and get involved because community is a genuine difference-maker for a creative career. When you are plugged into the right community, you have support around the clock, all year long.

When you are in a community, you see other people wrestling with the exact same things you are. The same doubts and rejections. The same "I was sure I had that one and it didn't work out." You hear someone say, "I went on this audition, I thought I had it, and I didn't get it," and you realize you are not broken and you are not behind. You are just a creative professional, like everyone standing beside you. And it goes both ways, because you also get to share in the wins, yours and theirs, and see that the successes are real and reachable too. That is a beautiful place to be.

So the next time that voice creeps in and tells you that you are not good enough or that you do not belong, do two things. Look back at how far you have already come, one micro goal at a time. And look around at the community standing right beside you, feeling every bit of what you feel. That is how you keep going. That is how catalogs like Menken's get built. Not in one leap, but one song, one step, and one honest conversation at a time.

And really, there is no better weekend than this one to take that second step. That is what Introduce Yourself Weekend is all about. So if you have not yet, go introduce yourself, and start building the community that carries you.

So let me ask you this, Creative Army. What is one micro goal, one small, specific step, that you are committing to this week on the way to your bigger dream? Write it down in the comments and make it real. And while you are there, if someone else's goal resonates with you, cheer them on! Let's celebrate the small wins together.

As always, here at Stage 32, we love sharing stories and knowledge with our fellow film fans. Know someone who would love this content? Share it with them. You can keep up with all of our videos by subscribing to the Stage 32 YouTube Channel. For more inspirational, educational, and motivational content on all things entertainment industry, follow me on Instagram and X @rbwalksintoabar.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and creative Sunday.

Cheers,

RB

People | Disney Composer Alan Menken Breaks Down His Most Iconic Songs

RBWalksIntoABar | Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

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