We recently connected with Mary Tamura and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mary, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I overcame imposter syndrome by realizing that it is a construct made up in my mind. I know everyone goes through it and has these thoughts. I realized that everyone has something unique about them and has something to say. We all have something that shines within. I try to not compare myself with others and even try to help others and uplift them. I tell myself that there is more than one star in the sky and they all shine equally as bright. This has really changed my perspective and stopped the imposter syndrome, comparison, and jealousy that we all face.
Being an Asian woman in Hollywood, I’ve learned to ignore the thoughts of negativity that go through my mind. Why not channel my inner Wonder Woman and be confident? Everyone else seems to do it. There are few opportunities that arise for AAPI that I know the doors are not open for me… at least not just yet. I am constantly asking myself if my writing is good, even though friends and family say it is… they’re supposed to say it, right? Maybe it’s all in my head. Maybe I am being delusional? But I realized the hesitations or the imposter syndrome that I was having was not because I was doubting myself or my writing. It was because society does not make room to find diverse writers and voices. The few competitions and fellowships that I apply to, there are so many great and talented writers who get chosen and it does not negate my writing. It just means that there needs to be more opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds to shine. Sometimes, it made me feel like my writing was not enough. My writing is enough. I am enough.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I work in social media by trade and am an emerging TV writer. My dream is to become a development executive to help create diverse stories and hire diverse people on and off screen. My passion project, Yokai, is loosely based on my family background being Japanese American. Yokai is about a Japanese American witch that gets trapped in 1942 and teams up with her grandfather to track down an evil wizard who wants to take over the world but her time runs out when they are placed in Japanese Internment Camps at the start of WWII. Think if Timeless met Harry Potter. I hope to one day see this show on TV.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that were most impactful was to listen to others, learn how to take critique, and being thankful every step of the way.
I always listen to others about their stories and where they have been. This teaches a person how to connect with others. You never know who’s story can spark an idea for a script, song, sculpture. Meeting new people is always inspiring.
Learning how to take critique is a huge one as well, even if it’s something little. You have to remember that if you are working on a project, such as a movie or tv show, you are not the only person making it. There are a bunch of people who are trying to help make the project be the best it can be. By learning how to take critique and use those notes correctly really makes a big difference. Figure out why you are getting a critique and make the art make sense and speak for itself.
The last one, being thankful. No matter if you “made it” or haven’t yet, You should be thankful. Every failure leads to success. Never give up!
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing that my parents did for me was to never put pressure on me. I am very grateful that they never really had any expectations of me. They just wanted me to be healthy, safe, and happy. I was all of those things growing up and I still am. I think by giving me the freedom it helped me grow my creativity. I was able to do painting lessons, singing lessons, guitar lessons… I really liked going to lessons apparently… By exploring those avenues it made me love art and find a passion that I may have never realized could be a job. It made me realize who I wanted to be and what I wanted to be at a very young age. I think it really helped mold me to who I am today. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to do something creative. Of course, the jobs changed: Broadway singer, actor, musician… But all of the underlying careers that I wanted to do, had something to do with storytelling. I always loved telling stories and it all comes back to being a writer.
Contact Info:
- Website: marymajikku.com
- Instagram: marymajikku
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-tamura/
Image Credits
Daniela Barbani, Taylor Hampton, Bahrami Khan
