We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Star Withers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel Star below.
Hi Rachel Star, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I have schizophrenia. When I was first diagnosed all that I could find on the old-timey internets were cold medical journal articles and references to “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”- I felt totally alone. Getting a diagnosis of schizophrenia can feel like an ending to the life you knew and the one you were working toward. But here I am still rolling almost twenty years later from when I was given that initial diagnosis. Having schizophrenia can suck, but it’s not the end of the world. In fact, I’m doing better mentally now than in previous years. Not because my brain has gotten better but because I’ve learned to cope with my schizophrenia. I hallucinate around 90% of the time, trust me I have gotten used to it. I name my monsters, tell them to chill out, give them advice to not be so creepy.
Recently while on a work phone call a second whispering voice started talking to me over the phone. I wasn’t freaked out, it was fascinating because that style of hallucination never happened before with me. The brain is amazing, my brain is amazing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I work in entertainment… that sounds vague because it is. I got my start in stunt internet videos then jumped to TV and kept jumping. Creating is my passion- from comic books for kids with mental disorders, to #shockfight a horror fight movie, to developing stunt fighting techniques, to hosting Healthline’s “Inside Schizophrenia” podcast- I just love to create media.
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 have been most impactful in my journey… #1. Adaptiable. My rule is that I am allowed to complain about something once. After that, I have to change the situation or change myself.
#2. Proactive. When I get an idea I act on it. And I have a lot of ideas which leads to me always having like 50 different projects I’m working on at once. I bounce between them, let one simmer, focus on one till I become burnt out and need a break.
#3. Finisher. It always fascinates me that very talented people (far more capable than me) have trouble finishing creative projects. Perfectionism blocks many. I look at everything as a rough draft and learning experience. Yes, with more money, time, and help, a project could be better, but I don’t have it, so this is it. And what I learn from this project working with these resources will improve my next one.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
Playing only to one’s strengths gets boring. I don’t want to be the best at something because, honestly, that’s pretty depressing… the best has nowhere to go. I detest video editing. I hate it with a passion. Unfortunately, I am also cheap, and paying someone to edit my work seems like wasted money, or I flat out could not afford to pay someone. So, I’ve done a lot of editing over the years. One especially troublesome area is editing fight scenes. Editing a fight scene for a video differs from standard editing- timing, cuts, angles, flow… Against my will, I have had to become proficient in this skill. The sheer hatred of editing forced me to find the easiest way to do it, which starts with the initial filming, leading me to completely change the way I film and direct footage. But wait how can I make it even easier to edit? Choreographing the stunt fight movements differently, changing movements to flow in new ways.
Your weaknesses push you to find new strengths.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rachelstarlive.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelstarlive
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelstarwithers/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/rachelstarlive
Image Credits
All mine
