The Tradition of Daruma
Happy New Year, and welcome to the inaugural post of the Actor One-Sheets Blog! My goal is to demystify some of the “behind the scenes” actions actors, audiobook narrators, and other people in the biz can take to promote their brand (you can find out more about my services here).
One thing I’m huge on is being your authentic self to your business connections! If you have been following along on my newsletter, you have heard me say that these sorts of personal connections can enhance your readers’ engagement. I wanted to take my own advice today and share a Japanese tradition that ties in so well with New Year’s Resolutions!
What is a Daruma Doll?
The Daruma doll has long been a Japanese symbol of determination, perseverance, and good luck. The doll is modeled after the Indian monk, Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, and it’s typically used as a goal-setting tool, where individuals color in one eye as they set a specific goal and then color in the other eye upon its completion. The Daruma thus becomes a tangible representation of one's journey toward success and it’s a great accountability partner since you’re promising to grant the Daruma his other eye.
Traditional Japanese Daruma dolls
How can we adapt Daruma-inspired goal setting to an acting career? While Daruma dolls are a wonderful tradition, you don't need to acquire one to benefit from this inspiring practice.
Here's how you can incorporate Daruma-inspired goal setting into your acting journey:
Focus on one thing at a time. It can be tempting to create a billion “new year, new you!” goals, but that can dilute your focus. Daruma encourages us to focus on one specific goal. Although you may have smaller goals or milestones as well, see how it feels to you to focus on one specific goal, like landing a particular role, mastering a new skill, or attending a networking opportunity.
Have a visual representation of your goal. Daruma is kept somewhere you see them every day, reminding you of your goal. Whether it’s a post-it note on your mirror, creating a habit tracker, or setting reminders on your phone, make sure your goal has some sort of tangible, in-your-face element! (Keep reading to see our cute downloadable + printable Darumas! You can print one and put it on your 2024 vision board, or you can even post it on your social media as an accountability piece.)
Fall down seven times, get up eight. This is a common proverb in Japanese, and it always makes me think of Daruma, which are sort of designed like Weebles (remember, they wobble but they don’t fall down?). Reframe your “failures” as opportunities to grow stronger, dust yourself off and try again!
Celebrate your milestones! When you complete your goal and fill in that Daruma’s second eye, it gives you a chance to reflect on the journey. Reflection and gratitude encourage us to keep developing and reaching goals. Find a way to celebrate milestones along the way as well as when you hit the “big” goals!
Share Your Daruma Journey with Us!
We'd love to hear about your Daruma-inspired goal-setting experiences. Share your journey on social media using the hashtag #AOSdaruma and inspire others in our community. Simply save the image of the Daruma with one eye colored in and either edit the photo to add text to it or type your goal in the caption to share on social media.
If you want to go old school, just print the image with no eyes colored in and use your favorite writing implement to color in one eye as you envision your goal.
When you reach your goal, come back and save the graphic with two eyes colored in and celebrate with your audience!
