Hi queens! In this blog post we will be discussing mindset shifts, preparation elevation, and character development that you can implement to see improvement in pageantry. If you are not placing, winning, or just not seeing enough growth in your pageant journey then this blog post is for you. There is always room for improvement and these areas are great places to start.
Change your perspective and actually believe in yourself
We often hear that if you don’t believe in yourself no one else will, and this is very visible in the pageant industry. When you put yourself on display for the judges and for the audience your confidence or lack thereof is magnified. Doing something is different from actually believing that you can do it well. You can buy a beautiful gown but do you believe that you look beautiful in it? You can perform a talent but do you believe that you can perform it well? You can speak to an audience but do you believe that you can speak in an articulate and captivating way? If you are currently competing in pageantry and have a mindset where you are just hoping to get better with experience you need to put your belief in yourself before your experience. Of course we all go through a phase where we have to fake it until we make it, but experience is nothing without belief. There are girls out here who have been competing for years but still don’t believe that they can actually win, and that is why they have not. Take a leap of faith to actually believe in yourself by understanding what you contribute, what you stand for, and who you stand with.
Work harder and plan better
If you’ve been competing for a while and you’re not seeing any improvement in your placement it’s time to up your work ethic. If you’re only practicing once a week try bumping it up to twice a week and continue to practice more overtime. You cannot expect maximum results with minimal effort. Most times lack of improvement just means you need to work harder and develop better strategies. Even if you only have one hour a week to practice you need to make sure that you are intentional with that one hour, and that your practice strategies are helping you build muscle memory. If you’re not seeing improvement you are probably not very organized either. Everything you do leading up to your pageant, how you practice, how you pack, how timely you are, that all subconsciously influences your nerves affects your placement. Unorganization leads to being frazzled. Queens are not frazzled. Queens are intentional. Queens know what they need, when they need it, and what they need it for. If you are not seeing improvement in your pageant performance I encourage you to find ways to become more organized. Pack your pageant bag 3 days before the pageant versus the night before. Find your space backstage and lay out your things in an organized and concise way. Organize your pageant paperwork and notes in a special folder or binder. Organize your pageant shoes and accessories. When our things have a place it improves the overall function of the categories of our lives.
Ask for feedback from trusted sources
I understand that the biggest reason for lack of improvement for pageant girls is the affordability of coaches. A lot of us think that we cannot improve because we don’t have the money to pay for someone to improve us. But as someone who has been in the pageant industry for over 15 years I can assure you that there are resources and people in your community that want to see you win, and are willing to pour small nuggets of advice into you that will make a big impact over time. In addition to DIY programs and Youtube University, utilize local directors, judges, and board members that you trust. I am putting a big emphasis on trust here. Asking for advice from pageant community members that you trust will remove the subjective element from what advice is applicable to you and what isn’t. After crowning has calmed down you can politely pull judges or directors to the side and ask for notes, or send an email that evening or the next morning. You don’t want to wait too long to ask for feedback because they may not remember your performance in the midst of pageant hangover. Some systems have rules against this, but you never know if you don’t ask. As someone who judges, I always respect a girl who’s willing to put herself out there for the sake of improvement, and I always hang out a bit in case anyone wants notes. I would say that there is also an unspoken pageant rule that you don’t give advice unless it is asked, simply because you don’t know how someone will receive unsolicited advice. So take the polite chance of asking judges and directors how they think you could improve upon your performance. You may be surprised at how much detailed and constructive criticism you receive. I would also advise to avoid asking for feedback from biased loved ones. Your mom, your pageant best friend, your pageant best friend’s mom, are all going to think that you are great and that you’re doing everything right. You need to seek out feedback from professional sources who are willing to give you little nuggets of advice, and have seen you perform enough times to provide them.
Reflect on your performance and compete with purpose
After you compete and before you jump into the next pageant, are you taking the time to reflect on your performance in a critical way? Are you having in-depth conversation and alone time with yourself to analyze what you did well, what you could improve upon, and what you could do differently? A lot of times we are not seeing improvement in ourselves because we are not willing to slow down and do the hard, soul-searching work that it takes to improve. It does not matter how quickly you reach a goal if your work and effort is sloppy. Take the time to slow down, sit with yourself, think about your purpose, your why, and your strategy. Reflecting in this way will allow you to make adjustments when and where they are needed in your performance. It will improve your critical thinking skills and allow you to dissect every area of your performance with a professional eye.
Invest more
I purposely saved this tip for last because I know how caught up we can get with money in the pageant world. Once you have implemented all of these other tips, and if you are still not seeing improvement, it may be time to make a bigger financial investment in your pageant journey. Now, I will always recommend that interview coaching is the best and safest investment to make, but you will have to decide with your own village and support system where the investment is needed most. Maybe you are abundantly confident in interview but your wardrobe could use an upgrade. Maybe you need to invest more into lodging for peace of mind and better time management, instead of compromising on overnight drives that impact your alertness and energy. Maybe it is time for you to invest more into hair and makeup. I always say that pageantry is as expensive as you allow it to be but I also believe that investing in yourself is necessary for impact and fulfilling a purpose. We just have to make sure that we have boundaries for our self-investments and that they are being done in good timing and judgement.
I hope you see steady growth and improvement by implementing these tips! If you would like to watch the corresponding YouTube video to this blog post click the link below!
