Urgh. Been asked to DJ infront of people. Scary prospect!

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Today my uncle has asked me to DJ for an hour at a party. I've been a DJ for a good 15 years and play House music, but I have never DJ'ed beyond my bedroom. Recently I've been putting out CD's and stuff and he's heard them and said I was very good and asked me to play for an hour.

My uncle is a DJ himself, he does radio and clubs and stuff. So to be asked by him is a sign that I'm worthy to him, but to me I don't feel that way. This should be something good for a normal person. The thought of playing infront of people is daunting and I'm already in panic attack mode thinking about it. What if I'm not good enough? What if I mess up? What if I have an anxiety attack whist DJing? What if people come up to me and start talking to me?

I said I'd let him know in an hour. This is an opportunity to move upwards, but I just don't feel like I can handle it.

Anyone faced a prospect that's scary? How have you dealt with it? Should I just take the leap and do it?

Go for it! Why not? Just go with the spirit of the song.

Because I'm completely and utterly scared stiff. Scared of failing.

I completely get it. I did radio for decades and I loved working in the studio, where I could go nuts and be creative without anyone watching me, but I absolutely hated being sent out to do live remotes and avoided it whenever possible. I just cannot stand being the center of attention and having people stare at me. When I was forced to go to one, I'd find the sales person in charge of the account, let them introduce me to the client for a few seconds of awkward small talk, then go outside and find a dumpster to stand behind while I did my live breaks.

I turned down many opportunities to do club jocking, the idea had no appeal, to me whatsoever. It had nothing to do with fear of failure, I knew I was good at what I did, I just couldn't concentrate on doing it with people looking at me.

I wasn't particularly fond of having other members of the air staff come in the studio while I worked, because it was too distracting, but when a Program Director would walk in with a total stranger and say "This is so-and-so, you're going to do a quick interview with them after this next song," I would completely fall apart and become a gibbering idiot on-air. All I could do was introduce them, invite them to tell their story and then just let them talk.

I understand your feeling. Why would you fail? For some reason, I bet your uncle is one tough customer!

Is snooker the same as pool?

Ha ha yeah it is.

And yes, having people stare at me isn't going to be nice. I accepted it because he offered me some cash and I could do with the money. I might just wear sun glasses the entire time. I wonder if this is the reason why Deadmau5 wears that mouse head mask on every set he does.

I think it's pretty common for DJ's to wear sunglasses. It makes them look "cool."

Stage Fright was addressed, in an episode of an old TV show, by having the one with the stagefright pretend he has x-ray vision, so he could see his audience only in their underwear. It worked.

Now that would be cool!

Then you could play snooker afterward to relax.

Cash is good now. Will your partner be there?

I've asked her to come, it would be MUCH easier if she was. She has an arrangement tomorrow, but said she will let me know.

Got my tracklist prepared, all thats left to do is a little rehearsal tomorrow and fingers crossed all goes well.

I am still highly uncomfortable about this. Probably even worse than I was when I first posted. I've been dominated with so many failures in life and missed opportunities (as you know from my previous thread/s). I'm just going to have to accept this is the way life is for me, and I can continue failing or battle through the fears every time and try to make a go of what's left in life.

If other people on the AS can make a success of life - such as Temple Grandin, Steve Jobs etc - then surely I can. The famous people on the AS deal with many more challenging situations than I do.

I'll do MY best. That's all I can do

You're darn tootin'

I don't think you have a profound disorder. You lack confidence, which leads to clumsy handling of situations at times. You have to take yourself out of the cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies of inevitable failures. Stop listening to naysayers who assume neurodiversity inevitably leads to failure in NT pursuits. Use that Aspie brain of yours!

I know klutzy. I'm a first-class klutz. If I kept up the self-doubt, I'd still be living a home with Mommy at age 53.

I love your responses. You talk a lot of sense

I know from experience and experiences. I still haven't gotten over the hump--but I'm closer than ever.

Good luck in the booth!

Am the opposite of Williard.

I deejayed informally at family parties, and then got myself hired by a party deejay company that trained you to use the equipment and to emcee at weddings ( introduce bridal parties, first dances, boquet tosses, cake cuttings,all of that stuff).

Did that for 10 years before I volunteered to produce a radio show for a little public access station. I miss the audience, and packing the dance floor when Im in the studio-though i like doing that too.

I did get some training for party deejaying, and did get to watch some veterans deejays do their thing before trying it myself. But I had to emcee four hour weddings (introduce the bridal party etc). And did practice using the equipment at home. But I was an oldies person, and had to learn the younger generations music as well. Alot of work, but somehow I did it and survived.

For just one hour you can do it. Just relax and have fun with it.