Lessons From Schitt’s Creek

Moira Rose: Champion Oneself

“One must champion oneself and say ‘I am ready for this!’ Otherwise the pressure could be crippling.”

Moira Rose, Schitt’s Creek

Do any of you watch Schitt’s Creek? (Feel free to leave some comments!) I am pretty certain the Rose family got me through the past year. During a very stressful year (2020), watching Schitt’s Creek was very helpful for anxiety. The show felt like complementary therapy from the couch at times, with its feel-good humor. I also located some excellent career advice from Moira Rose in the show. One important example follows below, as Moira Rose intervenes when she catches Twyla demonstrating symptoms of imposter syndrome.*

If you’re curious what relevance Moira Rose has to my mental health in the workplace / legal industry theme, allow me to reach a bit. Moira and her family allude many times to her having a mental health condition. She, for the most part, manages this with medication. She’s able to sustain a lucrative career starring on television’s hit drama series, Sunrise Bay, then in the sequel to The Crows Have Eyes movie. After that, when her Sunrise Bay former employer wants her to star in the reboot, Moira breaks out some impressive contract negotiations skills, even securing the rights to her rival co-star getting killed off the show by a death of her choosing, a pay raise, and a bonus in the form of a diamond tennis bracelet. She also demonstrates leadership skills as an elected official of her new town, serving on town council. She’s somewhat of a mentor to some of the other women in her singing group, the Jazagals, too.

We could all learn a thing or two. 

Moira gives this crucial advice to Twyla when Twyla is concerned about performing Moira’s solo, while Moira’s out filming her movie. Twyla definitely has enough musical talent not to worry about this. Moira notices that Twyla may be experiencing a bout of imposter syndrome and admonishes Twyla right as she makes a self-deprecating remark, stopping her immediately. Moira advises Twyla to have confidence in herself and her abilities. Twyla would benefit from taking this advice. We all would benefit from taking this advice.
Twyla initially expresses concern about performing at Moira’s level. Moira reminds Twyla of the importance of having self confidence and not comparing herself to others when determining her own ability and self worth.

Though the show is fiction, this lesson applies to real life. It’s not good for mental health to focus too much on other people’s achievements when setting your own personal goals for success. 

**IMPORTANT INFO ON IMPOSTER SYNDROME: To clarify, this is not an actual disorder, but a psychological term created by two clinical psychologists, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978.
Though not an actual disorder, the term describes a serious issue where professionals experience a pattern of beliefs where they believe they don’t deserve their accomplishments, feel their success is due to “luck,” not their talent, feel self-doubt about their careers, and fear of being exposed as a “fraud” in their field despite plenty of external proof as to their intelligence, competence, and success.