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In all my years as a student of performance art, and now as a teacher of it, I have noticed a phenomenon among actors - myself included. What we all want - usually more than anything else - is reassurance. As we did in our formative years (and the years after those) from our parents and our peers, we want a big pat on the back. We want to do things "right" - to do things which will be pleasing to others and which will make them proud of us and happy, and we want to hear about it!
The problem with this phenomenon is that it gets in the way of our ability to become the best actors and actresses we can be. In fact, it makes us less interesting as performers, and less interesting as people on the whole. As crazy as it may sound, you should WANT to crash and burn - TRY for disastrous failure by making crazy and daring choices. You'll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself and about your craft. The more scars you accumulate from having made dangerous choices, the more interesting you will be to watch.
If your acting class becomes a place where you go to show off your talent, then it isn't working for you. Acting class, as is true of the stage and any time you find yourself in front of a camera, is where you should be taking risks - that's where you should be doing things nobody expects and which may lead you to fall on your face. The actors we truly respect take chances - they are not afraid to fail, and they are not afraid to make fools of themselves. That, above all else, is what separates them from the rest of the world. They are not afraid to be unique and different, they are not afraid to stand out, they are not afraid to look stupid, they are not afraid of not being "cool", they are not afraid of the world catching glimpses of their true selves (in fact they strive for this) - if they're afraid of anything, they refuse to let it run their lives. They fight against their fears and rise above them.
Your acting class should be a place where you do the things you've got impulses to do, which you've never tried before, which you are unsure of - it should be a place of trust and support where you can fall into your acting traps and be drawn kicking and screaming out of them, and then be grateful for it. It should be a place where you get on stage and do things which would shame your family and shock your friends. It should be a place where you take chances - TRY to fall flat on your face - make the choice nobody else would in a scene. In the long run, that is what will help give you the personal freedom to do the same thing in front of an audience or a camera, and that's where you'll find the true gold in being actor. That's when you will find yourself giving performances you can really be proud of - whether anybody else recognizes them or not.
We are all raised with fear - don't play with fire, don't run with scissors, don't climb the tree too high, don't ride your bike in the street, don't make the teacher mad. Once you've chosen to be an actor is the moment to let go of all of those fears - whatever you do, play with fire - get burned - it's absolutely worth it!
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