27 Feb Business Lessons From Comedians
Do you like stand-up comedy?
Last night I went to see a show at the Palm Beach Improv. An evening filled with friends, comedy, and laughter is one of my favorite weekend activities.
In addition to entertainment, we can actually learn a lot about business and the creative process from comedians. Think about it, they get on stage night after night perfecting their craft. Sometimes laugher fills the room as if the comedian is a maestro leading an orchestra. Other nights, uncomfortable silence sits between them and an unimpressed audience.
Either way, the comedian shows up and does the work. They share their stories. They explore new ways to express ideas hoping to make the world laugh. They discover what words to remove to strengthen a joke, and how a simple voice inflection or pause is the difference between roaring laughter and courtesy chuckles.
When they’re not on stage, they’re writing. They’re brainstorming with friends and colleagues. They’re coming up with new material.
The more popular they get, the more attention they receive. They embrace the fans who fill their ego. They ignore the haters. They show up and do the work.
They don’t know how long it’ll take to get a deal from Netflix or Amazon. Or when they’ll receive a call inviting them to play a part in a feature file. Tomorrow? Two years? Ten years? Never? It doesn’t matter. They show up and do the work. They love the process. They love the high after an incredible performance and the push to get better after a disastrous night.
How are you showing up?
Are you putting in the work for your business, your creative pursuits, and your dreams? There are no guarantees in life. We can’t get the outcome we’re hoping for by waving a magic wand. But we can show up and do the work even when things aren’t going as planned. We can figure out what’s working, what’s not, and what we need to do to keep going.
We get to believe in our ideas. We get to love the process. We get to keep showing up.
Ideas to Inspire
1. Discover how to earn attention from your audience, why long-form content still wins, the number one way to become a better content creator, and how to find your FishTV on the latest episode of Create For No Reason with my special guest, bestselling author, and speaker Andrew Davis.
2. Are you wasting your time? Discover Nine Ways You’re Wasting Your Life according to Matthew Kelly.
3. Great Quote: “What is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” – Anna Quindlen
4. Book Recommendation: Aspire by Frank McKinney. It’s an awesome book about amplifying your essence and embracing your highest calling.
5. Journaling Prompt: What do I know to be true today that I didn’t know two years ago?
