Choosing Something, Anything
Infinite possibility allows us to plan for a perfection that doesn’t exist
The latest edition of the podcast has quickly become one of the most listened to in a long time. Hear Craig Cackowski talk about why he thinks improvisers do well when they ‘choose to know’. He thinks it keeps you ahead of the audience and creates funnier scenes. Hear why…
Choosing is more important than what you choose
When teaching, I sometimes tell people “it’s more important that you make a choice than you waiting to make your choice perfect. It’s our job as improvisers to back you up and make it look deliberate”.
As humans we are taught that “getting it right” is important. I prefer getting it done. Getting it done means you have something to work with; getting it done means, despite error, you have a right to feel a sense of accomplishment; getting it done means you have opened up new possibilities rather than being stuck in limbo.
I’m currently half way through reading “Four Thousand Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman which debunks many of the modern productivity myths and reminds us we only have finite time. He argues that FOMO is built into life and reminds the reader that you will always be missing out not only on something, but on every single thing other than the thing you have chosen.
Burkeman talks about procrastination, and how our imagined futures, filled with our hopes and dreams, are perfectionist visions. As soon as we start to actually do something about them, we have to face up with the imperfections.
“Something - our limited talents, our limited time, our limited control over events and over the actions of other people - will always render our creation less than perfect. Dispiriting as this might sound at first, it contains a liberating message: if you’re procrastinating on something because you’re worried you won’t do a good enough job, you can relax - because judged by the flawless standards of your imagination, you definitely won’t do a good enough job. So you might as well make a start.”
I’m pretty sure you can join the dots here. Get off the sidelines if you’re second guessing yourself. Get into that show where you ‘don’t have much of an idea of what to do’ and do anything. Wiggle an arm, point out what prevailing emotion seems to be on stage, look anxiously at your watch… anything will do.
In life our best friends lift us up when things go wrong. Indeed, it is often when life throws the absolute worst at us that we discover just how wonderful friends and family can be. On stage, our fellow improvisers are there to support whatever you do. If you make a move that doesn’t live up to your perfectionist ideals then great, because you have people there to make you look amazing - and vice versa.
Get out there and grab the fun. It won’t be perfect. That’s fine. That’s how it works.
What Else Is Going On?
Less than a week to apply for Robin Hood’s very own improv festival
Team and individual applications to perform at the Robin Hood International Improv Festival close on Monday. The festival runs from 4th - 8th September this year in Nottingham and Robin Hood is getting himself all of a quiver about it. Come play in one of the UK’s greatest cities for improv (ok, I’m wildly biased, but I still believe the hype I’m providing here!)
Got an improv thing you’re doing? Tell me about it so I can tell other people about it. Email newsdesk@improvchroncle.com
Have a great week,
Lloydie