I read an article recently about the comedian Chris Rock.

Chris is widely regarded as one of the greatest stand-ups of all time.  Google tells me he made $57 million in 2017 alone from his Netflix special and comedy tour.

He’s probably more famous nowadays for being slapped in the face by Will Smith at the Academy Awards, but I’m not going down that rabbit hole today.

The article I read talked about how even Chris will spend months touring the smallest comedy clubs in the US, trying out material, scrubbing jokes mid-set, falling flat on his face on stage with duds and quips which just aren’t funny, until, by a process of trial & error and feeling his way, he has a script which is teeming with wit and hilarity.

Goes to show:

It's not studying how to be a stand-up comedian which makes you a good stand-up comedian.

Nor is it by thinking about how to be a stand-up comedian.

It’s by doing it. 

Doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or a veteran. 

It’s by being in the thick of it, trying things out, testing ideas, being willing to make mistakes and being okay with looking like a clod in front of friends, family & strangers.

It took me a while to learn the truth of this.  To see that the way to get good at something is to learn how to do that thing by actually doing it.

Until you do, you have no real idea of how that thing works.  Of how it feels to try it, the rhythm, the pace, the parts of your brain which get fired up and which don’t, the touch, the sense of it all and what it feels like to be in the moment, adjusting & learning as you go.

I’m not just talking about stand-up here.

I’m talking about anything which has a learning curve.

Which means that anyone who wants to get better at anything, will, at some point, need to put their ego to one side and take that step into a place where things might – and probably will – not go as expected.

In my experience, taking this step requires a mental jump.

Some people call that jump a leap of faith.

But it doesn’t have to be a gargantuan, high stakes, death-or-glory type leap.  

It can be a lot gentler than that.  It can be a smooth shuffle forward instead.

Either way, it’s still a hurdle that needs to be overcome.

This is where my coaching comes in.

Whatever you’re up to in the world (or want to be up to), my coaching will help you quell the doubts, fears & shame of falling flat on your face and show you how you can take whatever next step you long to take.

Here’s where to go:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

- Tom

p.s. Congrats to Borja and Thomas who were quickest off the mark on Friday and snagged themselves a “pre-order” copy of my new book.

The five movies were Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Pursuit of Happiness, La La Land, The Dark Knight and The Usual Suspects