How improv made me a better human.
“These are sad drawings”, I said to my scene partner, looking down at my empty hands. Those were my closing words from last week’s improv show. I can’t remember what led me to that, and it doesn’t really matter. What matters is how I got to that show in the first place.
When I was in primary school, I remember looking forward to improv class. It was an opportunity to be playful and silly with my class mates, and a great way to forget about math and geography. As I got older and focused on my design career, I lost some of that spirited and creative energy in exchange for more strategic, calculated behaviours. A year ago, I signed up to an improv class in the hopes of rediscovering my inner-child. These are some things I learned in the process;
1. Getting uncomfortable
I make it a habit to expose myself to uncomfortable experiences, and I respect people who do the same. As you can imagine, being on stage with strangers is not my idea of a comfortable situation. Improv is one of the best ways to explore and break through the discomfort in a fun and creative environment.
2. Embracing the YES
The yes, and spirit of improv involves accepting and building on a partner’s offer or suggestion. Not only is it a technique to help develop scenes, but it’s also a conceptual framework that minimises creative resistance and promotes collaboration. Embracing the yes has instilled in me the reflex of focusing on opportunities rather than constraints.
3. Failing gracefully
When making things up on the spot, failure is inevitable. Embracing and celebrating failures provides the freedom needed to explore crazy ideas as a team. Understanding that failure is part of the process helps me break free of the pressure often associated with performance, whether on or off the stage.
4. Trusting your teammates
Improv is about building something bigger than any one person on stage. Trust plays a big part in making that happen. Empowering everyone to speak up and get heard sets the foundation for honest and open communication. My relationships have grown deeper and stronger by
5. Making bold decisions
Making clear decisions is the best way to progress a scene in improv. It lets everyone know where someone stands so others can build off of that. I’ve always found it somewhat easy to make decisions and accept the outcome, good or bad. Improv has helped me understand the underlying power honest communication.
6. Thinking outside the box
One of the greatest benefits of making things up on the spot is getting in the habit of being imaginative. Getting weird, saying absurd things or reacting in an unexpected way is what makes improv so exciting to watch, and so enjoyable to perform. It’s given me the opportunity to flex my creative muscle with purpose and intent.
7. Letting go
Improv is about letting go of the ego and exploring each other’s ideas, opinions and emotions. Coming into a scene with a preconceived plan won’t help much. I’ve struggled with letting go of that control in many areas of my life. Rather than focusing on the outcome of an interaction, I’ve learned to listen more carefully and be more present.
8. Feeling vs. thinking
Logical thinking won’t get you very far in Improv. The best way to create a memorable scene is to connect with your own emotions and add value from an open and honest place. As a pragmatic man, I’ve struggled to connect with my emotional self. Improv gave me additional tools to help me identify and communicate those to others.
Yes, and…
I’ve applied so many of improv’s principles to my relationships at work, at home with family, partner and my friends. It’s made me a more confident communicator, a more open-minded human and an even more creative designer.
