What I Learned About Life from Trying Standup Comedy

Try One New Thing a Month

This has been my mantra for several years now, and it has seen me try all manner of things, from rock-climbing and surfing to a barista course and learning the art of whisky making, to jumping out of planes and trying hip-hop yoga. I’ve found that trying new things to get out of your comfort zone helps keep your ego in check, strengthens your relationship with adversity, and above all, increases your appreciation of life.

In retrospect, it’s not the comfortable times that we remember, the times we find ourselves sitting on the couch watching Netflix. No, we remember doing things that were marred by friction; we remember the uncomfortable — the long, painful hike, getting wiped out by a huge wave, or giving a talk in front of 500 people for the first time. Greatness is reserved for people who are comfortable with adversity, so the more comfortable you can get being uncomfortable, the more likely you will be to take the steps required towards said greatness.

Starting the Future Squared podcast over three years ago was initially about getting out of my comfort zone (and marketing), but it has evolved into so much more, and has become a fantastic outlet to meet and learn from people from across all sorts of domains, such as technology, neuroscience, economics, and comedy. I had the pleasure of interviewing both Arj Barker and Steve Hughes, two prominent names on the Australian comedy circuit, the former selling out Melbourne’s 1,000…