I love to share when I read a good thing about Improv and how it can help people in their business and their life. This is a good article from Scott Berkun describing his two experiences in Improv.

A decade ago I took a class in improvisation on a dare with some friends. I was surprised how much the class helped me experience daily life. It made me a better speaker and teacher too. – Scott Berkun, Author of a fantastic book on speaking, Confessions of a Public Speaker

Yes. This post is a tad self-indulgent. I mean, here I am pitching my workshop by way of this article I found AND, I do it because he’s said some of what I say in a clear, non-threatening way and I want people to get over their fears.

Recently I’ve had a couple of people tell me that they liked what they heard about the benefits of my workshops, but they were a little afraid of what they’d have to do in them.

They assume you’re thrown on a big dark stage where someone yells at you every few seconds to do something funny. The reality is tame…

Improvisors are generally the nicest people. We’ve spent years stewing in positivity and support. And while I can’t vouch for every Improv group or workshop, I promise that I’ll never make anyone feel “on the spot”, “twisting in the wind” or stuck in any way.

Fun & Fearless workshops are about more than just Improv for Improv’s sake. It’s personal  development focusing on communication, boldness, and using your brain in new ways.

As if he has heard me talking to people about Improv, Scott clarifies some of the most important benefits:

Every conversation in life is an act of improvisation: no one gives you a script for the day when you wake up. Improv helps me pay attention, proper attention, to all the situations I didn’t realize I could influence, or that were available to me if only I noticed them.  Or more precisely, going to improv class makes me comfortable in dealing with whatever happens in many situations with other people.

I’d love for you to check it out because it let’s me fulfill on my life’s mission: To help people  communicate better and have more fun in their lives.

Here is the link to the full article: http://scottberkun.com/2013/what-i-learned-from-improv-class/

I promise to bring you something inspiring and/or educational next time.

 

Much love.

I showed this video to someone this week and was talking about how, when I was a younger and performing regularly, I wanted to do a 1-man show like this video featuring Reggie Watts. (The video is below, but please watch that last because I don’t want to lose you forever.)

What held me back was that I thought it was just a bit too weird. People wouldn’t sit through a stream of consciousness rant touching 9 different subjects per minute, meshing deep profundity and complete gibberish.

Ask anyone from one of my Improv groups and they’ll tell you that I’m not much of a singer. I actually have a nice-enough sounding voice, just no sense of rhythm  I never know when to come in. So I’m a great back-up guy and love adding little flair bits. Never the lead though.

But I could do this sort of signing, ranging styles, tones, and time signatures.

What’s the point? Am I “Oh, So Cool” that I really could/should have done this sort of thing?

No. Quite the opposite.

The lesson is simple. Ideas are cheap. Ideas happen by the millions everyday. Everyone has at least a couple Every Day that could be turned into money; a song, a story, an invention, a character, etc.

What changes the world is implementation | action!

Sure, I could have done a performance like this. I was an improviser. I could make up stories songs, characters, scenes and jokes every night in front of dozens of paying customers, expecting to be entertained. I had no fear of failing in front of an audience. But did I do my one-man show? Nope!

It was fear and fear alone that kept me back from doing this or any other 1-man show.

But oddly, it didn’t FEEL like fear.

Your brain is a wicked trickster and it really only wants to keep you safe. When confronted, you will find a dozen conscious (and another dozen unconscious) reasons you shouldn’t do it OR other things that are more important Right Now.

You’re actually better off to FEEL afraid. At least then you’d have that trigger and you could think about it and make a choice to confront your fear.

But mostly it’s sneaky.

Here’s the trick: If you want to do/create/perform something and for some reason you don’t get it done, consider that you are simply afraid. It’s not always easy to do, but as long as you don’t get all judgemental about being afraid, then you can see that it’s fear and now  you have a choice.

After realizing that it’s just that same old fear thing, you can now actually get things done.

Now imagine Reggie Watts preparing for his TED talk. Do you think his brain might have mentioned that TED talks are usually erudite elucidations of psychology, technology, ecology and other big-thinking ideas? His brain might have said, “Really? You’re NOT going to start with English?!?!?”

Thanks, Reggie for facing that and then doing it your own way!

 

And we’re live in… 3… 2…

A radio show? Really? What do I know about radio?
Who cares?? Let’s get out there talking to people!

Starting this Thursday at 3 pm I’ll be on the air talking about business, communications, tools and strategies for simply being better, stronger, faster.

Should be fun!

Each week I’ll have a guest, someone that’s running a business. And they could be from any stage of business.

Perhaps a brave soul that started a few years ago and is now making millions OR someone that just got started a couple of months ago. I guarantee that we’ll dig into things that will help someone with a dream stop talking about it and get started!

It’s on the Talkwad Network that started a  bit over a year ago with ComedySLAM radio. Now that’s expanded into a few networks including Talk Empowerment Radio, All Of Your Business Radio, and RockSLAM Radio. And with a great new studio in Tampa, I couldn’t resist when they came calling. (Thanks to Nolan Raay for sticking to it and pulling me in!)

This is the website for the show: http://www.talkempowerment.com/#!straight-up-with-toby-martini/c1d8o

Or you can go to http://www.talkempowerment.com/ and click “Straight Up with Toby Martini”

I’ll be kicking this thing out every week until I take it national. If you’re running a business, contact me about being a guest.

Either way, give me a call and we’ll talk business and have some laughs too! (813) 235-0644

The New Year brings New Beginnings…

(And the best video on the internet)

I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions and I have always just Hated planning, organizing, and strategizing. I mean, I’m an Improv guy, right? Live in the moment. Create… Now!

But, I have finally got it in my head: Planning is important. Knowing where you’re going and where you’re going to stop along the way is imperative. Otherwise  there’s just a lot of meandering and when there’s a great success, you won’t know how it happened nor how to make it happen again.

Yes. Be able to improvise. Awesome… AND being prepared makes things easier and probably better in both quality and quality of life (because the stress is less).

So, I’ve created a planning group and we put our year out on paper. Lots going on: workshops, keynotes, 1-day events, a big event at the end of the year, a new radio show, and back to blogging. Now to go make that happen!

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Which brings me to the best video on the internet… for entrepreneurs, artists, and anyone that is starting something.

Ze Frank returned to the internet last year and this was his opening salvo.
I find it insanely inspiring and correct. It hits on many of the little chatter bits that come up in our heads. And it’s still fun.

I watch it every time I start something new. And right now, I’m starting a LOT that’s new!

I better start making some videos, too!