[Applause] [Music]
I am terrified I am absolutely scared
I am terrified I am absolutely scared and frankly I’m filled with fear every
and frankly I’m filled with fear every
and frankly I’m filled with fear every single day of my life
single day of my life
single day of my life but that’s okay because I’m kind of
but that’s okay because I’m kind of
but that’s okay because I’m kind of aiming to live life outside my comfort
aiming to live life outside my comfort
aiming to live life outside my comfort zone
zone
zone you see I do this ridiculous thing
you see I do this ridiculous thing
you see I do this ridiculous thing called improv it’s acting without a
called improv it’s acting without a
called improv it’s acting without a script performing without a plan actors
script performing without a plan actors
script performing without a plan actors will go on stage sometimes in front of
will go on stage sometimes in front of
will go on stage sometimes in front of hundreds of people with absolutely no
hundreds of people with absolutely no
hundreds of people with absolutely no idea of what they’re going to say and
idea of what they’re going to say and
idea of what they’re going to say and that may seem like the scariest thing in
that may seem like the scariest thing in
that may seem like the scariest thing in the world especially if you’re someone
the world especially if you’re someone
the world especially if you’re someone who’s used to sitting an audience but
who’s used to sitting an audience but
who’s used to sitting an audience but the thing is improvisers are all
the thing is improvisers are all
the thing is improvisers are all equipped with a tool belt of knowledge a
equipped with a tool belt of knowledge a
equipped with a tool belt of knowledge a knowledge that helps us deal with the
knowledge that helps us deal with the
knowledge that helps us deal with the uncomfortable and sudden changes on the
uncomfortable and sudden changes on the
uncomfortable and sudden changes on the fly we learn how to fail how to say yes
fly we learn how to fail how to say yes
fly we learn how to fail how to say yes and how to work with others how to
and how to work with others how to
and how to work with others how to accept ideas how to commit and how to
accept ideas how to commit and how to
accept ideas how to commit and how to feel confident while looking like an
feel confident while looking like an
feel confident while looking like an absolute fool on stage these lessons
absolute fool on stage these lessons
absolute fool on stage these lessons aren’t just for improvisers and they’re
aren’t just for improvisers and they’re
aren’t just for improvisers and they’re not just for the stage either they bleed
not just for the stage either they bleed
not just for the stage either they bleed into every single aspect of your life
into every single aspect of your life
into every single aspect of your life and they helped me navigate my way
and they helped me navigate my way
and they helped me navigate my way through my uncertain ocean of fear I
through my uncertain ocean of fear I
through my uncertain ocean of fear I think the worst part of failure is the
think the worst part of failure is the
think the worst part of failure is the regret that comes with it because we all
regret that comes with it because we all
regret that comes with it because we all have regrets and we all make mistakes
have regrets and we all make mistakes
have regrets and we all make mistakes but it’s how we deal with those failures
but it’s how we deal with those failures
but it’s how we deal with those failures that matters for example I’m going to
that matters for example I’m going to
that matters for example I’m going to make a very big mistake right now I just
make a very big mistake right now I just
make a very big mistake right now I just dabbed during a TED talk that was cringy
dabbed during a TED talk that was cringy
dabbed during a TED talk that was cringy and awkward and embarrassing but I’m not
and awkward and embarrassing but I’m not
and awkward and embarrassing but I’m not gonna let myself regret it because when
gonna let myself regret it because when
gonna let myself regret it because when we fail or make a mistake our regrets
we fail or make a mistake our regrets
we fail or make a mistake our regrets can consume us stopping us from doing
can consume us stopping us from doing
can consume us stopping us from doing the things that we love or taking new
the things that we love or taking new
the things that we love or taking new opportunities because we’re scared that
opportunities because we’re scared that
opportunities because we’re scared that we’re going to fall fail again in improv
we’re going to fall fail again in improv
we’re going to fall fail again in improv it’s be able to being able to say
it’s be able to being able to say
it’s be able to being able to say something wrong on stage or even maybe
something wrong on stage or even maybe
something wrong on stage or even maybe give the worst performance of your
give the worst performance of your
give the worst performance of your entire life and be able to not only
entire life and be able to not only
entire life and be able to not only smile through it and move on but
smile through it and move on but
smile through it and move on but immediate
immediate
immediate forgive yourself – in improv when you
forgive yourself – in improv when you
forgive yourself – in improv when you fail the scene doesn’t fail it just went
fail the scene doesn’t fail it just went
fail the scene doesn’t fail it just went somewhere different that she didn’t know
somewhere different that she didn’t know
somewhere different that she didn’t know it would and that’s what improv is the
it would and that’s what improv is the
it would and that’s what improv is the best place to learn how to fail it’s a
best place to learn how to fail it’s a
best place to learn how to fail it’s a place where there are no mistakes where
place where there are no mistakes where
place where there are no mistakes where everything you say is immediately
everything you say is immediately
everything you say is immediately accepted and everything you do is
accepted and everything you do is
accepted and everything you do is surrounded by support and Trust failing
surrounded by support and Trust failing
surrounded by support and Trust failing joyously can is it can be very very hard
joyously can is it can be very very hard
joyously can is it can be very very hard because embarrassment is terrifying
because embarrassment is terrifying
because embarrassment is terrifying but I’ve managed to find a system that
but I’ve managed to find a system that
but I’ve managed to find a system that works for me and it’s just three simple
works for me and it’s just three simple
works for me and it’s just three simple steps to breathe acknowledge and move on
steps to breathe acknowledge and move on
steps to breathe acknowledge and move on it starts with the moment of failure you
it starts with the moment of failure you
it starts with the moment of failure you give yourself a deep calming breath and
give yourself a deep calming breath and
give yourself a deep calming breath and take a second for any deep shame guilt
take a second for any deep shame guilt
take a second for any deep shame guilt and panic can set in and then you
and panic can set in and then you
and panic can set in and then you acknowledge that you just messed up that
acknowledge that you just messed up that
acknowledge that you just messed up that you just embarrassed yourself that you
you just embarrassed yourself that you
you just embarrassed yourself that you want to go hide underneath a rock and
want to go hide underneath a rock and
want to go hide underneath a rock and then you move on because there’s no use
then you move on because there’s no use
then you move on because there’s no use dwelling in the past improvisers are
dwelling in the past improvisers are
dwelling in the past improvisers are taught to commit themselves to the
taught to commit themselves to the
taught to commit themselves to the moment to be present in what’s happening
moment to be present in what’s happening
moment to be present in what’s happening right now on stage and there’s no way to
right now on stage and there’s no way to
right now on stage and there’s no way to do that when you’re focused on something
do that when you’re focused on something
do that when you’re focused on something you said that didn’t work I think that
you said that didn’t work I think that
you said that didn’t work I think that the best piece of improv advice I’ve
the best piece of improv advice I’ve
the best piece of improv advice I’ve ever received is something that holds
ever received is something that holds
ever received is something that holds merit in the real world as well
merit in the real world as well
merit in the real world as well and that was to stop trying to be clever
and that was to stop trying to be clever
and that was to stop trying to be clever and to just say something that’s true to
and to just say something that’s true to
and to just say something that’s true to your character in improv pre-loading is
your character in improv pre-loading is
your character in improv pre-loading is the idea of when you go into a scene
the idea of when you go into a scene
the idea of when you go into a scene with an idea with a plan of exactly
with an idea with a plan of exactly
with an idea with a plan of exactly what’s going to happen but what we
what’s going to happen but what we
what’s going to happen but what we forget in improv is that your scene
forget in improv is that your scene
forget in improv is that your scene partners have their own ideas and they
partners have their own ideas and they
partners have their own ideas and they can’t read your mind and in the real
can’t read your mind and in the real
can’t read your mind and in the real world it’s unpredictable and it doesn’t
world it’s unpredictable and it doesn’t
world it’s unpredictable and it doesn’t like to follow a script so we ask
like to follow a script so we ask
like to follow a script so we ask ourselves what happens when we fail what
ourselves what happens when we fail what
ourselves what happens when we fail what happens when we suddenly have to live a
happens when we suddenly have to live a
happens when we suddenly have to live a life unscripted let’s get to why we like
life unscripted let’s get to why we like
life unscripted let’s get to why we like to preload pre-loading is a safety net
to preload pre-loading is a safety net
to preload pre-loading is a safety net we preload so we can avoid failure when
we preload so we can avoid failure when
we preload so we can avoid failure when it’s often what leads us to failing in
it’s often what leads us to failing in
it’s often what leads us to failing in the first place I preload – and
the first place I preload – and
the first place I preload – and so people will think that I’m funny that
so people will think that I’m funny that
so people will think that I’m funny that I’m smart and clever but pre-loading is
I’m smart and clever but pre-loading is
I’m smart and clever but pre-loading is the illusion of a safety net and it’s
the illusion of a safety net and it’s
the illusion of a safety net and it’s really the people in our lives or our
really the people in our lives or our
really the people in our lives or our scene partners who we can fall back on
scene partners who we can fall back on
scene partners who we can fall back on when we make a mistake and learning how
when we make a mistake and learning how
when we make a mistake and learning how to abandon pre-loading is really hard
to abandon pre-loading is really hard
to abandon pre-loading is really hard because we all just want to impress
because we all just want to impress
because we all just want to impress other people I mean how many people at
other people I mean how many people at
other people I mean how many people at school are more focused on their
school are more focused on their
school are more focused on their appearances or being with the in-crowd
appearances or being with the in-crowd
appearances or being with the in-crowd than their education and how many people
than their education and how many people
than their education and how many people have spent like 20 minutes on an
have spent like 20 minutes on an
have spent like 20 minutes on an Instagram caption because it had to be
Instagram caption because it had to be
Instagram caption because it had to be perfect because me too
perfect because me too
perfect because me too living in the moment isn’t supposed to
living in the moment isn’t supposed to
living in the moment isn’t supposed to be perfect it’s messy and sometimes it
be perfect it’s messy and sometimes it
be perfect it’s messy and sometimes it doesn’t work out but it’s authentic and
doesn’t work out but it’s authentic and
doesn’t work out but it’s authentic and it’s fun I think that sometimes no
it’s fun I think that sometimes no
it’s fun I think that sometimes no matter how prepared or confident you are
matter how prepared or confident you are
matter how prepared or confident you are failure is still going to happen and
failure is still going to happen and
failure is still going to happen and it’s going to hurt surprisingly improv
it’s going to hurt surprisingly improv
it’s going to hurt surprisingly improv isn’t the only thing that I do I’m also
isn’t the only thing that I do I’m also
isn’t the only thing that I do I’m also a huge lover of student council I love
a huge lover of student council I love
a huge lover of student council I love it and I have one goal in mind ever
it and I have one goal in mind ever
it and I have one goal in mind ever since junior high
since junior high
since junior high I knew my number one goal for high
I knew my number one goal for high
I knew my number one goal for high school and it was to be student council
school and it was to be student council
school and it was to be student council president my presidents had all been
president my presidents had all been
president my presidents had all been huge inspirations in my life and I
huge inspirations in my life and I
huge inspirations in my life and I wanted nothing more to inspire someone
wanted nothing more to inspire someone
wanted nothing more to inspire someone like they had inspired me so I took the
like they had inspired me so I took the
like they had inspired me so I took the risk I knew that if I wanted to do this
risk I knew that if I wanted to do this
risk I knew that if I wanted to do this I had to push past all my fears and
I had to push past all my fears and
I had to push past all my fears and insecurities and just commit myself to
insecurities and just commit myself to
insecurities and just commit myself to handing over my bleeding beating heart
handing over my bleeding beating heart
handing over my bleeding beating heart to the school population for their
to the school population for their
to the school population for their judgement I didn’t know what people
judgement I didn’t know what people
judgement I didn’t know what people would perceive of me or if they would
would perceive of me or if they would
would perceive of me or if they would reject me but I did it and the thing was
reject me but I did it and the thing was
reject me but I did it and the thing was I was so confident I’m an optimist
I was so confident I’m an optimist
I was so confident I’m an optimist and I created this preconceived idea of
and I created this preconceived idea of
and I created this preconceived idea of how amazing everything was going to turn
how amazing everything was going to turn
how amazing everything was going to turn out and maybe that’s what made hurting
out and maybe that’s what made hurting
out and maybe that’s what made hurting blue losing her even more but I remember
blue losing her even more but I remember
blue losing her even more but I remember just feeling numb after I got the
just feeling numb after I got the
just feeling numb after I got the results realizing that this was my one
results realizing that this was my one
results realizing that this was my one shot and I blew it
shot and I blew it
shot and I blew it realizing that in an instant the PA
realizing that in an instant the PA
realizing that in an instant the PA would have announced the worst fears in
would have announced the worst fears in
would have announced the worst fears in my life and in an instant every single
my life and in an instant every single
my life and in an instant every single person would know that I had lost I had
person would know that I had lost I had
person would know that I had lost I had always been afraid of failure but what
always been afraid of failure but what
always been afraid of failure but what scared me even more was people knowing
scared me even more was people knowing
scared me even more was people knowing that I failed before I couldn’t imagine
that I failed before I couldn’t imagine
that I failed before I couldn’t imagine a world where I lost and I certainly
a world where I lost and I certainly
a world where I lost and I certainly couldn’t imagine a world where I lost
couldn’t imagine a world where I lost
couldn’t imagine a world where I lost and I was happy but I’m proud to admit
and I was happy but I’m proud to admit
and I was happy but I’m proud to admit that I was very wrong in improv we don’t
that I was very wrong in improv we don’t
that I was very wrong in improv we don’t have time to mourn our failures when we
have time to mourn our failures when we
have time to mourn our failures when we make a mistake we have to immediately
make a mistake we have to immediately
make a mistake we have to immediately accept it and move on so we can create
accept it and move on so we can create
accept it and move on so we can create something else that’s wonderful and it’s
something else that’s wonderful and it’s
something else that’s wonderful and it’s when we start abandoning our regrets
when we start abandoning our regrets
when we start abandoning our regrets that amazing things can happen since
that amazing things can happen since
that amazing things can happen since then I have accomplished so many things
then I have accomplished so many things
then I have accomplished so many things that are really important to me I’ve
that are really important to me I’ve
that are really important to me I’ve competed in the Canadian improv games
competed in the Canadian improv games
competed in the Canadian improv games national tournament three times I’ve won
national tournament three times I’ve won
national tournament three times I’ve won awards and I’ve done improv shows and
awards and I’ve done improv shows and
awards and I’ve done improv shows and I’ve organised multiple school events
I’ve organised multiple school events
I’ve organised multiple school events and I’ve even hosted a few and I’m
and I’ve even hosted a few and I’m
and I’ve even hosted a few and I’m really happy remembering those lessons
really happy remembering those lessons
really happy remembering those lessons the through improv helped me get to that
the through improv helped me get to that
the through improv helped me get to that place where I’m really happy but I’m
place where I’m really happy but I’m
place where I’m really happy but I’m only successful because I’m a failure
only successful because I’m a failure
only successful because I’m a failure because I messed up and I kept trying we
because I messed up and I kept trying we
because I messed up and I kept trying we can’t the thing is we can’t get rid of
can’t the thing is we can’t get rid of
can’t the thing is we can’t get rid of fear we’re gonna like push through it to
fear we’re gonna like push through it to
fear we’re gonna like push through it to make the best of the situation I’m
make the best of the situation I’m
make the best of the situation I’m definitely not perfect and I never will
definitely not perfect and I never will
definitely not perfect and I never will be and I’m gonna make so many mistakes
be and I’m gonna make so many mistakes
be and I’m gonna make so many mistakes and I’m okay with that
and I’m okay with that
and I’m okay with that in fact I’m pumped failing joyously
in fact I’m pumped failing joyously
in fact I’m pumped failing joyously isn’t about not being scared
isn’t about not being scared
isn’t about not being scared it’s about being terrified and doing it
it’s about being terrified and doing it
it’s about being terrified and doing it anyways so please remember that your
anyways so please remember that your
anyways so please remember that your mistakes are not the end of the world
mistakes are not the end of the world
mistakes are not the end of the world that you should never let fear stop you
that you should never let fear stop you
that you should never let fear stop you from doing what you love that you should
from doing what you love that you should
from doing what you love that you should greet mistakes by breathing
greet mistakes by breathing
greet mistakes by breathing acknowledging and moving on and to start
acknowledging and moving on and to start
acknowledging and moving on and to start failing with a smile on your face thank
failing with a smile on your face thank
failing with a smile on your face thank you
you
you [Music]
”
Be First to Comment