The Key to Dealing With Change-Focus on The Only Thing You Can Control
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Being on an improv comedy stage can be a very scary thing. You have nothing prepared in advance, you have an audience just waiting to laugh (or not!), and you have other performers who will have their own ideas about what to do.
Many improvisers, especially new ones, will feel a great deal of stress wondering what their partners are going to do. Well meaning performers will get wrapped up in their own thoughts trying to figure out what's in their partner's head so they can help support them. Non-well meaning (or just oblivious) performers will stress that their partner won't support them or that their partner will do something stupid or crazy.
I was like this too for a while, until I came to a great, if obvious, conclusion: the only thing I could control on that stage was myself. Ergo, there was no point in worrying about what my partner might do. Whatever he did, I would flow with it.
The day I came to that conclusion is the day that my performance really took off. All the energy and focus I had previously been putting on stress, fear, and trying to "figure out" my fellow performers suddenly went to staying in the moment, paying attention, and doing the best I could with whatever was given to me.
The world works the same way. We all want to exert some level of control over all the things going on around us. This is a natural feeling, but if you give in to it you will really be reducing your ability to do well.
Most of the disappointment, anger, and frustration people feel is when they do or say something and expect something specific to happen. When that thing doesn't happen, their desire for control kicks in and they get all out of whack.
The universe is tricky. No matter how well you plan, it's going to throw something unexpected at you. People are also unpredictable. You may clearly expect them to act in one way, but chances are they will do something else. The more you hold on to your desire to have them do things, "your way" the more stress and challenge you will face.
This is not to say that you shouldn't have certain expectations. Just realize that all you can control is yourself; say what you need to, do what you need to, and expect a specific response. When that response doesn't come, just be prepared to let go, flow, and react to it the best you can.
This is the real key to dealing with change: realizing that the unexpected will occur, but realize that when it happens you will deal with it.
Avish Parashar is a dynamic professional speaker who shows organizations and individuals how to get what they want using the Art and Science of improv comedy. He weaves together humorous stories, witty observations, and interactive exercises from improvisational comedy to get people laughing, learning, and motivated! Avish is most commonly called upon to deliver programs on Motivation, Sales, and Communication
For more free articles, downloads, and resources, visit http://www.AvishParashar.com
To learn how to apply the powerful principles of improv comedy to your own business or life visit http://www.ImprovforEveryone.com
