Babe Ruth

We had a solid show last night. It was pretty balanced between the four of us, and we each had some shining moments. When improv goes well, it's a rush! I was walking on air the rest of the night. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I have been thinking about how it feels to step away from a performance that bombs. Sometimes, even if the show as a whole was quality, I'll find myself alone in my head. I'll blame myself and wonder what else I could have done or said differently. There is the mantra that "there are no mistakes in improv", but some choices are definitely more effective than others. Improvisers tend to be their own worst critic. This is not a bad thing. For one, it shows that you care about what you are doing. It can also push you to improve your craft. Every performance is a learning opportunity, and I've learned a lot from my mistakes (less effective choices). If you're looking to nitpick your own performance, you'll always find something. It's easy to forget that it takes courage to get in front of a crowd with no idea what will happen next. At least you're up there- up to bat. So if you're feeling down about a performance or even a rehearsal, just remember: Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs, but he also struck out 1,330 times. You can't hit a homer if you're not swinging, so swing!

Ben