Do something Friday

Did you ever see that Drew Carey show "Whose Line is it Anyway"? If you haven't -- it is a really funny contest (versus competition) where teams compete to see who can create the funniest situations using some guidelines from the moderator and some input from the audience environment.

I only know one thing (well...now I actually know two things) about improv. The most important thing is to never say "no". When a partner asks you a question and or sets up a situation and you say "no", you are shutting down the conversation and there is no other place it will naturally flow with split second timing. The partner already has a plan and if you react with a no then the partner (whose turn it is) has to come up with a new plan and that takes more work.

I was thinking about this because yesterday I was reading a business manifesto called "Don't Script, IMPROVISE!"

The author was making a case that, in business, it doesn't do much good to create a script -- the future is changing so fast -- the way we do networked business is so fast -- that to script is to predict the future (which is impossible) and then doggedly stick to it and not react the what is really developing.

I want to make a case that this is true for weight loss as well. One of the reasons most diet plans work for a while is they script what you eat. And you agree to follow the script for a given period of time (until you lose the weight or just can't take it anymore -- whichever comes first)

To plan things out in advance means you are making no allowance for your friend calling up and asking you out to dinner -- you can say no once or twice but you probably don't want to give that up for a lifetime -- just so you can be a couple of pants sizes smaller.

So what if you took the non-scripted, improvisational approach?

Instead of immediately telling yourself no (and then having to redirect yourself -- because you are playing both parts in this show). What if you always said yes and then added your new wrinkle to the plot?

You: "Hey -- I want some ice cream -- let's go get some ice cream"

Other you: "Okay -- how about we do that tomorrow because right now I want to finish folding this laundry"

Or...
You: "I'm bored. Let's go get a cookie from the fridge"

Other you: "Okay, but first let's call Jackie and see what she is up to"

There's no judgement here. No way for "You" to rebel against "Other you's" ideas -- you haven't tried to shut You down -- just redirected for a bit. Being sensitive to the environment you are working in and working with it -- not against it.

It takes practice to get good at accepting and going with the flow. But in the end, you have two choices.

"When you script your narrative, your decision-making becomes binary. There are only two options: On-script and off-script. All the energy goes into one of two areas: Wrestling reality into your scripted vision; and re-writing the script to fit reality....The Improviser knows that there are limitless options for action in every scenario and that if the fundamentals are followed, the story will take care of itself. Your energy and focus goes into performance, into making each and every moment of each and every scene count. And those moments add up...." (p 12-13).

So, how do you feel about working on your improv skills this weekend?