One Word Suggestion - Improv Inspiration: Recent Episodes
Eran Thomson
Every week Eran Thomson takes one word suggested by you and uses it as a leaping off point to explore the benefits of improv and how they can help you perform better in both your personal and professional life. Produced by PowerProv (fka LMA Professional Development), this thought-provoking three-minute podcast is, in a word: inspiring.
onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Despite the ever-increasing number of threats to their existence like plastics, petroleum, JetSkis, ghost nets, and hungry sharks, they continually play to the top of their intelligence.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
One thing is for sure, just as there are endless types of candy, they are also endless types of people who love it. And love it differently. We all have different tastes formed by our unique cultural experiences and differences.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
The basic rules of human behaviour around communication, collaboration, teamwork, listening, and building on each others’ ideas, can be almost as complicated as tax law.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Now more than ever we need elected officials who can bring people together. Who can work together. And who can make meaningful and fast change.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
No matter how good one might get at fighting off fists and feathers, there have been times throughout history when tickling was intentionally used as torture.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Just because you can doesn’t always mean you should. Learning to do everything on your own takes time, energy, and definitely drains your batteries.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Basketball players wear high tops and gymnasts use lots of tape, but less demanding activities, like the ones you do around the office, require a different, but equally important, type of support.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
If a cocaine sniffing hippo starts chasing you, run in a zig-zag because they can only run in a straight line. If an improviser chases you, stay where you are, say "yes, and..." and see what happens.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Do you have parasites at the office? People who take credit for other people's efforts, or who bring snacks and coffee to meetings, but never share any ideas? Improv can help.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Use your fear as a divining rod. Do what makes you uneasy. Do the thing that scares you most, and discover new things about yourself. Just do it safely.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Even if you plan for a bushfire, it is not going to go to plan. When the wind changes direction there has to be a new plan. And when plans fail, you must improvise.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
If you're the kind of person who sometimes comes across as a bit prickly on the outside, but the people who know you think you're sweet, you might be a "social pineapple."
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
After 8 years of trying, last week I finally broke into prison. We went in hoping to help inmates find some joy and arm themselves with tools for survival on the outside. I don't know if we succeeded.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
I'm taking a couple of weeks off - hopefully you are too. Have a great holiday. One Word Suggestion will be back in January 2020.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Lipstick, in improv terms, is essentially “yes, anding” your face. Accepting the reality and building on it, working with what you have to make something even better.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Improv teaches you to take risks. Trying new things on a pizza, the stakes are low. But on the job, we tend not to take risks at all because if things go wrong, we get burned.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
You can always tell when you see or meet someone who is truly authentic and living comfortably and openly with who they are. And usually, they’re our most favourite people to be around.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Get what you want, not by trying to be bossy, funny or cool, but by doing what's necessary to make your whole group look good instead of just worrying about yourself.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Ambiguity is not something to be feared but a given… We never have complete and perfect information. The best way to succeed in life is to revel in ambiguity.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Our ability to observe people and situations and translate those observations into useful opportunities for personal growth and development is wonderful. So are sunglasses.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
People have become so preoccupied with themselves and their phones they're not only becoming less mindful, they're becoming dangerously mindless.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
If people keep telling you that you have a tail, sooner or later, you’re gonna have to turn around and take a look.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
For those of you out there who feel like a lack of courage is holding you back from living the truly good days you wish for, I’m here to tell you, fear is an illusion.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
People who say “no” live in the comfort and security of their own world. People who say “yes” go on to live lives filled with glorious adventure.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
If you want to be more than just a passive listener, then you need to practice being an active listener. This means using more than just your ears.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
I was going to write this suggestion off as inappropriate and off-topic, but the reality is all of us probably know or work with at least one person who is, in fact, an a*e.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
We’ve all probably experienced panic at some stage in our life. And the first thing to do if you start to panic - in any situation - is to just breathe.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Sometimes we get caught up in the trappings of success only to realise later in life that the things we thought would make us feel successful don't define it for us at all.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
I probably shouldn’t be saying this because we’re still building the improv community here in Australia, but there is more to life than improv.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Most of the time when we think of intelligence we probably think of I.Q. tests, Stephen Hawking, or pipe smoking professors, but there’s more to intelligence than just being good at science and math.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
The point is, to be great at anything you have to keep learning. Always. And to be a great teacher you have to be a good student. Always.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
I might get some pushback for this, but I’m gonna say that the reason stereotypes exist, and persist, is because they are based in some amount of truth.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
All of us want to connect with others and find the easily found common ground. And when we realise we’re all more alike than we are different, it feels really, really good.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
The truth is, putting other people down will not make you look better. In fact, putting other people down only makes you look worse.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Learning to pay attention to whoever or whatever is directly in front of you will greatly improve your performance on stage - and at work, no matter what it is you do for a living.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Along with patience and compassion, sincerity is one of those qualities we all probably wish we had more of — or at least wish other people had more of.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Kindness at home? That’s usually pretty easy with our loved ones. Kindness at work? Where we spend 80% of our time? That can be a bit more of a challenge.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Editing is that little voice in your head: “Should I say this? If I do will people get it? Will I look stupid? What if I get it wrong? Maybe I’ll just stand here and keep my mouth shut.”
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Fear often manifests itself when there’s something we know we want to do, but we’re hesitant to try because we might fail, get rejected, or be disappointed.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
The word “team” is often equated with lousy team building experiences or associated with competition. Ensemble, by contrast, implies cooperation, collaboration, and unconditional support.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
People come to play knowing that they will be accepted, failure is OK - if it even exists at all, and that they can further their personal growth in a way that doesn't feel like work.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Having integrity means you are true to yourself and won't do anything that demeans or dishonours your beliefs - or anyone else's, on stage or in real life.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
The way you react to people, situations and events will tell you much about your values, and examining, rather than avoiding them is a worthwhile pursuit.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and you can tell they’re not listening, and just waiting for you to shut up so they can say what they want to say?
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Vulnerability makes you strong, not weak. When we show vulnerability with confidence we share ourselves without hesitation and accept ourselves and ideally, others, fully.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Honesty is more than just not being a liar, it’s about operating with integrity and being truthful to yourself, to your peers, and to the world.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com
Welcome to One Word Suggestion. If you have no idea what improv is, or why it's good for you (even if you're not funny or don't think you are), listen to this first.
Subscribe at onewordsuggestion.substack.com