On showing up.

“Where we are makes a difference. Move your body toward your dreams – to where they’re happening – the gym, the office, the yoga class, your kitchen, the improv class, the garage, a cruise ship, the word processor, the construction site, the senior center, the theater. You know where. Be there physically. With the advent of cell phones you may have noticed that the time-honored greeting “How are you?” has been replaced by the query “Where are you?”. Location means everything…. How often we avoid showing up for the things we need to do in life. Procrastination, laziness, fears – it’s easy to find a reason for not going. The “just” in this maxim reminds us that showing up is already enough. Woody Allen quipped that it is “eighty percent of success.” Prerequisites such as motivation, desire, and warm, fuzzy feelings aren’t necessary. It is a con to imagine you must have these to get going. Improvisers know this. If they had to wait for inspiration or a good idea, few scenes would ever begin. Players step onto the stage because that is where things are happening. They just show up. Then the magic begins.” – from Improv Wisdom (not an acting book) by Patricia Ryan Madson

Tags: improv wisdom, patricia ryan madson, show up