Career Crossroads

I am often amazed by how many mediocre people I encounter in this world, that have reached pinnacles of success in their careers.  While so many gifted and talented people seem just out of fortunes grasp.  As I move from club to club, night after night, I see talented and hilarious people performing just outside the spotlight.  Why does success elude these people with such efficiency?  After observing, interacting and analyzing comedians, three major factors seem to be at play:  ego, ambition, and professionalism.  I know it is counter-intuitive, but while talent is a necessary prerequisite, the degree of that talent is increasingly less of a factor in one’s success.

Like most creative people, the talented comedians I have met, struggle with insecurity and self-confidence.  On the other hand, most of the marginally talented, extremely successful comedians I have met could barely fit their egos through the door.  The simple belief that they belong is a powerful thing.  An abundant ego allows a comedian to brush off a bad night, shove aside the memory of a heckler, and bound onto stage the next time.  Now, the battle between ego and insecurity is a natural and productive debate.  Allow ego to get to far out of control, and you’re no better than the drunk patron who decided it was time for crowd participation.  Allow insecurity to seep too far into the forefront of the brain, and one’s confidence is shaken, and your performance is sure to suffer.  Finding a balance between ego and insecurity seems pivotal to any comedian’s success.

Let’s take a look at the purpose of ambition — it is the motivation to complete tasks and overcome adversity in the pursuit of success.  Ambition lands somewhere between greed and apathy.  Many greedy people have made huge fortunes through efforts fueled with greed, but I ask you are fortune and success the same thing?  I say no, particularly with in the realm of comedy.  Greedy people aren’t funny.  To be a professional comedian means that you are being paid to provide laughter to your audience.  To be a successful professional comedian means you have garnered a relationship with your audience.  Crowds are fickle and can usually smell insincerity a mile away.  Conversely a comedian with apathy usually doesn’t make it out of the open mic, bringer, and coffee house shows.  Yet the ambition to work on your craft, develop a tight set, and bring it to as large of an audience as possible, is laudable.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes?dressed in overalls and looks like work.”?  — Thomas Edison

I agree with Mr. Edison, that you must work to create your own opportunities.  Be a professional: work hard on your material, pay your due’s, do your time on stage, and above all promote yourself.  Many comedians I know go to great lengths to promote themselves, but their efforts are misdirected.  In the post and go world, where anyone with a hand held video recorder and a youtube account, can be a “star” on the internet, the world of comedy has become confused.  As a professional comedian, I don’t believe it’s in your best interest to add your material to a site where you are lumped in with these aforementioned posters.  Nor is it beneficial to post all of your material for the world to see from their PC.  Paramount doesn’t post entire downloads of it’s movies when they release in the theaters, they post trailers to entice people into the trip to the theater.  Rule number one of business: don’t give away the product, if people are willing to pay for it.  Like it or not, every comedian is a business.  Comedians must make wise business decisions to remain viable.  Develop and distribute adequate marketing materials, develop and cultivate professional relationships with in the world of comedy.  Most important of all, conduct yourself in a professional manor.

At the end of the day, if you carry yourself with integrity, you will be met with respect. Handle your affairs in a professional manor, and you will be given professional courtesy.  And above all believe in yourself.  There are many successful people with less talent and more belief than you.  Why shouldn’t you find your opportunity?  Why not you?