The “Yes and” Rule | Nerd Fitness

A few years ago, I attended my friend Nick’s huge 40th birthday party.

As part of the festivities, he hired an improv comedian and we all I had to take improv comedy classes.

(I just feel the collective shivers of all the introverts out there reading this newsletter).

We started throwing out interesting scenarios and situations to engage in, and we learned the most important rule of improv: “Yes, and.”

Two simple words are the basis of all improv comedy:

Whenever someone presents a scenario, sentence, or situation, the only acceptable answer is: “Yes, and”

• Yes: accepted! I accept and acknowledge that whatever the situation, no matter how ridiculous, is true.
• And: Build! Just like in tennis, when your improv partner hits the ball towards you, your job is to hit it back! Construct according to the situation or scene.

For example, if your improv partner says, “I’m a space pirate,” your response might be:

• “Yes, I’m the Space Police and you’re under arrest!”
• “Yeah, I’m the first mate and I’m looking for a new crew, so this is perfect!”
• “Yes, my name is Captain Hook and welcome to Pirates Anonymous.”

The “yes and” rule is very important because there is nothing worse than a bad improv partner!

A bit like Liam Neeson NumberThis short sketchNumber With Ricky Gervais (I laugh every time):

The “yes” and rules of life

As a former high-achieving “gifted child” with a rather negative inner critic, I have struggled to incorporate “yes” into my life.

The “yes” part is built around acceptance, which is something I’ve been working on for the past two years.

Check out my past articles NumberacceptanceNumber and Numberwabi sabiNumber learn more.

This is the “harmony” part that I’ve been focusing on lately.

As Dr. Christine Neff points out in her book Numberself-compassionNumberlife is complex, and so are humans:

“Judgment defines people as bad and good and tries to capture their essence in simplistic labels.

Discerning wisdom recognizes complexity and ambiguity.

Nothing is as simple as it seems. Things are never as good or bad as our brains imagine.

So while we have that voice in our head that wants to judge everything in black and white, yes or no, good or bad…we have to remember that life is a beautiful and complex mess.

Author F. Scott Fitzgerald once said:

The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing thoughts in your mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.

For example, a person should be able to see that things are hopeless but be determined to change the situation.

This is the task I give you today.

Is there a part of your life that feels so black and white and could use a little complexity?

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

Life is hard and change is hard. And you’re a good person who’s trying.

This means there is hope. and NumberHope is the emotion of a warriorNumber.

In addition, please take a look NumberLiam Neeson short dramaNumber.

You’re welcome.

-Steve

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