Personal Challenge Idea: Stand-up Comedy

I’ve always been fascinated by stand-up comedians. There are so many skills which require years of dedication to perfect: timing, delivery, body language, and the jokes themselves.

Doing stand-up doesn’t have to be just for comedians, though; it’s a great personal challenge for self-improvement.

Here’s one reason why: The most impressive aspect of stand-up comedians is not their technical prowess; it’s their resilience against criticism and haters. The ability to handle negative feedback applies to anyone who wants to be stronger in life.

The best comedians can take a hostile room and make mincemeat out of the crowd, eventually winning everybody over. That’s a skill in and of itself which can help us get more friends, dates, and relationships. See also: Why self-help junkies fail to create success.

I listened to an old Bill Burr clip where he verbally beats up a room full of haters who were giving all of the comedians a hard time. Bill wasn’t interested in their antics and fought back: