A Goal Achievement Tip That Really Stands Up!

Spring 2013, and in this article I’m covering a goal achievement tip that really stands up..!

The tip is one I’ve written about for years, and believed in for many years more, because I’ve used the tip to go on some great adventures. I say the tip stands up, because not only it is as valuable today as it was when I first absorbed it nearly 30 years ago, I’m relating it this time to the world of stand up comedy.

Here’s a video of me doing some stand up – it’s the showcase at the end of a course I went on.

As a verdict, I’d say the presentation was not bad.
Confidence? Not bad.
Material? So so.
That might sound odd, and if you ask why I was doing material I’d call so so, then you get to the crux of the point…

I didn’t know it was so so! As a stand up, you can write as much material as you like, but there is only one way to find out if it’s funny to an audience – that’s to perform it to a live audience!

Some of it will get laughs, some of it won’t. Then, you go out and do it to different audience, and see what happens. Then, and you might be ahead of me on this one, you go out and do it to another audience.

You could probably do material 10 times to different audiences to start to get a reasonable idea about whether it works or not.

It’s classic goal achievement theory put into action.

Of course I booked up and attended the course, and I wrote the material, but after that, the only way forward was to perform it. Take action, tweak to improve. Take more action, tweak to improve again.

All stand up comedians do it. All the polished routines you see from the big stars, started out the same way – untested material with only one way to get it tested!

If you follow that theory, you won’t be going backwards. It may feel like it, if you get setbacks, (or if a heckler starts giving you grief!) but in fact you are making progress all the time, and will always be putting yourself further ahead than those who don’t take the action.

In this example, I may end up only keeping one or two lines out of the whole lot, that’s something I can only find out with more action, i.e more performing.

Your goal may have nothing to do with stand up comedy but whatever it is – is there action you can take now, that will show you any tweaks that might be needed, while moving you further forward all the while?

"Gordon Bryan" "The Great Gordino"

Take action on my stand up tip, get stuck in, and let me know all about it!

‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon
P.S. You can read my goal achievement tips with more real life examples in my book ‘Transform Your Life in 21 Days!’ which has been described as ‘motivational magic!’

Do leave a comment!

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15 Comments

  • Great analogy to relate forward progress in business with the art of stand up comedy. As a speaker I have found the same to be true. Each time I give the same talk I tweak it and every time it gets a little bit better and the responses more positive. Another popular saying I heard a lot growing up, “Practice makes perfect!”

    • Hi Minette,
      Yep, ‘practice makes perfect’ does a good job of summing it up, and that’s also a reason behind so many failures – people want instant success or results, and give up without having the patience and/or determination to tweak and go again!
      Cheers,
      Gordon

  • Hey Gordon-

    You have to be brave to do stand-up comedy. It’s even painful being in the audience when it’s silent…
    I guess the most I’ll do is my corny puns – and political rants – I’ll do it at parties with small groups, but stand up is not for me.
    But good for you for pursuing a dream!
    Lianda

    • Thanks Lianda,
      I’m used to performing in various different formats, which does help, but the adrenaline sure does flow!!
      I’m sure there are many people who think politics and stand up are the same thing!
      Thanks for stopping by,
      cheers,
      Gordon

  • You’re great at motivation, GreatGord, and you’re great at stand-up comedy! You are such a versatile fellow and I enjoy watching you onstage. You had me smiling the entire time.

    • Thanks Amy!
      I still can’t make chickens vomit yet though. When I say ‘still’, that’s not to say I’ve tried, because I haven’t! But I know a woman who can…
      Cheers,
      Gordon

    • Ah yes, good point Roy! Feedback can sometimes give a skewed picture. You may go away thinking your actions are wrong, when it’s just the feedback that’s wrong! Or vice versa of course. Flexibility is another essential element,
      cheers,
      Gordon

  • Thanks. I needed to hear your message. Apparently I have not tested my message in front of enough audiences yet. Too soon to get discouraged. I will keep on truckin’! 🙂

    • Yours is an example of acting to help a charitable organisation, and then getting somewhat stuffed further down the line – the unexpected can leave a bad taste sometimes.
      Cheers,
      Gordon

  • What a great message Gordon! I needed to hear this because I am going on an ‘inspirational speaking course’ in two weeks and it’s fine being this side of the course but when I am the other side I am going to have to put it into practice! Thanks and I enjoyed the video too!

    • ooh, inspirational speaking course sounds great! Can’t wait to hear all about it as it’s the kind of thing that might push my buttons too!
      G