What stand-up comedy can teach us about creativity

Stand-up comedians have to be vulnerable, open to failure and somehow learn to ignore their inner critic. Sound familiar?

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Whenever I watch live comedy I love witnessing the creative process play out in real time. It’s pure self-expression, with the performer creating there and then in the moment, gauging feedback and responding on the fly. They have to be vulnerable, open to failure and somehow learn to ignore their inner critic. Arianna Huffington describes that unhelpful voice in our heads as the “obnoxious roommate living in your head,” who chips away at your confidence and sabotages your progress.