Planning is failure

In improv you never really know where things are heading, you are constantly stepping into the unknown so you need to let go of the desire to know and get it right. Get comfortable in the not-knowing and trust everything that happens is right. This is challenging as our brains are expert in anticipating – anticipating the next word, the next action. This anticipatory ability has helped us reach the top of the food chain. However, it gets in our way on the improv stage if it becomes our focus. Sure, you could plan but it’s a waste of effort as you’re not improvising by yourself so you never know what someone else is going to say or do. You’re better of focusing your attention on being present rather than planning ahead. It’s natural for you to want to think ahead but you must become comfortable on letting go of any anticipatory thoughts so you can be fully present. You may have some idea of the scene and where it could go. It may come to fruition or it may not. It doesn’t matter either way. If it does happen, great. And if it goes in a completely different direction, one you weren’t expecting, that is also great. Let go of the desire to plan and be open to the theatre of possibility.