即兴的智慧

by Patricia Ryan Madson, 七印部落 (-Translator)

赖声川导演推荐！

是什么样的课堂，让苹果、谷歌、哈佛商学院、梦工厂、北影、上戏、CCTV《谢天谢地你来啦》节目组、果壳网争相采纳？是什么样的课堂，让赖声川导演、乔布斯教主都一致推崇？答案是：即兴表演艺术。

即兴表演兴起于美国，却影响了整个世界。作者Patricia是斯坦 福大学最能启发学生灵感的戏剧老师。《即兴的智慧》就诞生于斯坦福大学的课堂，书中的十三堂即兴表演课，更像是十三条人生哲理。它传至世界各地，如英国、德国、韩国、日本、意大利、墨西哥和南美洲。现在，它来到了中国，也是中国目前唯一一本关于即兴的作品。作者Patricia曾为Google、苹果、惠普、IDEO、Adobe、甲骨文、GAP、美国大学生发明者和创新者联盟（NCIIA）等多个组织做过创意培训课程。

如今即兴表演不再只属于专业舞台：它被企业家采纳，用来培养员工的团队意识和创新能力；它被设计师采纳，用来启发灵感与创造力；它被心理学家采纳，用来帮助内向、羞涩、孤僻的人；它被教育工作者采纳，用来开拓学生的潜能与专长；它被禅学、灵修者采纳，用来寻找自我、开启正念；它被家庭主妇采纳，用来发现生活中一切细微的美好……

人生就是一场即兴演出，随时可能意外结束。除了那些必须严格按照剧本表演的人，每个人的一生都是在即兴发挥中度过的。既然我们都是人生舞台上的即兴演员，为什么不演得更专业一点？即兴表演是一个比喻，是一种途径，是演员和音乐家几个世纪来一直在使用的技巧，是每个人可以学习和利用的生活方式，是开启正念和潜能的钥匙。

我强烈推荐即兴剧，给那些希望“创意团队能合作，合作团队有好创意”的组织。

——Randy Nelson

前皮克斯（PIXAR）大学校长

现任梦工厂“艺术发想与训练”总监

你无法置信这些训练如何改变了一个团队的合作方式。

——David Skelly

《玩具总动员2》助理艺术指导

《怪物公司》《汽车总动员》编剧之一

正如 Patricia所说“人类生来就是即兴演员”，即兴表演就是这样一种强有力的训练工具，帮助人们勇敢地进入到没有计划脚本、无法预先准备的境地，在全身心的投入、相互的合作中激发灵感，创造出种种意想不到的结果。

——彭勇文

上海戏剧学院艺术教育副教授、博士

在美国，哈佛、斯坦福等商学院早已开设了即兴剧课程，皮克斯动画和众多美剧的剧组也采用即兴剧的方法来集体创作。即兴剧早已形成了相当活跃的国际社区，中国也逐渐加入进来。感谢作者和出版社把这本好书带给大家，欢迎更多来自各行各业的人们，一起加入我们这个欢乐的即兴剧大家庭！

——沈飞 Eric Shen

飞来即兴剧场创始人

无论是电视节目、企业培训、剧场演出，还是兴趣小组，都只是即兴表演的外在形式，它天然是一种生活哲学。从降生开始，我们每个人便开始将“即兴”的生活哲学应用到生活中，没有任何一件事是有剧本的。从这个观点上看，每个人都是天生的即兴演员，而《即兴的智慧》则是一本十分宝贵的经验手册。愿每位读者都能通过《即兴的智慧》演好人生这场即兴大戏。

——李新

鲜榨喜剧创始人

祝贺你拿起了这本书。简单地说一句“Yes”，你的生活就会变得更加轻松、更加快乐、更加美好。试试这本书，打开你的心扉，接受新的思想。当你选择对生活说“Yes”的时候，一切困难就会迎刃而解。现在请放松，让Patricia 用令人愉悦的文字伴你度过接下来的旅程。加油！

——Curt Mabry

上海芝麻控创始人

Patricia是斯坦福大学最能启发学生灵感的老师。过去的28年中，她让数以千计的学生脱胎换骨。在这本《即兴的智慧》中，她告诉我们，人生就像在骑自行车，你总会有些许不平衡，还有些许不安全，而人生的精彩就在这寻求平衡的过程中。读完她的书，你会感觉内心有那么点悸动，想要起身即兴一番：说Yes，犯个错，开怀大笑……做些自己都不曾认为做得到的事情！

——Charles Junkerman

斯坦福大学教务负责人暨推广教育学院校长

我亲历过Patricia 的魔法课程，观赏过她的即兴演出。她的学生不叫她“老师”，而是称她为“女神”！我很庆幸，她的智慧不再是小众的福音，随着《即兴的智慧》的出版，所有读者都能受益。

——Philip G. Zimbardo

《心理学与生活》作者

刚读几页，我就忍不住想推荐这本《即兴的智慧》。“它改变了我的人生”这话真的不是吹嘘，我可以按着圣经发誓。

——Nina Wise

《A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life》作者

看过《即兴的智慧》后，我惊愕不已：原来即兴剧中还蕴藏着幸福人生的谜底。这份智慧原来如此简单：如果你想获得当下的幸福，就勇敢地接纳当下发生的一切吧，说句“Yes”，你就会发现不曾意料过的美好。这真的是一本充满智慧的书。

——Norman Fischer

Everyday Zen Foundation 创始人

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Development, Business, Communication, Leadership

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Living well = Improvising wisely**

Ohmygoodness. Is this book ever a gift!

I actually checked this book out of the library a few years ago, and life happened, and I never got a chance to read it before it was due. But then, the Universe sent me a gentle reminder (thanks, L!) that this wisdom was just what I needed to read. Right here. Right now.

Right on.

Just looking at the book's table of contents (which has an uncanny overlap to my own working draft of How To Do Life) was soul-jolting:
1. Say yes
2. Don't prepare
3. Just show up
4. Start anywhere
5. Be average
6. Pay attention
7. Face the facts
8. Stay on course
9. Wake up to the gifts
10. Make mistakes, please
11. Act now
12. Take care of each other
13. Enjoy the ride

Needless to say, I was enthralled with every line of this book. (And, the spaces in between.) The author does a remarkable job in illustrating how the same principles that make for good improv, also make for good life. Life, after all is a series of improv acts, and although knowing the basic script is helpful, knowing how to be flexible, focused, forgiving, and yes, funny, are the ingredients that ultimately matter most.

In an effort to preserve this book's wisdom in eternal space (the next closest thing being this space here on goodreads.com), I'm going to include the key points that the author makes for each of the 13 maxims above. Hopefully, they'll also encourage you to get your hands on your own copy of this wise, wise book:

1. Say yes (p. 34)
* Just say yes.
* Become a "can do" person.
* Look for the positive spin, for what is right.
* Agree with those around you.
* Cultivate yes phrases: "You bet"; "You are right'; `Good idea"; etc.
* Substitute "Yes *and*" for "Yes *but*." Add something to build the conversation.
* Exercise the yes muscle. This builds optimism and hope.

2. Don't prepare (p. 44)
* Give up planning. Drop the habit of thinking ahead.
* Attend carefully to what is happening right now.
* Allow yourself to be surprised.
* Stockpiling ideas for future use is unnecessary.
* Trust your imagination. There is always something in the box.
* Welcome whatever floats into your mind.
* Fear is a matter of misplaced attention. Focus on redirecting it.

3. Just show up (p. 52)
* Walk, run, bike, skip to the places that you need to be.
* Motivation is not a prerequisite for showing up.
* Start your day with what is important.
* Use rituals to get things going.
* Showing up to help others is already service.
* Change your vantage point and refresh your mind.
* Location, location, location--in real estate and in life.
* Be on time for the sake of others.
* Show up on time for yourself. Lost time is never found.

4. Start anywhere (p. 59)
* All starting points are equally valid.
* Begin with what seems obvious.
* Once it is under way any task seems smaller.
* When speaking in public don't use a script. Write down questions and answer them.
* Talk to your audience. Don't give a lecture.
* Trust your mind.
* Edit and develop ideas *as* you speak.

5. Be average (p. 66)
* Close enough is perfect.
* Dare to be dull.
* Think "inside" the box.
* Celebrate the obvious.
* What is ordinary to you is often a revelation to others.
* Remember "classics" or "favorites" can be fresh ideas, too.
* Don't make jokes. Make sense.

6. Pay attention (p. 76)
* Life *is* attention.
* Notice everything, particularly the details.
* Become a detective.
* Shift your attention from yourself to others.
* Make an effort to remember names and faces.
* Keep on waking up.
* This moment only happens once. Treasure it.
* Avoid multitasking. Attend to one thing at a time.

7. Face the facts (p. 83)
* Don't fight reality.
* Accept other people as they are.
* Work with what you have been given.
* What *are* the facts? You are probably not noticing all of them.
* Embrace the wobble.
* Insecurity is normal. Count on it.

8. Stay on course (p. 88)
* Every improvisation has a point.
* Don't let feelings alone run your show.
* There is meaning in everything we do, even small tasks.
* Keep an eye on where you are going. If you miss the target, adjust your aim.
* Ask often "What is my purpose?"
* What would not get done if you were not here?

9. Wake up to the gifts (p. 102)
* Notice that the glass is half full.
* Treasure the details.
* Who or what is helping you right now?
* Make a point of thanking those with thankless jobs.
* What are you doing to give back?
* Keep the gift moving forward.
* Our smallest actions count. Everything we do has the potential to help others.
* Make "thank you" your mantra.

10. Make mistakes, please (p. 113)
* If you are not making mistakes, you are not improvising.
* Be like a turtle: stick our your neck to make progress.
* When you screw up, say "Ta-dah!" and take a bow.
* Mistake? Focus on what comes next.
* Let go of outcomes. Cultivate a flexible mind.
* Mistakes may actually be blessings.
* Become a confident mistake-maker. Lighten up.
* Try bricolage--use what is there artfully.
* Admitting a mistake shows character.

11. Act now (p. 122)
* The essence of improving is action.
* Act in order to discover what comes next.
* You don't need to feel like doing something to do it.
* Schedule a difficult task and stick to your timetable.
* Invite a buddy to join you in doing what you need to do.
* Do the hard things first.
* To find a new perspective, try doing something a different way.
* Sometimes *not doing* is what is needed.
* If you can't get out of it, *get into it*.

12. Take care of each other (p. 136)
* Be someone's guardian angel. Make your partner look good.
* Rescue or join someone struggling.
* Share control; don't hog it.
* Kindness is essential during chaos or a crisis.
* Try giving yourself away.
* Always put positive thoughts into words and action.
* Do "random acts of kindness."
* Put other people's convenience ahead of your own.
* Listen as if your life depended on it.
* Deliver more than you promise.

13. Enjoy the ride (p. 143)
* Find joy in whatever you are doing, including ordinary tasks.
* Look for ways to play. Play is essential to human growth.
* Learning is enhanced when we lighten up.
* Laughter is good medicine.
* If something is not to your liking, change your liking.
* Give away smiles every day.
* Do something just for the fun of it.

Perhaps a slight edit to Shakespeare's quote is in order:
All the world's a stage, and all the women and men merely improvisors.

May we all improvise wisely!
(With this 20-years-in-the-making book serving as the sage that sets the stage.)

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. This is more about adding variety and enjoyment to your life.

She gives suggestions like go to bed 1 hour earlier, get up 1 hour earlier, walk a different way when going someplace. For one day smile at everyone you see. Say thank you frequently and with details. Mistakes are good.

My favorite improv rule is say “Yes And.” Don’t say “Yes But.” Also don’t say “No.” I heard that before I read this book, and I was hoping for more ideas like that, which I did not get. I was also hoping for a lot of examples from improv skits. I only remember one example, but there may have been more. The example I remember was about the value of making “mistakes.” The skit was a group of nuns. One of them was named Sister Agnes. A guy knocks at the door and asks for Sister Agnes. The girl says I’ll go get her. Then she realizes she was Sister Agnes, so she says something like “Oh I forgot, that’s me. Sometimes we nuns all look alike.”

I do not recommend this for someone who wants to learn about improv on stage. I see it as how to open yourself up to new things in life. I might have given it more stars if she added a lot of skit examples.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
The author narrates her own book. She was a good reader, but her accent had an interrupting effect, not bad but it was there. I kept wondering what it was when she said words like Stuart, student, and our.

DATA:
Unabridged audiobook length: 4 hrs and 55 mins. The book is 160 pages. Swearing and sexual content: none. Book copyright: 2005. Genre: self help psychology.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't really a book about improv. It's a life philosophy inspired by improv principles. Mostly, it can be summed up as relax, say yes more often, be okay with mistakes, and be present in the moment. It's not bad advice in general. It isn't particularly powerful and it certainly isn't original.

She most often quotes other Zen thinkers, along with a few other sources. She shares her story (from careful rule follower to free spirited improv teacher) and it's both relevant and fun to learn.

It was well written. Maybe I'm skewed because I have a lot theater training in my background, but I was underwhelmed with the depth of insight.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian on film festival hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life Wisdom
Review of the original Harmony hardcover edition (2005)

I heard about Patricia Ryan Madson's Improv Wisdom thanks to my being on writer Steven Pressfield's mailing list where a regular feature is "Books I Love". It linked to his original blog post about the book from back in 2009.

Although the book is ostensibly about Madson's career long learned experience from teaching theatrical improvisation, the simple rules or phrases that make up her 13-point maxims list are applicable to just about any other activity, whether it is for work or play or just about life itself.

1. Say Yes = be open to new experiences
2. Don’t Prepare = don't be too rigid about how to proceed
3. Just Show Up = be present in the moment
4. Start Anywhere = don't fret about how to start
5. Be Average = don't worry about being fantastic
6. Pay attention = be aware
7. Face the Facts = accept truths
8. Stay on Course = don't be distracted
9. Wake up to the gifts = appreciate everything given
10. Make Mistakes, Please = don't be afraid to fail
11. Act Now = don't wait to start
12. Take Care of Each Other = help others and you will help yourself
13. Enjoy the Ride = enjoy the present moment

A lot of this may seem like common sense, but it is just wonderful to have it reinforced in such a straight forward manner filled with anecdotes of Madson's life experiences and teaching moments.

[May-Ling · Rating 5 out of 5]

there's so much wisdom in these 160 pages, and although it may sound improv-focused, the content really applies to your whole life. what's great about this book is that ideas are simple and concise, really packing all of the author's thoughts into the fewest words possible - it's an efficient book.

i especially love how "just show up" is in the title, as madson says a lot about how being in the room and also full present already goes a long way towards getting somewhere. i think back on this week at work already and look at how many colleagues show up 5 or 15 minutes late when the meeting has already started, or people are on their phones instead of in the room. the simple maxim of focused attention on collaborative activities goes a long way towards the success of achieving something as a team.

i'm not really a book buyer and carry my library card everywhere i go, but these ideas are worth revisiting time and time again. we lose our way with the busy and distracted nature of living life in america. it's a work i would pick up again to refresh my thinking in a few years.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half is good, and inspiring as it hits the high points of improv -- say "yes", for example. That's the best tip in the book, and unfortunately, I already knew it, so I didn't find much new here. And the second half of the book loses its way into the self help pathos, which was a downer after the excitement of the beginning.

[Eleonora · Rating 5 out of 5]

The day I was reading the first maxim, I was asked by my daughter (21 years) to take her to the university by car… usually I would have said “no, take your bus and don’t bother me, please” but instead I said “ok, I will do” and it was very special to me, to see a special light in her eyes for this unexpected answer!! “just show up” was a reason to go to a meeting with people I didn’t know and it was a very pleasant opportunity to meet new persons.. I have to practice very much..
To me “improv” is also not having any clues about what to do, and most of the times I had to improv I were in dramatical and sad situations, as no one taught me how to act in these moments… so it is important to remember, and Patricia said also this, that you can ask for help, as you are not alone- our time is so short that we couldn’t waste it :-) and meaningless acts of kindness make our lives better. Thank you Patricia.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a lot of good advice in this pop psych/self-help book - but it is a pop psych/self-help book. I wanted more substance, more depth. It's an interesting take on pop psych to use the rules of improvisation to give life advice, but it is lite, lite, lite. (Spelling, here, is deliberate.)

[Katya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Либо я такая умная, либо что-то со мной не так... Вокруг восторженные отзывы, рецензии, а для меня - набор штампов и банальностей.

Две цитаты, которые выписала себе в читательский дневник:
1) Лучшие вещи в мире - не вещи.
2) Страх - это неверно направленное внимание.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because of this book... I make my bed every morning!

[Ethan Christ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book about how to live life in a more positive fashion!

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

13 maxims or rules proposed.

I think the book makes a lot of sense i.e. provides an 'alternative'/complementary view to a structured way of thinking. It's everything but preplanned, detailed analysis and structured thinking. Of course the longer term of things should be planned e.g. education, work, health etc but it's the moments throughout the journey that things should be held in tension, i.e. alternating between careful planning and spontaneous action.

Highly recommend this book to people with structured thinking. Read it with an open mind.

[Santhosh Guru · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, non-intimidating intro to the principles of Improv. In a very applicable wisdom, the author breaks it into entertaining and consumable chunks. This definitely lays foundation for me to tackle the works of Keith Johnstone and others.

[ソフイア · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtle book explaining how to be Santuy (stay relax, everything will end okay) person. Here are what I got and I have been emplemented of:
1. Try to subtitute 'yes' on every agenda of life.
2. Planning impedes our ability to see what in front of us. I've implemented this while I stayed with 10 people in a home seized 21 m2 and all of them are girls. It worked well to dodge sentimental character women having while we are faced problems.
3. Showing up is a critical element. It is identifying the habit we wish to had. And I do believe by changing location will help cohort meeting will improve productive ideas.
4. Be average. "Say what you want to say in the way that seems natural to you."
5. Pay attention. Appreciate the name of people not only remembering, pronounce it properly. Means guide you how you appreciate your life living.
6. Face the facts. Insecurity is normal, count on it.
7. Stay in course. Implementing as often "What is my purpose?" on every new activity is a good choice.
8. Wake up to the gifts. Give thank you mantra on every jobness or less to people utterly addictive to sustain it.
9. Mistakes are our friends, our partners in the game. They are necessary. Because when you make a mistake, turn your attention to what comes next. Focus on doing that well, with full mind and heart. Look ahead, not back. But if your mistake creates a problem for others, don't forget to apologize. Patricia explained solemn mistakes could happen on 2 types: planner and improviser, once, mistakes, are a natural and inevitable part of living: they will happen whether we adopt one of them from both:

"There is always something in the box-- reality puts it there. Unconsciously, there is a life."

"Use two hands to carry one thing instead of one hand to carry two things."

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely not a typical self-help book: it's laconic, precise and not repetitive, and I found it very inspiring and full of helpful practical advice and exercises. Especially good for someone like me who is constantly making plans and writing lists and then gets upset when things (inevitably) take an unexpected turn.
For me the most important message of this book was about embracing uncertainty and insecurity and living a fuller and more colorful - unscripted - life. Which also reminds me of a Tove Yansson's (or rather her character Too-Ticky's) quote that I really like: "All things are so very uncertain, and that's exactly what makes me feel reassured."

[Alyssa Foll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gem of a book about improvisational acting and about principles of improv.
I wasn't reading it to learn so much about acting, per se, as I was looking for ways to apply the principles to my vocation of chaplaincy. Patricia Ryan Madson anticipates that many readers may be looking to do just that and has plenty of helpful "real-life" examples.
An enjoyable, quick read.

[Audrey Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

i can't believe this is who i am now

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️📖
Succinct and sharp little book offering a variety of principles and mindset/behavioural shifts people can explore to find more meaning in their lives. A quick and easy read though I found it quite high level, so not as enduring.

[عائشة · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a lazy person this book for you :)

[Brandy Luther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll mark this as a favorite, easily. Not only is this a lesson on how to show up and be present and optimistic, but it is a book full of great life advice and self-help. I would recommend this to anyone who is in a funk and needs a pick me up from an unexpected source. It was a delight to read and I learned a lot that can be applicable to my life and work in many ways. For anyone needing inspiration this is a great resource.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good life advice, didn’t finish

[Roozbeh Daneshvar · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me, improv is a mysterious form of art. I've been amazed by how the performers can materialize such an outcome, all on the spot. I also see it not limited to the stage, but at every aspect of daily life: when interacting with family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. I see it as an exercise in presence, which could demand full attention to our surroundings and people around us. Nonetheless, it could be liberating: as we might need to go with the flow and be part of something bigger. It is this combination of losing ourselves, selflessness, and gaining something collective that makes improv appealing to me.

One example: I have worked in the spectrum, from one extent of dog-eats-dog culture, all the way to the other extent of selfless collaborative cooperation where the benefits of the team as a whole came first. From this book I noticed how improv concepts could clearly explain the differences and predict the end results.

And about this book: the author opens the concept of improv and makes it accessible. She presents how it can be applied to daily life and how we can leverage the learnings.

Below I am bringing some pieces from the book:

I know that improvisation has nothing to do with wit, glibness, or comic ability. A good improviser is someone who is awake, not entirely self-focused, and moved by a desire to do something useful and give something back and who acts upon this impulse.

Improvising can give us a taste of the primal freedom that our early ancestors experienced before they turned their attention to planning; it is an exhilarating way to live.

Saying yes (and following through with support) prevents you from committing a cardinal sin—blocking. Blocking comes in many forms; it is a way of trying to control the situation instead of accepting it. We block when we say no, when we have a better idea, when we change the subject, when we correct the speaker, when we fail to listen, or when we simply ignore the situation. The critic in us wakes up and runs the show. Saying no is the most common way we attempt to control the future.

The habit of excessive planning impedes our ability to see what is actually in front of us. The mind that is occupied is missing the present.

Substitute attention for preparation. Then you will be working in real time. Focusing attention on the present puts you in touch with a kind of natural wisdom.

When we give up the struggle to show off our talent, a natural wisdom can emerge; our muses can speak through us.

Fear is not the problem; allowing your attention to be consumed by it is.

These rituals were simple ways to show up; they provided stability. Ironically stability is a vital element when we improvise.

To improvise is to create order out of chaos. It is more of an engineering job than an artistic one.

Giving up on perfection is the first step; the next is to stop trying to come up with something different. Striving for an original idea takes us away from our everyday intelligence, and it can actually block access to the creative process.

Don’t fall for the idea that something needs to be “way out” or whimsical to be creative. Getting a laugh is easy-trivial, actually. Anything unexpected seems funny. This kind of humor is like a sugar hit. It gives a temporary lift, but it is a poor diet and won’t nourish artistically. If you give up making jokes and concentrate on making sense, the result is often genuinely mirthful. Besides, making sense is a lot more satisfying in the long run. Give the obvious a try.

What we notice becomes our world.

The improviser’s lifeline is his attention. Those on stage often appear clever simply because they have been paying attention to what has been said and remember it when most of the audience has forgotten. This is the real magic of the art of improv.

Some art forms build in the idea of paying attention to what is right in front of us. Those who study the Japanese tea ceremony learn the concept of “tea talk.” Guests know that inside the teahouse one must speak only about what is inside the house. Even polite discussion of the news, social or political events, or personal issues is forbidden, including complaining about the heat or mentioning any discomfort. Instead, the guest is invited to pay attention to the detail of what is present at that moment—the scroll in the alcove, the flower in the vase, the kind of sweet that was chosen to be served along with the bitter, frothy green tea. What is spoken is meant to be a reminder of the unique character of the event.

Our natural sense of entitlement can be an obstacle. If I experience something as mine, I won’t see it as a gift. “I bought this chair; it is my property.” Even in a public venue a sense of ownership often prevails. If I pick a seat in a movie house and leave temporarily, I am likely to become indignant when someone else occupies “my seat.”

The very best thank-you is one that acknowledges the detail of what you have received—thanks for what? I have always considered the all-purpose “thanks for everything” to be a sizable cop-out and an effortless way to appear to settle one’s debt without examining it.

The more precise my vision of an outcome, the more likely I am to be disappointed.

On the improv stage action creates the world of play. There are no huddles in the back room. Motivation is not required. Good intentions, beliefs, resolutions, even promises don’t matter. Action does.

Improvisers must be the world’s best listeners, since every word spoken is vital. Listening is raised to the level of art among professionals. Players will need to remember facts mentioned only once. The most seemingly insignificant detail can become the focus of the story so everything said (or done, for that matter) must be understood and remembered.

Enjoyment is a way of approaching an activity, not the activity itself.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Improv wisdom, by Patricia Ryan Madson, is a delightful book that invites the reader to apply 13 basic principles (or “maxims”) of improvisation to our daily life situations. While clearly rooted in the tenets of improvisation, the book also reveals subtle influences of Eastern thought including Zen and Yoga which, like improve, guide us to be fully focused in the present moment, and direct our thoughts and energies towards harmony, collaboration, and kindness. The maxims are:

1. Say Yes
2. Don’t Prepare
3. Just Show Up
4. Start Anywhere
5. Be Average
6. Pay attention
7. Face the Facts
8. Stay on Course
9. Wake up to the gifts
10. Make Mistakes, Please
11. Act Now
12. Take Care of Each Other
13. Enjoy the Ride

While these maxims could be considered trite or obvious, Madson does a beautiful job using stories, quotes and historical references, to flesh out the deeper truths behind each. Perhaps more importantly she offers a number of “Try This” practical exercises in each chapter which help ground the truth of the material in the actual experience of each reader. There is much wisdom to be had in this relatively slim volume, and Madson’s compassionate, human, and humorous voice makes it a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the things I am most grateful for are the opportunities I’ve had to meet truly inspiring and amazing people. One of those people, Liam, recommended this book to me. Liam is a peer in age, but embodies a thoughtfulness and intentionality far beyond his years. When he said he read this book in high school and it changed his life, I added it to my short list.

Improv Wisdom is unpretentious and poignant. It’s a mental recalibration towards a reality in which you are not the protagonist of your story, but rather a player, giving and receiving gifts from those around you. The maxim’s of improv are rooted in this belief, and for most of us, at first, it’s an idea that can feel a bit foreign. If it does, read this book. Try it on for a little while. It might fit better than you think.

For an improviser, gratitude, generosity, and selflessness do not sit opposed to confidence and self assurance, they sit harmoniously alongside. An improviser embodies mindfulness and a trust in their instincts. It’s only once we allow ourselves to think *inside* the box, to honor what might be our first intuition, that we are able to properly adapt to and give back the gifts we receive from those around us. Living this balance is the improv pursuit.

Be an improviser.

[Melissa McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful introduction to the philosophy and methods of Improv. The author clearly illustrates how anyone can benefit from applying these methods to their personal lives. The concept of just saying yes, which is the key to improv, seems so simple. However, it can also be profoundly transforming. I highly recommend this book.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book! I had a feeling that working with improv could be a spiritual experience, and, sure enough, a friend pointed me to this little work. I want to try doing a spirituality group focused on the exercises here.

[Erik Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

:-) :-) :-) Thank you, Jane!!

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and insightful read. Think of this book and it's ideas as more of a manifesto or philosophy of life. Definitely gleaned some great concepts I intend to internalize!

[Dr. Libia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Improv meets real life.
I a little Improv in your life. Not necessarily an Improv guide or handbook but touches on Improv and real life.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. But I guess I'll improvise a review for it.

I don't usually read self-help books. Or pop psychology books. Or whatever you want to call this. The book contains thirteen maxims for improving your life. These lessons are drawn from Madson's decades of experience as a drama professor at Stanford and are also influenced by eastern philosophy.

The book is a quick and easy read...but I did it wrong. Each short chapter has a few suggestions/exercises...which I mostly ignored unless I could do them in that time and place. Key ideas are listed in point form at the end of the chapter, so if you're feeling lazy you can just read those. Madson's style is colloquial and full of anecdotes, which made it seem "fluffy," but, at the same time, I'm glad that this isn't a more intense read.

I always thought that I was decent at improvising (not in the dramatic sense, but in the every day handling of my life). I discovered that I'm actually pretty bad at it. I suppose that in some ways I'm the perfect target audience for this book, but in other ways I'm everything that's the enemy of improvisation—a naysayer, a cynic, an individualist, and a procrastinator. I found Madson to be preachy and far too optimistic, and at times her privilege shows ("I'm a professor at Stanford, but I met a 60-year-old sandwich artist who loves her minimum wage job, so why can't YOU be grateful for wasting your life away for $10/hour?) To her credit, she does have some down-to-earth moments. A lot of the ideas in this book aren't new (although it was published in 2005 so I guess I'm a bit late to this party) and honestly I could see this as a buzzfeed article instead of a 150-page book of mostly filler.

I have no intention of following any of the advice in the book or going back and trying the exercises that I skipped. There were a few passages that gave me an a-ha moment, which I'll quote here so that I can get this book off of my shelf:

"Motivation is not a prerequisite for showing up." (52)

"With the first-thought method it is as if the idea selects you rather than the other way around. The improviser focuses on making that idea into a good one, rather than searching for a 'good idea.'" (55)

"All starting points are equally valid." (59)

"Wishing things were different (or that I was different) simply wastes time." (78)

"Instead of asking, 'What do I feel like doing?' substitute 'What is my purpose now?' " (84)

"...it's unnecessary to be motivated, get ourselves together, or even feel like doing it. The key is to get up and go." (114)

"Perhaps there is a great dream gathering dust on the shelf of your life. It is never too late to start it or make progress if it is under way but neglected." (145)

"The Water Tank" parable on page 146.