The Mistake (and the Illusion) of Control
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Every week, we learn of encouraging new discoveries about the planet, breakthroughs in medicine and science, and stories of incredibly kind samaritans whose simple actions change lives. Even better, all of that is happening at a time in history when more people from more backgrounds have more access to more positions of leadership.
It's an amazing world, isn't it?
Too bad we’ll rarely see that on social media or broadcast on the news. Instead, we’re fed a steady diet of outrage that's anchored to what’s wrong with the world. The old news business adage of "If it bleeds, it leads" has never been more obvious, despite our many breakthroughs and successes as a species.
That isn't to say that humans don't currently face challenges. We do! Only, that's nothing new. Worse, it causes the biggest underlying challenge to get lost in the noise. That challenge isn't climate change, racism, or the next election cycle: it's our own thinking: we've become addicted, culturally, to focusing on what doesn't work with others, with the nation, and with the world.
Our true power lies in this simple truth: what we focus on grows.
We each have the ability and power of choice: to stop allowing others to tell us how to think and to start consciously deciding where to place our focus ourselves.
Not surprisingly, one of the best tools for cutting the strings that bind us and re-focusing our attention is... Improvisation.
Because it’s created spontaneously, improvisation requires a laser focus on what's happening immediately in front of us RIGHT NOW. The art form requires a Zen-like calmness. From that centered place, we're better able to absorb the world around us and make an informed decision on how to proceed.
It always delights me to watch the joy and freedom that occurs when two or more people attune themselves to one another in this simple art form. Simple, but not always easy. Unlearning habitual patterns and learning new ones can be challenging, yes... but it's also one of the most profound gifts that we can give to ourselves. And to one another.
So... at a time like this when so many things in the world are changing, I encourage all of us to shift our focus. Let us find a compassionate and joyous tool that unites us with a community that is committed to exploring, taking risks and making mistakes, and learning from one another.
I choose Improv and - if you're reading this - you probably do as well.
So whether you’re looking to begin or refine your practice, I invite you to join us at the studio for the kind of play that’s joyous, insightful, and incredibly transformative.
David Koff
Founder, Change Through Play Improvisation & Acting Studio
Executive Summary
Trying to control the world around us is a VERY human trait. Changing our nature requires retraining our brains. If you seek Portland executive training or team building skills then improv classes or improv workshops are incredibly valuable. Improv is not a TV show or an end product. Improv is a process. Learning that process teaches patience, acceptance, and flexibility. These skills help all humans that control is an illusion and that all we have is this present moment. These are the very skills that business leaders need and which we teach during our corporate improv workshops.