Improv Wisdom

I’m enjoying Patricia Madson’s quick book at the moment. Improv Wisdom – don’t prepare just show up!

Here are her 13 maxims for life.

  1. say yes (to everything).
  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.

Sounds like a great manifesto to me. But I think it takes a lot of preparation to be unprepared. Just as it takes a musician years of practice to be unprepared and jam.

4 Responses to “Improv Wisdom”


  1. 1 Patricia Ryan Madson March 24, 2009 at 8:07 pm

    Thank you so much for your kind mention of Improv Wisdom. It makes me smile to think that my little book is half way around the world. And, you are right that it takes a lifetime of preparation to really show up unprepared. Warm thanks and may all of your improvisations turn out well!
    Patricia Ryan Madson

    • 2 Bernie March 25, 2009 at 8:44 pm

      Hi Patricia, I’m smiling too! An unexpected surprise to hear from the author. I loved your book. I do I lot of leadership coaching and I always recommend that leaders do some acting classes or improv classes. So much to learn about self and communication. It frustrates me that there is so much effort spent on leadership technology (competencies, frameworks, etc) and so little spent on authenticity. By the way, have just joined Twitter and as you probably know am following you.
      Ka kite ano i a koe (that’s indigenous maori for “see you again”)

    • 3 Bernie March 25, 2009 at 8:53 pm

      Also Patricia I’ve added your link to my blogroll. I hope it helps more people buy your beautiful book.


  1. 1 The Funny-Girl’s Guide to Successful Dating « mollybuckley. Trackback on March 23, 2009 at 4:55 am

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