Eddie Gamez
Mar 4, 20182 min
The industry and the comedy scene can be quite confusing places for anyone trying to establish themselves as a working comic.
On the outside it can look like there are a plethora of opportunities to advance yourself in your career; however, when you’re really in the thick of it and pounding the pavement, you begin to realize “real” opportunities are actually quite limited. More than ever you really have to go above and beyond just to get a little recognition.
While it is great to find opportunities as they give us the chance to grow professionally, it is also important to understand the power of “moving on.”
Let me explain.
Know when something has run its course
Now, I don’t mean “moving on” in the sense of quitting comedy. What I mean is moving on from an opportunity that no longer has value.
In this business you will be presented with opportunities, business relationships, etc. that will benefit you in what you’re trying to achieve with your career. Initially it’ll be positive, but over time things can change.
For example, Comedians on the Loose recently ended a relationship with one of our vendors that we utilized for events. The decision was not ours, but there were moments when we should have recognized the relationship had run its course and this outcome would be inevitable.
Things just became unreasonably difficult which was confusing because we did everything on our end to be transparent with the vendor. It’s tough to see something dissolve, but in the long run it’s a blessing in disguise.
If something like a business relationship changes where things are no longer positive for you, there is nothing wrong with ending that relationship. Trying to hold on to something that isn’t positive will only hold you back from your goals.
Use what you learn and apply it to your next steps
Whatever you are doing whether it is your personal writing, production, or something beyond that, take what you have learned from previous experiences and apply those lessons to your career goals.
Maybe you are trying something in your comedy that just isn’t working for the stage? You aren’t getting anymore fulfillment out of a particular project? That’s okay!
If something isn’t working, don’t attempt to beat it like a dead horse because it won’t do anything for you. Just take what you learn and apply it to the next steps for growth.
Always keep in mind that for you to grow in your career, things need to be consistently changing. It’s easy to get comfortable with what we have going on, but remember that is where the trouble lies because it stagnates personal growth whether it is business relationships, projects, or your personal comedy. Sometimes those instances can become better with a little bit of challenge, but other times it just requires moving on to get the maximum benefit and figure out other things that can work for you.
Have you had moments in your comedy career where you had to simply move on? Comment below and tell us your thoughts and experiences!