Shortly after the previous post, The Wisdom of Mistakes, appeared in the Northfield Mount Hermon School alumni magazine, a trio of students in the Video as Visual Art class asked if they could interview me for further reflections. I gladly obliged and felt even more thankful after hearing the sophistication of their questions—them boys made [more…]
Another Iteration of the Failure Bow
Folks love the Failure Bow. It’s a simple exercise, and it can be goofy, but its implications and ramifications go deep. Thanks to his TedX talk in Bellevue, Washington, Matt Smith’s message keeps spreading. Just this morning, I watched a short video by Jon Trevor, a fellow member of the Applied Improvisation Network, and got [more…]
The Transformative Failure Bow (Part 2 of 2)
The previous post discussed the history and varied application of The Failure Bow, a well-loved improvisational theater technique for returning to the present moment after a seeming mistake. This post, Part 2, explains recent body chemical research that shows how and why the Bow works—and argues for its wider application for creating and spreading confidence, [more…]
The Transformative Failure Bow (Part 1 of 2)
The Failure Bow has a long and treasured history in the world of improvisational theater. Recent research demonstrates that there’s a life-changing reason why. This two-part post will show you how the technique can interrupt feelings of shame and self-defeat; deliver greater confidence, clarity, and calm—and activate waves of resilient joy. For more on changing [more…]
