Friday 18th May 2018
Reading time 2 minutes 49 seconds
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged – The Bible: Matthew 7:2 – Somewhere near the middle…..maybe?
Date: 09th May 2018
Significance of Date: Been a comedian (again) for one entire year
Mission: Annual Performance review
Location: Car (parked)
Appraiser: Me
Appraisee: Me (awkward)
Goals set: 10
Goals achieved: 4
Areas of strength: Used the time well to lose weight, found meditation, not afraid to take holidays, started to gain confidence in writing and performing.
Areas for development: Not used the time well to focus on new career, fractionally disorganised, not put enough miles on the comedy clock, not afraid to take holidays
Manager Comments:
Mat shows some promise and has received good and bad feedback from his audience and ‘colleagues’ but in order to improve he must work on the following;
1. Find more gigs and perform – The most important part of Stand-up comedy is standing up and making people laugh. Mat needs to find more gigs so he can attempt to make people laugh.
2. Earn money – The most important part of Stand-up comedy is to place value on the craft. If Mat were to try and feed his family on his comedy earnings they would have died a long time ago. I suspect he earnt more money as a child receiving pocket money or on the occasions he washed cars.
3. Writing material – The most important part of Stand-up comedy is to write original funny material. This is what gets you better gigs. See point 1. “Where are the jokes?” What is he afraid of? Failure of sounding rubbish? Everyone does at some point so he must learn to fail better and realise what everyone in Comedy is telling him “It doesn’t matter, just relax”.
4. Make contacts – The most important of doing Stand-up comedy is to create a network of fellow comedians and promotors. Mat hasn’t done this as well as he could have. I catch him occasionally spending time with other comics but what exactly do they talk about that advances either of their imaginary careers?
Appraisee Comments:
I don’t disagree with any of the above words I’ve spoken to myself and I know that I must try harder. I wasn’t prepared for the management required of me.
I work harder in an office than I do at being self-employed, that is slowly changing though.
Whilst I always knew it would be tough I failed to realise the scale.
Having said that I’m enjoying everything and the opportunities I’ve had to make some necessary changes in my life.
I’m a better performer than I was a year ago and I believe I have a better understanding of my craft (The £7.99 I spend on a Netflix account is not wasted )
Things I know that I still need to work on – in no order of importance are;
1. Find my on stage persona: Probably the most important part of doing Stand-up comedy is knowing who you are on stage . Last year I wrote on my ideas wall. “Who are you?”. One year on I’m still no wiser.
2. Manage my time more efficiently: Probably the most important part of Stand-up comedy is to manage your diary.
3. Get over my fear/distaste of technology/the modern world: Probably the most important part of Stand-up comedy is to ensure that you have up to date on line information including websites that lists your gigs, and other details, so people who are interested can see you perform. My irrational fear of this, Facebook and other social media platforms is stopping me from promoting myself in the ways people have become accustomed to and as a fool who rushes in I don’t know what is holding me back. It’s me.
4. Write Jokes
5. Plan more holidays
So therefore my goals for the next year are very simple.
1. Write
2. Write
3. Write
4. Gig
5. Gig
6. Gig
7. Holiday more
Picture: Is this a big plant pot or am I really that small?