Prove you are a bad ____________.
Continuing with December's how to get started theme, I am going to start with some top content here: A video of Dan Harmon with his shirt off. It's also one of the best bits of advice for getting started on any creative project.
This video contains a topless Dan Harmon... doesn't narrow it down, honestly.
For those who don't want to watch it or just like words. Here's how it relates to improv or any creative work. Really, any work. When you're new at improv and you care about doing improv, you have the natural inclination to want to do the best improv you can each time. Unfortunately, it's unlikely you can do your literal best each time, and if you try that, it can actually stop you from getting those reps you need. Instead of doing great or good or even ok improv, you're on the backline in your head about why you can't be as great, good, or even ok.
The trick is to embrace your fear and do it even if it's bad. This does not mean you are intentionally trying to be bad, but rather to lower the bar and make it okay if you are bad; your job isn't to be good; it's to do improv. So what if you're a bad improviser? Prove that you are. Prove it A LOT. Get those reps. The more you prove you are bad, the better you'll get. Improv is a skill, and skills are things you can get better at, no matter what, if you work at them.
