Introduction

Before I get to the lessons on professional rehearsal, let me say this:

Your mental approach to stand-up is a very big deal — before you even begin the professional rehearsal process.

Most new comedians usually see themselves in this way at the beginning of their comedy career:

1. Believe they are destined to perform poorly on stage in the beginning, since they are new and stand-up comedy is supposedly so “different” from making friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances laugh in everyday conversation.

If you want to believe that nonsense, then you are willfully choosing to do so after you read this lesson.

2. Believe that as a new comedian that they simply cannot deliver headliner level comedy material when they initially start performing or that it takes a long time to reach headliner performance levels.

That is FALSE unless…

You are writing and reciting paper written “jokes” and you are not adequately prepared to deliver headliner level comedy material.

3.  Believe they must hold the title of “headliner” before they can deliver headliner level comedy material.

As long as you are generating a minimum average of 18 seconds of laughter (or more) for each minute you are performing — you ARE delivering headliner level comedy material and…

You will easily stand out head and shoulders above all but the most experienced comedians — no matter what “title” you hold or choose to identify yourself with.

So here’s what you need to know NOW — before you begin the professional rehearsal process with your stand-up comedy material…

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Where The Rubber Meets The Road

Whether or not you are able to deliver headliner level comedy material has NOTHING to do with achieving any sort of “title” or what position in the line up of comedians you end up with.

It has everything to do with:

• Having real comedy talent to start with.
• Understanding what makes you funny in everyday life and applying your already well developed skills and talent to your stand-up comedy material.
• Knowing how to structure and express what you want to say to an audience in order to get 4-6+ laughs per minute and an average of at least 18 seconds of laughter every minute you are on stage.
• Preparing properly and extensively to deliver headliner level comedy material before each and every performance.
• Having the proper mental attitude and knowing that you can deliver headliner level stand-up comedy material — before you ever hit the stage.

So let’s talk about the mental attitude you should have — during your professional rehearsal sessions and ultimately, when you step on the stand-up comedy stage.

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Whose House Are You In?

Most new comedians see themselves as rookies — outsiders who will be standing before a group of strangers in a unique and potentially hostile venue that they have no control or ownership of.

That mentality leads to unnecessary anxiety and stage discomfort, and automatically lessens an individual’s self worth — before they ever get on stage.

I was fortunate to learn very early in my own stand-up comedy career that I needed to have maximum stage comfort in order to kill an audience effortlessly.

And a big part of the reason I was able to have achieve that stage comfort was as a result of a mental attitude that I embraced when it came to performing.

Long story short — I knew that the most comfortable place I could ever be in was my home.

I paid for it, I maintained it and when I invited people into my home…

I expected them to respect my home and my belongings. Just like everyone else, I am the master of my home.

Well, I applied that exact same mentality to my performances.

Instead of considering myself the “outsider” — a comedian who was a “guest” in someone else’s “home” (the venue with the stage) that had a bunch of strangers in it there who I didn’t know —  an attitude that made me feel making me even more insignificant and thus less likely to make an impact…

I adapted a completely different mentality (which you can do as well if you have the spine and the talent to do it):

I adapted the mentality that the second I stepped on stage and touched the microphone…

That venue was mine — I owned it. I owned the stage, the building, the seats, the chairs, and the bar.

Ownership of the entire venue changed hands and became all mine as soon as I held that microphone in my hand.

I was no longer the “outsider” dealing with strangers.

The people sitting in the audience were “guests” in MY HOUSE, under MY ROOF, sitting in MY CHAIRS at MY TABLES and they were there have been waiting for me — the new owner to speak to those in attendance.

Now, instead of being the “guest”, I was the OWNER.

There’s a huge difference in mentality when it comes to being a “guest” and being an owner.

And as long as I held that microphone — whether it was for 5 minutes or an hour, I was the OWNER of the facility and all that was in it — I was on my own turf, the place where I was most comfortable and the most confident.

Once my comedy set was over and the microphone was handed to someone else…

Ownership transferred back to the people who gave it to me in the first place.

But for the entire time I held the microphone, the audiences were guests in my house — not the other way around.

If you feel that this sort of approach to stand-up comedy is a just silly mental exercise…

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Adopt The Mindset Of A Headliner Now

Don’t expect to be able to deliver headliner level comedy material until you are able to adopt possess the mindset of a headline comedian.  With this mindset:

• Headliners have the ultimate confidence and comfort on stage
• Headliners control the audience with their material and the laughter it generates
• Headliners deliver their comedy material with sincerity and conviction
• Headliners keep constant eye contact with the audience to maintain control
• Headliners are fearless and are able to deal with hecklers and interruptions with ease
• Headliners understand that audiences expect to be entertained at the highest levels and…
• Headliners know they can entertain audiences at the highest levels

Well guess what? These success attributes of the Headliner mindset don’t just apply to headliner comedians — they apply to anyone who steps on the stage as a comedian who has the will and the talent to be a comedian, no matter what their current status or level.

And you DON’T have to wait to adopt these mental success attributes unless you choose to.

So here’s a very serious question you need to answer for yourself before you start the professional rehearsal process:

Did you take this course to become a better open mike comedian or did you take this course to learn how to develop and deliver headliner level stand-up comedy material?

The reason I ask is this:

Until you are able to deliver headliner level stand-up comedy material — no matter what “level” you may be at or what “title” you may hold, you will go nowhere fast as a comedian. End of story.

The mental attitude you take to the stage is a HUGE part of being able to deliver a powerful and memorable stand-up comedy routine.

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Wrap Up

I want you to have a winning mental attitude BEFORE you begin the professional rehearsal process.

I want you to OWN the stage while you are performing.

You can’t do that if you are stuck in thinking like and seeing yourself as an open miker.

Otherwise, professional rehearsal just becomes a chore — another “rote” process to go through.

When you begin the professional rehearsal process…

You need to visualize being the OWNER of the stage — not some outsider “guest” who’s getting some time on stage as a “rookie”.

You are preparing to reap the unparalleled admiration, respect and glory that comes with slaying an audience like few comedians can do.

Or, you can simply take the “I’m just an open miker” approach.

The choice is now completely in your hands.

One last thing…

One of the reasons that Comedy Evaluator Pro is one of the most powerful weapons that you have at your disposal is because…

You don’t have to “guess” at what level you are performing at or depend on ANYONE ELSE to let you know how well you are doing when you perform.

If you are using the online software properly to evaluate your performances…

You will know beyond a shadow of a doubt if you are generating headliner level laughter levels or not and how to use that amazing tool to tighten your act to the maximum extent possible.

I will cover how to use Comedy Evaluator Pro later in this course.

But don’t worry about that now — the professional rehearsal process is next and hopefully…

You will approach professional rehearsal with the mental attitude of a confident winner.

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