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Happy Accidents
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Happy Accidents
by David Wilk, Frank Ford, David Ahearn
Happy Accidents
Fourword
IntroductionHow to Reset Your Mind-set From “No, But” to “Yes, And”
You’re Already an Improviser
1 How to Harness the Power of Positive Collaboration
Getting Into Comedy 101
Our First Happy Accident: Discovering the Power of We
In “Yes, And” We Trust
Chapter 1 Intermission
When One Door Closes, Opportunity Knock-Knocks
Conscientiousness
The Origin of an Idea
Chapter 1 Highlights
Chapter 1 Exercise
2 Life’s All About the Leap, Not the Landing
Opportunity Isn’t Opportunity, Unless We Choose to Seize It
Renting Our First Starter Home
Chapter 2 Intermission
Manifestation Is When Intention Meets Belief
The Curtain Rises
Shared Passion Creates Fertile Ground for Success
The Happiest of Accidents
The Goal We Share Together We Achieve Together
You See a Rainy Wedding Rehearsal and We See a New Theater
Chapter 2 Highlights
Chapter 2 Exercise
3 How to Get the Maximum Return on Improvisation (ROI)
Value Your Staff and Customers and They Will Value You
Chapter 3 Intermission
In Improvisation, the Setback or Perceived Mistake Can Be the Next Great Thing
Chapter 3 Highlights
Chapter 3 Exercise
4 How to Treat Your Coworkers Like Artists and Poets
Can Someone Please Teach Me to Be Authentic?
The Call of Hollywood
Chapter 4 Intermission
The Work Is What Matters
Hollywood’s on Line 1
Chapter 4 Highlights
Chapter 4 Exercise
5 Why a Controlled Life Is the Enemy of a Happy Life
(A, P, A), E, I, O, U, and 
Always, Why?, and Always, Why?
The Age of Poi-Zen (Our Breakup)
Chapter 5 Intermission
The Age of Re-Zen (Our Big Makeup)
Chapter 5 Highlights
Chapter 5 Exercise
6 How Being a Better Listener Makes You a Better Communicator
Crisis, Party of Six, Your Table Is Ready
Would You Like Your Financial Meltdown on White or Wheat?
Chapter 6 Intermission
Pull Up a Deck Seat on the Titanic and Enjoy the View
Lifeboat, Party of Six
Chapter 6 Highlights
Chapter 6 Exercise
7 Why There Are No Mistakes, Only Higher and Lower Percentage Choices
Relationships
Chapter 7 Intermission
Vision
That’s the Spirit!
Chapter 7 Highlights
Chapter 7 Exercise
8 How to Transform Your Labor of Love Into a Masterpiece
It’s Raining Congressmen and Congresswomen
20 Seconds from Another Happy Accident
Chapter 8 Intermission
Building a “Yes, And” City
Chapter 8 Highlights
Chapter 8 Exercise
9 When All Else Succeeds, Leap Again
Take Ownership of Your Choices
Chapter 9 Intermission
Practice Genuine Appreciation and Authenticity
Pen to Paper to Passion to Product
Yet Another Happy Accident, but This One Has Wings
Chapter 9 Highlights
Chapter 9 Exercise
10 It Takes a Village, Idiot
Chapter 10 Intermission
Chapter 10 Highlights
Chapter 10 Exercise
Encore Exercises
“Gift-Giving” Exercise
“I Get To” Exercise
“Shared-Experience” Exercise
“Gratitude” Exercise
Index
EULA
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Happy Accidents
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Fourword
CONTENTS
Fourword
IntroductionHow to Reset Your Mind-set From “No, But” to “Yes, And”
You’re Already an Improviser
1 How to Harness the Power of Positive Collaboration
Getting Into Comedy 101
Our First Happy Accident: Discovering the Power of We
In “Yes, And” We Trust
Chapter 1 Intermission
When One Door Closes, Opportunity Knock-Knocks
Conscientiousness
The Origin of an Idea
Chapter 1 Highlights
Chapter 1 Exercise
2 Life’s All About the Leap, Not the Landing
Opportunity Isn’t Opportunity, Unless We Choose to Seize It
Renting Our First Starter Home
Chapter 2 Intermission
Manifestation Is When Intention Meets Belief
The Curtain Rises
Shared Passion Creates Fertile Ground for Success
The Happiest of Accidents
The Goal We Share Together We Achieve Together
You See a Rainy Wedding Rehearsal and We See a New Theater
Chapter 2 Highlights
Chapter 2 Exercise
3 How to Get the Maximum Return on Improvisation (ROI)
Value Your Staff and Customers and They Will Value You
Chapter 3 Intermission
In Improvisation, the Setback or Perceived Mistake Can Be the Next Great Thing
Chapter 3 Highlights
Chapter 3 Exercise
4 How to Treat Your Coworkers Like Artists and Poets
Can Someone Please Teach Me to Be Authentic?
The Call of Hollywood
Chapter 4 Intermission
The Work Is What Matters
Hollywood’s on Line 1
Chapter 4 Highlights
Chapter 4 Exercise
5 Why a Controlled Life Is the Enemy of a Happy Life
(A
,
P, A), E
,
I
,
O
,
U
, and Always, Why?
The Age of Poi-Zen (Our Breakup)
Chapter 5 Intermission
The Age of Re-Zen (Our Big Makeup)
Chapter 5 Highlights
Chapter 5 Exercise
6 How Being a Better Listener Makes You a Better Communicator
Crisis, Party of Six, Your Table Is Ready
Would You Like Your Financial Meltdown on White or Wheat?
Chapter 6 Intermission
Pull Up a Deck Seat on the
Titanic
and Enjoy the View
Lifeboat, Party of Six
Chapter 6 Highlights
Chapter 6 Exercise
7 Why There Are No Mistakes, Only Higher and Lower Percentage Choices
Relationships
Chapter 7 Intermission
Vision
That’s the Spirit!
Chapter 7 Highlights
Chapter 7 Exercise
8 How to Transform Your Labor of Love Into a Masterpiece
It’s Raining Congressmen and Congresswomen
20 Seconds from Another Happy Accident
Chapter 8 Intermission
Building a “Yes, And” City
Chapter 8 Highlights
Chapter 8 Exercise
9 When All Else Succeeds, Leap Again
Take Ownership of Your Choices
Chapter 9 Intermission
Practice Genuine Appreciation and Authenticity
Pen to Paper to Passion to Product
Yet Another Happy Accident, but This One Has Wings
Chapter 9 Highlights
Chapter 9 Exercise
10 It Takes a Village, Idiot
Chapter 10 Intermission
Chapter 10 Highlights
Chapter 10 Exercise
Encore Exercises
“Gift-Giving” Exercise
“I Get To” Exercise
“Shared-Experience” Exercise
“Gratitude” Exercise
Index
EULA
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Figure 0.1
Current Four Day Weekend cast. From left to right: Anthony Bowling, Ray Sharp, Oliver Tull, Josh Roberts, Andrew Hamer, Troy Grant, Frank Ford, David Wilk, David Ahearn
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1
This is what the corporate ladder looks like at Four Day Weekend. Notice how we’re helping each other up? From top to bottom: David Wilk, Frank Ford, Ray Sharp, David Ahearn, Oliver Tull, Josh Roberts
Chapter 2
Figure 2.1
Illustration by Dan McMahan
Figure 2.2
The interior of the Four Day Weekend Theater in 1997
Chapter 3
Figure 3.1
Early Four Day Weekend cast. From left to right: Oliver Tull, Frank Ford, David Ahearn, Josh Roberts, Ray Sharp, David Wilk Photo Credit: Joseph Victor Stefanchik
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1
The cast of
Get Lost
Chapter 5
Figure 5.1
This sign hangs in the cast’s dressing room, as a reminder to have fun.
Chapter 9
Figure 9.1
The Maccabee on the Mantel
Figure 9.2
The Secret Blue Butterfly
Chapter 10
Figure 10.1
From left to right: Oliver Tull, Ray Sharp, Frank Ford, David Wilk, David Ahearn
Figure 10.2
From left to right: Cristela Alonzo, Frank Ford, Oliver Tull, Anthony Bowling, Josh Roberts, Andrew Hamer, David Wilk, David Ahearn, Troy Grant
Guide
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