Some people, like I did early in my career, spend too much time trying to be funny, or trying to be thought of as funny.

But thanks to the great Lee Abrams, I was able to get out of that ditch.  Lee straightforwardly told me that when I tried to tell jokes, they fell a little flat.  But if I was just myself funny things happened.  He said “Don’t try to say funny things.  Your strength is saying things funny.”

It totally changed my career, and I was able to tell Lee that years later.  So…

Be genuine, instead of trying to be funny.  Go for the Heart, and sharing an honest observation or feeling, instead of a punch line.

The odd thing is if you have the Heart, the humor comes anyway, naturally.  But if you just try for Humor, it leaves the Heart out.