May 27, 2020
“I think that if you’re able to be flexible, you open yourself up to all possibilities of getting to the place that you eventually want to be.” - Josh Johnson
Each week, your failed it! podcast host and improve it! founder Erin Diehl, will take you on a comedic journey that flips the “highlight reel” of Instagram on its head and shows you the grit, creativity and determination it takes to overcome your disappointments, embrace the suck, and design the career you’ve only dreamed about.
On today’s failed it! episode, host Erin Diehl introduces stand-up comedian, writer and performer, Josh Johnson, to speak about how he stands up and embraces failure! *Please note that this episode was recorded prior to the pandemic.*
Welcome to failed it!
- [3:59] The real Diehl on the real Josh Johnson
- [7:26] Josh’s failure resume
- [10:04] The first year of stand-up
- [13:26] Podcast idea that didn’t come to fruition
- [22:36] 3 lessons Josh learned
- [23:45] Doors don’t get slammed, but get closed slowly
- [25:06] “I think that if you’re able to be flexible, you open yourself up to all possibilities of getting to the place that you eventually want to be.”
- [27:45] improve it!’s WFH (work from home) membership
- [34:12] “Time only builds and helps them to get them where they want to go.”
- [35:47] Josh provides 3 action items for you that he learned
- [37:53] “Reading is a lot like exercising”
- [43:03] What did Josh fail at today?
- [44:44] Fail Yeah!
- [46:21] You can follow/DM Josh on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook
- [47:24] Check out Josh’s album ‘I Like You’ on Spotify, Tidal, etc.
- [48:08] Rate/Subscribe on iTunes and screenshot you listening
by tagging us using #faileditpodcast!
- Instagram: @learntoimproveit
- Facebook: @improveit
Josh Johnson is a stand-up, writer, and performer from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and has been featured on Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City. Josh was named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Comics to Watch’ in 2015 and one of the Just For Laughs Festival’s ‘New Faces’ in 2016. He is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he also made his late-night debut in 2017.
As a stand-up, Josh has performed at clubs, colleges and festivals around the world, including JFL Montreal, Bumbershoot, Moontower, SXSW, Riot LA, Bridgetown, High Plains and the New York Comedy Festival and was named New York’s Funniest Comic at Caroline's during the New York Comedy Festival in 2018.
On screen, Josh has appeared on CONAN, @Midnight with Chris Hardwick, and Netflix as part of The Comedy Lineup. In 2017, he released his Comedy Central half-hour special and album ‘I Like You.’ His web series Genies, which he wrote and starred in, was released on Comedy Central in late 2018.
He was on the road with Trevor Noah, as a part of the LOUD & CLEAR Tour, prior to the pandemic. Josh lives in New York and can be seen performing regularly at the Comedy Cellar.
Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award.
This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre.
When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running by the lake and patio dinners with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl.
You can follow the failed it! Podcast @learntoimproveit on Instagram and facebook, and you can follow Erin here on Instagram. We can’t wait to connect with you online!