Dave Chappelle is considered one of the greatest comedians of our time. He is known for his seemingly effortless and spontaneous stand-up performances where he connects with audiences in an intimate and authentic way. But it hasn’t always been easy for Chappelle. In fact, in 2005, at the height of his stardom, he lost his way. Chappelle had just finished shooting the second season of his hit show when he found himself at a crossroads. He was struggling to come up with new material for the third season. The usual methods of listening to other comedians and experimenting with commentary in front of live but small audiences weren’t working. His creativity seemed buried, and he couldn’t dig himself out of a deepening hole of despair about it. So, he did something out of the ordinary for him. He embarked on a spiritual journey to South Africa to watch children play. As he expected, the kids improvised continually to create fun and excitement for each other. It reminded him of what creativity is all about, but he didn’t feel as if he had a breakthrough. Upon his return to the States, Chappelle performed a stand-up show in New York City where he told the audience about his struggles and his recent trip to South Africa. He told them how hard it was to find inspiration at times, and how the children he observed on his trip oozed with what he had lost. The audience loved it. Chappelle realized that the real source of material and creativity was to be true to himself and his experiences. He began incorporating his personal life into his comedy routine and rediscovered the wonder of improvisation. Chappelle’s journey reminds us that sometimes, all we need to find inspiration is to step outside of our personal comfort zone and see the world from a different vantage. Re-learning how others appreciate authenticity is never lost on the creative mind.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
