MAKE THEM CARE.

Those three words are written on the wall in my office. I put them in the inside cover of my notebooks and scrawl them on my hand in sharpie when I’m on the road.

Everything I work on starts with those three words.

I’m not naive, I know that people don’t come to my shows to see me. They’re on a date night or a work event, they got a free ticket or just wanted a fun night out. Rarely are they a fan of me, or even a fan of mind reading.

It’s my job to MAKE THEM CARE.

Think about it: those people could literally be anywhere else. They have instant access to millions of videos and movies on YouTube and Netflix, Hamilton is playing downtown, the Chicago zoo has free admission. They could have been anywhere.

So why would I waste their time when they made the choice to spend an hour with me? 

It’s up to me to MAKE THEM CARE.

When I perform I have to shove aside my ego and think about the audience’s experience first and foremost. I don’t want to pander but I also can’t let myself be too didactic. They don’t want a lecture or a history lesson, they just want to be entertained.

Want to know the real secret to making people care?

The trick is to make everything about them. Whatever you do, put other people first. Share wisdom and inspire others. Lead by example and be positive. Demonstrate through your actions that hard work, enthusiasm, and kindness always pay off. Be the kind of person that people want to emulate, not imitate.

I’m on a mission this year to be more positive and encouraging to everyone I meet. I’m looking to make meaningful connections both on and off stage. I’m trying to be more supportive and thoughtful and helpful as much as I possibly can.

It turns out that making other people happy for no reason makes you tremendously happy in return. And when you care about others it makes them care about you.