Jeni said yes.

I’m a big fan of saying yes.

Whenever an opportunity presents itself, as odd, frightening, or difficult as it may seem, say yes. Walk through that door without hesitation.

A yes can eventually become a no if what you find behind that door isn’t for you, but we must constantly seek to expand and grow our lives.

Stagnation is death.

A yes guarantees that expansion.

One of the more recent impressive examples of this philosophy is Jeni Bonaldo’s willingness to perform alongside me in the upcoming  “Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” – a storytelling improv show in which she and I will tell brand new stories on the spot based solely on random prompts supplied by audience members, the internet, and each other.

This is a hell of a yes.

First, it’s not an easy job. Public speaking is cited as people’s greatest fear, often behind “death” on the list of fears. Standing before strangers with the expectation that you will speak coherently for an hour would be terrifying to most people.

Adding to this challenge is the obligation to be entertaining makes it even more difficult. Telling an entertaining, meaningful, true story about your life based upon a randomly supplied prompt with no preparation whatsoever is a ridiculous expectation. Include a theater filled with audience members who paid to be entertained, and it quickly becomes something most people think impossible.

Most storytellers, comedians, and public speakers are nervous about performing after weeks and even months of preparation. Jeni and I will have about 60 seconds to think before speaking.

She’s also agreed to participate in this crazy highwire act alongside me:

A storyteller who has won 59 Moth StorySLAMs in a little more than 100 attempts and a record nine-time Moth GrandSLAM championships. I’m someone who performs throughout the country regularly and has been doing this kind of improv for years in my solo shows.

Excuse the hubris, but I’m far more experienced than Jeni. I’ve stood on hundreds of stages all over the world and performed alongside some of the best storytellers on the planet. I’m disgustingly, supremely confident. Performing in this improv format is hard enough. Agreeing to do it alongside someone like me is, in the words of one person, “crazy town.”

But here’s the thing about Jeni:

1. I can count the number of storytellers who I would trust to perform alongside me in this format on one hand. Jeni would occupy two of those fingers, and she would always be my first choice.
2. I knew that Jeni would say yes when I asked because she has that same fire in her belly as me. She is willing to walk that tightrope because she, too, knows how saying yes can change your life for the better.
3. Jeni’s stories will be at least as good as mine because she is a world-class storyteller, and the audience will likely adore her far more than they adore me, which will be very annoying for me.
4. I suspect that Jeni will serve as an inspiration for many in the audience. While I only feel excitement about this upcoming show, Jeni is nervous – perhaps even a little frightened – and justifiably so. But it’s the intersection between fear and action where courage exists, and Jeni’s courage will be on full display that night. It does not require courage from me to perform. I am a monster who never feels nervous before, during, or after a performance. But Jeni will undoubtedly feel nervous, as would most performers, so her willingness to say yes will inspire me and many audience members, I suspect.
5. As much as Jeni and I love each other, we are also delightfully competitive and more than willing to verbally stab at each other. Years ago, while teaching a weeklong workshop together at a yoga retreat center, our students became concerned that we were angry with each other after watching us snipe back and forth during breaks. We weren’t, of course. We were just being us. I think that dynamic will make for a great show. Jeni can give it just as well as she can take it.

I feel supremely fortunate to have Jeni as a friend. I stumbled upon her years ago while speaking at the school where she teaches, and my life has been better ever since.

I’m sure it will be a fun night of storytelling for us and an entertaining night for the audience.

How lucky we all are for Jeni’s willingness to say yes.

The show is nearly sold out, so if you want tickets, don’t delay. Click here.