Would you be a great writer or a comedian?

I do both for a living. The number one statement I get from people I meet that aren’t in the business say “I could be a great writer (or comedian) if I wanted to.” I am usually too polite to say what I am thinking about them. Let me turn the question around: “If you could be a great writer or comedian, why aren’t you?”

Note: I am not claiming I am great. At least I don’t say that in public. At least not that often. Rarely for attribution in print. I am the very modern model of humility, me.