How do you judge a comic's career? How do measure success or failure? What's the best rubric to see if a career will last 30 years or only 3? And how should we evaluate our current situation in the comedy game? Mistakenly, most see their current situation as the defining measurement of where they are in comedy. Ever notice most comics only post their "wins" on social media but never their "losses?" Tonight's "sold out" show is great, but if we're honest, it's great because of last night's no audience bar show. And then you have to deal with people perceiving other's success or failures incorrectly. That's why it's crucial to never see your current situation as a permanent one - both the good and the bad.   

The Image of Success Fallacy 
Whenever my friends go, "they're killing it!" or "they're making millions a month!" I ask, "did you look at their bank account?" The answer is no. But the "successful" comic has stuff they wish they had, so they create a story in their head about their wealth and opportunities. Yet, if people in the entertainment industry were truly happy and wealthy, the suicide rate wouldn't be national news every other day. You don't hear about a lot of beloved teachers taking their own lives, and they make on average $60,000 a year. 

Too often we look at a comic's current schedule as the way it's always been and always will be. There are people opening for Headliner A who look like they're really popping, but maybe they're only making $50 a show and the headliner is making $10,000 a weekend. Many comics confuse the success of others as their own, posting "SOLD OUT" shows and they weren't really behind the ticket sales surge. It's not that the show didn't sell out, but what are they trying to prove? In fact, a lot of comics hurt their own career by posting a false narrative that they were responsible for what went on that night. 

If you're showing off a "sold out" show that you were marketing and producing or headlining - great. If you just showed up for the guest spot, getting paid nothing, etc. then maybe stick with candid photos from the stage. If you got into a big festival - great - you're qualified to take credit because of the context. But when I see comics bragging about something someone else is responsible for, it would be like going to a birthday dinner for a friend with 20 people you've never met before and taking a group selfie with the caption "Look how many friends I have! #Blessed" 

It's not that it's "wrong" but it creates a false narrative. Not all facts are truthful. It can also create an expectation when people want to see you or book you, and the next show is an MIA audience. Now people are wondering where all those "fans" were. 

I once did a corporate show with 1,000 people and I made sure to clarify I was hired for a corporate event and not a draw in middle America. The story I'm selling is that the event coordinators trust me. Because that's something I can be proud of. 

Create a Story That Is Truthful More Than Factual
Language is important. Saying, "I'm a regular opener for Headliner A" has a lot of implications, but if you've just opened for a guy once and say "I got to open last month for Headliner A" you are being more truthful. The "fake it to you make it" philosophy is what leads to a lot of comics getting upset and depressed because they think selling a better narrative and getting the love is all that matters instead of focusing on just building the career they want to have. 

If you got to perform at The Ice House because it's a "bringer," sure your friends don't know you used them for 6 minutes of glory. But if you wait and grind so you can be asked by the club or an impressed producer or headliner, that moment will feel better in the long run. This is why I tell comics to stay away from bringers. Because you get the snapshot of success instead of the portrait of it. Anyone can can get a picture on a fancy stage, but a portrait proves you consistently sat in place for the end product.  

Keep in mind that as you post about the current state of your comedy career, you know what's really going on. So I would encourage you to post about the good, the great, the bad, and the ugly. Have fun with both the wins and losses. An image of success feels good in the moment, but feeling of success feels better in the long haul.        

Do Not Be Ashamed of Small Beginnings...Middles or Ends
If I could redo my comedy career, I would probably have done more open mics even though I was getting paid work early on. I was thrusted into a circle that provided me with a lot of great experiences, but it also set me up to be put in front of producers and traveling comics too early. So instead of building a career through traditional steps, I was added as a feature early on and those bookers still see me as a feature. Had I waited a bit, I could have gotten a better gig with the same booker, because they would have known me as a more established comic. Instead, I was put in front of comics and producers early and their image of me is a funny guy who needs more polish. 

As you ebb and flow through comedy career waters, don't be ashamed of doing smaller shows in the beginning and doing similar shows as a feature or headliner as you progress. Practicing your 20-40 minutes in front of smaller crowds will help you build confidence and tools to get ready for the bigger stages later. Even the top headliners still take on smaller gigs to work out jokes. Kevin Hart and Don McMillan both have huge, different followings, but both will go to small venues to work on new hours and specials. 

Final Thoughts
No matter where you are in your journey, don't feel the your current situation is the highest or lowest point. So many things can change, and you can meet new comics, producers, bookers, etc. Today's victory might be considered a loss down the road - and vice versa. You career will have many phases. One day you're opening for a huge name and the next you're featuring in a bar casino in the middle of nowhere. I know a lot of comics who live off the ups and downs of their TikTok views. None of that defines a person or your career.

Consistency, perseverance, and longevity are what makes a fully realized career. And through the years you'll have busier seasons than other ones. And that's the process. So if you have to work more side hustles to make up lost shows, maintain a lower rent to keep things affordable, or rearrange gigs to create more practical traveling plans, it's okay. Your current situation, whether great or a disaster, is temporary. 

When King Solomon asked his advisors to make him a gift that would keep him humble in times of prosperity and hopeful in times of despair, they made him a ring with the inscription: "This too shall pass." 

​Ain't that the truth.                   

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
~ Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken​

There are so many paths for a comedian to go down on the journey of pursuing a dream of becoming a full time comic. Some stay on the broad road, pursing comedy part time (getting up a few times a month) while others sacrifice time and money getting up whenever they can. Neither is better or worse, when at the end of the day, the most important factor is making sure you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and the ability to make money in some (legal) capacity. You'd be surprised how many comics romanticize the nomad life by choosing to live in a car or go days without eating. Sometimes it pays off, but most times it leads to depression and financial ruins. Yet, one reason people allow themselves to hit a level of "rock bottom" is because they are convinced there is only "one way" to make it to the top. Yet, sometimes the best thing when you see things crumbling is to change directions. Change your place - change your luck. 
The Ignorant "One Way to Make It" Theories 
If you spend enough time around open mics or midlevel headliners, they'll tell you about how they made it and how it's the only way to make it. But if they all have different advice, how their way be the only way?   
Here are the "Only Way to Make It" Strategies I've Heard
The Grind
If you talk to some older comics, they'll tell you you have to get up every day, sometimes twice a day, work on your jokes, hang out at clubs, and eventually you'll become a club regular, which will eventually get you road work. This will lead to a road dog lifestyle, getting on as many booker's rosters as possible, and eventually sprinkling in corporate and cruise ship gigs. And yes, that's one way to do it. It's time consuming, at times degrading, and confusing to family and friends you dropped so you can pursue dreams of stardom. This appears to be the New York mind set in a nutshell. There's an old joke that comics in the Midwest dream of performing in LA and comics in LA dream of getting gigs in the Midwest. This is the most "conservative" route, as it costs the least amount of money and it focuses you on getting up often, which is good. But there's no guarantees in this system, and furthermore, you find yourself surrounded by the other open micers who are just as green as you.  
Social Media Star 
Another way to "make it" is tape every set, post 1 minute clips on TikTok and Instagram and build an online fanbase. Sure, if you are a bit tech savvy, this can work. But considering I know plenty of comics getting passed at clubs with 1,000 followers and comics with 500,000 followers nowhere near the riches they were promised, I think this way leads to a lot of expectations being squashed while they grind out videos daily. Plus you end up getting bitter as you watch your videos get 500 views and more famous comics with similar sketches getting millions of views. Bookers like using your numbers as a justification to not book you but use the numbers as justification to book someone else. Even if you get 500,000 TikTok followers, the bookers will still find something against you if they just don't want you on their roster.  
Spend Your Way To The Top 
Then there's the comedy festival route that eventually leads to management and late night TV spots. Big festivals like Just For Laughs, Big Sky, and Big Pine all have huge TV bookers and industry representation, but considering the odds of winning a spot in these festivals starts with outrageous submission costs or having agents submit on your behalf, there are so many obstacles, you might as well just play the slots in Vegas to hit the jackpot. Attached to this model is The World Series of Comedy, which comics spends hundreds a week competing in multiple five day competitions hoping to get in front of club bookers for feature spots. I talked to a comic who put themselves $20,000 into debt doing festivals and WSOC - once you figure travel and food costs. If that sounds scary, just know this isn't for you. If you have the cash to get out there, it can provide you with the opportunity to learn road dog habits, but if you're using debt to fund your road trips, you better get a big tax return to pay it off.   
The Regional Comic 
Then there is the old school "regional comic" road where you move to Ohio or Florida or the Carolina's and you live within 5-6 states and you travel the region doing clubs and building fans the way Jeff Foxworthy or Jim Gaffigan did. One Milwaukee comic told me he was able to get paid 30 minute feature spots every week his first few years into comedy, but once he felt ready for LA, he was shocked everything was an unpaid 5-10 minute showcase spot. My first open mic at Nerdist more than a decade ago, an Atlanta comic told me he moved to LA after making $1500 a month as a stand up and $3000 a month working at Best Buy. He said he had 6 months of expenses saved up and if he didn't make it in LA, he'd have to move back. I never saw him again in person or on TV. 
One buddy of mine was done with LA and moved to Michigan where he rose to the hosting and feature ranks quickly and made good money. Thinking his act was much stronger, he came back to LA, only to face the same booker issues and quit comedy. Had he stayed in Michigan he might have been able to make nice living doing stand up and booking for clubs.
Clearly, there are many "one way" methods, and all of them have a track record of success and failure, but to say there's one way is a fast track to limiting yourself. The trick to reaching your fullest potential is to pick the road that works for you, and if it's not working, pivot. You are never required to go down the same road just because it was the first one you were made aware of. 
How To Pick The Best Road For You
When you read those descriptions, some of you might be feeling overwhelmed, while others are seeing opportunities. Because we all come from different backgrounds. Some of us have money from relatives or jobs with PTO, while others don't have a support system at all. Some have connections through friends and previous industries. Others have access to venues because the place is looking for talent that aligns with their brand. When you point to Comic A and say "do what they did" you have to consider all the other factors involved.
How old were they when they started? Did they have a headliner mentor them early in their career? How good looking or unique looking are they? What kind of act do they have? Had they tried other things before? 
I remember a few years ago there was a 25 year old female comic getting a lot of spots, and my male comedy buddies were like "She's booked everywhere! How do I get those gigs?" And I said, "Be a funny 25 year old woman." Trying to get spots like another comic only works if you are basically the same as them, starting at the same place and same time. Because good shows need variety, and if you're just like everyone else on the show, its going to be harder to break from the pack. 
That's why it's important to move forward with the freedom to fail. Too many comics put a "Comedy Store or Bust" sign on their forehead. But today's doorman is not the 1990's doorman, or the 2000's doorman. What worked for Jim Carrey and Tony Hinchcliffe may not work for you.
Jim Gaffigan came out of a marketing job in the Midwest. His old opener, Ted Alexandro was a music teacher performing comedy at night. I saw them together at The Santa Barbara Bowl, and their stories inspired me to start comedy later that year.   
Drew Carey came out of a military background, writing jokes for a disc jockey until getting hosting duties at a Cleveland club. He would be on Star Search in a couple years and got booked for The Tonight Show faster than any of his peers. 
Sarah Silverman started standup at 17 in 1987 and then went full time in 1992 and by 1993 was a featured player and writer for SNL. She was fired after one year. Ironically, she was brought on because she was a young, hip female artist. But almost nothing she wrote got on air because she was a young, hip female artist. Silverman wrote a bit about this experience for The Larry Sanders Show.     
Yesterday's Plan isn't Today's Road Map
But what they all have in common is that they started before social media and Netflix specials and weird pop up shows in strange venues. It used to be the weirdest place to do a show was a laundry mat or coffee shop. Not shows are in gyms and dumpsters. My April Fool's joke about starting a Home Depot show in the Electric Aisle got a lot of inquires. Upon reflection, the more absurd, the better the show now. 
Their pathways are still possible, but the gatekeepers are sharper and shrewder now. You can't just walk into an open mic and get a showcase spot at one of the big Hollywood clubs. The old ways aren't the same ways today. 
That's why you need to be fluid and okay with change. Too often we think if we stick with Road A we'll see it through to ultimate success, because we never noticed that road stopped getting paved along the way. Now you're on a gravel road, with your comedy wheels feeling deflated. 
Sometimes the wisdom to stop doing X can make a better plan possible. Cut your losses and never speak of them again.
Pivot. Pivot. Pivot. 
So if you feel you're stuck, just pivot. "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got" is an expression I've heard, and it really applies to unsuccessful people. Pivoting is scary, and you might not always get a better result at first, but not changing gears will eventually eat you up inside as well. 
After I became a regular a Ice House and Flappers, filmed for Laughs on Fox and a Drybar Special, I just assumed the road would get easier. But the playing field changed. What would have guaranteed me years of road work in 2000's now was worth nothing to the new breed of bookers looking at social media accounts, even though many of them don't understand not all 150K followers of a TikTok comic live near their venue.      
Final Thoughts
Sometimes changing where you are can be the difference maker in a career. Maybe it's time to find new rooms or even a new state. But if you're grinding away and watching others living your best life, don't be afraid to make changes. Maybe it's time for you to focus on the comedy festival scene. Maybe you need to pick a couple clubs and focus on them. Maybe the social media route deserves a look. There are many pathways, and it's possible you just haven't picked the one that's best for you. 
A few weeks ago I was working with a comic on his future plans, and after asking some oddly specific questions I realized his future wasn't doing 5 minute sets at small clubs, it was becoming the social media guru for comics and exchanging it for stage time and a little pay. That's what pivoting can do. 
Back in the 1960's Richard Pryor was trying to become the next Bill Cosby. Then one night in 1967 in Las Vegas he stopped his act, got off the stage, and disappeared. A few years later he joined the Berkley counter culture movement and later became the Richard Pryor we all admire. Change your location, change your luck.    
In the final words of the Robert Frost poem:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Sometimes changing paths can lead you to you destiny and make all the difference.