Surviving and Thriving: How Humor, Persistence, and Thick Skin Keep Me Going

Success isn’t a straight line—at least, it hasn’t been for me. It’s more like a chaotic zigzag, complete with roadblocks, wrong turns, and the occasional detour into a ditch. I’ve learned that achieving anything worthwhile means embracing the messy, unpredictable nature of the journey. And the tools that have helped me most? Thick skin, persistence, and a sense of humor. Without these, I’d still be stuck at the starting line, doubting whether I even deserved to try.

Let’s talk about thick skin. In the creative world, rejection isn’t just common—it’s practically part of the job description. When you put your work out there, you’re essentially saying, “Here’s a piece of my soul; please be gentle.” Of course, gentleness isn’t always what you get. Instead, you’re more likely to receive feedback that feels like a slap, a punch, or a playful nudge—if you’re lucky. Early in my career, rejection felt personal, like a direct attack on who I was and what I stood for. But over time, I realized that rejection isn’t about me—it’s about fit. Not everyone will connect with what I create, and that’s okay. Developing thick skin doesn’t mean becoming immune to criticism; it means learning to separate constructive feedback from the noise and not letting either stop you from moving forward.

Then there’s persistence. If rejection is the rule, persistence is how you play the game anyway. I can’t count the number of times I’ve felt like throwing in the towel, whether it was after a failed project, a missed opportunity, or just one of those days where the ideas weren’t flowing. But here’s the thing: every “no” brings you closer to a “yes.” Every failure is a lesson, and every setback is a setup for a comeback—if you let it be. Persistence isn’t glamorous. It’s not the stuff of Hollywood montages where the music swells and everything magically falls into place. It’s showing up every day, even when you don’t feel like it, even when it feels like no one is paying attention. It’s the belief that if you keep going, eventually, the dots will connect.

Of course, persistence and thick skin alone can make the journey feel a bit...well, grim. That’s where humor comes in. Humor has been my survival mechanism, my coping strategy, and my secret weapon. When things go wrong—and they do, often—it’s humor that reminds me not to take myself or the situation too seriously. It’s the voice in my head that says, “Well, that didn’t work. Guess it’s time to laugh about it and try again.” Humor takes the sting out of failure and the edge off criticism. It turns a hard “no” into a funny story to share with friends and a bad day into a running joke.

But humor isn’t just a way to survive setbacks—it’s also a way to connect. As a writer, performer, and creator, I’ve found that humor is one of the most powerful tools for engaging people. It breaks down walls, builds trust, and creates space for vulnerability. When I use humor in my work, it’s not just about getting a laugh—it’s about finding common ground, about saying, “Hey, life is messy and ridiculous, and we’re all just doing our best to figure it out.”

So, what does success look like to me? It’s not fame or fortune or a perfect track record. Success is having the freedom to create, the resilience to keep going when things get tough, and the ability to laugh at the absurdity of it all. It’s finishing a project that makes me proud, hearing that my work resonated with someone, or simply knowing that I gave it my best shot. And when I look back at the winding, unpredictable path I’ve taken, I can honestly say, “I’d do it all again.”

For anyone navigating their own chaotic journey, my advice is this: grow your thick skin, fuel your persistence, and never underestimate the power of humor. Rejections will sting, failures will happen, and the road will get bumpy, but those are just part of the process. Keep showing up, keep trying, and, above all, keep laughing. Because at the end of the day, success isn’t just about where you end up—it’s about how you handle the ride.