6 Years 345 days - Listen

6 Years 345 days - Listen

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? For comedian David Boyle, part of the answer right now is pushing himself into places that feel painfully awkward – like improv class. In this quick-hit episode of "I'm Quitting Alcohol", Boyle talks about his second improv class, which he almost skipped out of sheer exhaustion and forgetfulness.

After a long day kicking a soccer ball with his son and feeling ready to crash, he downs some CBGs, smashes a coffee, and races to class, only to find himself confronting something even more draining than physical tiredness: having to actually listen. Boyle contrasts stand-up with improv in a way that will ring true for anyone who lives in their own head.

Stand-up, he says, is "all output" – rehearsed jokes, timing, punchlines and a bright light in your eyes. Improv, on the other hand, "you have to be a good listener". At first he tries to cheat, pre-planning his lines while others speak, then realises that this is "sort of hacking the system" and misses the whole point.

Through silly-sounding exercises – finishing words from random syllables, repeating a partner’s line and tagging it with "and I" – he's forced to stay present, drop the ego, and respond in real time. "How little I fucking listen," he admits, noticing how often he's in his own head and not with the other person.

Despite calling the class "cringe" and "improv shite", he can see it’s stretching him in ways he needs: getting out of his comfort zone, letting go of self-consciousness, and learning that "there's a freedom in listening and reacting in the moment". For anyone trying to change long-term habits, his decision to show up tired, late and reluctant – because "if you start missing, it's over" – might hit close to home.

If you’ve ever wondered whether stepping into something awkward and uncool might actually help you grow, this one’s worth your five minutes.