#4 - Ajit Krishnamoorthy: What Makes Stand-up Comedy so Difficult?

Welcome back to the show! Today my guest is Ajit Krishnamoorthy, an engineer and stand-up comedian. You can find Ajit on Instagram: @pyjama_naps In this episode Ajit shares his journey through comedy and the challenges he faces balancing his career and passion. He discusses the influence of American stand-up comedy on his interest in the art form and the supportive environment of the comedy club in grad school. Ajit emphasizes the importance of clear priorities and gratitude in maintaining willpower and overcoming failures. He also talks about his struggle with screen time addiction and the need to find a balance in using social media. We then discuss the challenges of social media addiction and the importance of finding balance. We explore the impact of dopamine on our behavior and how social media can hijack our natural reward system. We share our strategies for reducing screen time, such as setting timers and using apps that create a pause before accessing social media. We also discuss the benefits of activities that provide delayed gratification, such as exercise, reading, and meditation. Ajit shares his experience of pursuing comedy despite the lack of support from his family, highlighting the importance of following one's passion. If you'd like to support the show, please like, subscribe and leave a comment with any takeaways or questions from the episode. Find me on Instagram @willpower_lifestyle 00:53 Childhood Love for Comedy 03:47 The Supportive Environment of a Comedy Club 09:02 Balancing Engineering and Comedy 21:05 The Pursuit of Freedom in a Dream Life 27:32 Struggling with Screen Time Addiction 29:55 Understanding the Impact of Social Media Addiction 34:23 Strategies for Reducing Screen Time 38:04 The Power of Delayed Gratification 45:22 The Benefits of Meditation 48:53 Finding Motivation in Immediate Rewards 55:09 Pursuing Passion Despite Lack of Support