Being present in the moment and staying open to whatever unfolds.

We all want to lead lives and careers full of joy and fulfillment. Maggie Baird certainly has, and the key, she says, is to stay open to new possibilities and “let your passion lead.”

Baird is an accomplished actress, improv teacher at the Groundlings Theater, mother to music sensations Billie Eilish and Phineas, and founder of Support and Feed, a nonprofit addressing food equity and the climate crisis. Through it all, she has embodied the improv principle of "Yes, and..." — being present in the moment and staying open to whatever unfolds. “I have done many things,” she says, “but I never approached any of them as a career change. They all came out of new interests and new experiences.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Baird joins host Matt Abrahams to explore the critical role of communication in developing a career, and how improv principles can help us engage, as Baird says, “From a place of open-heartedness, appreciation, [and] collaboration.”

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:46) - Career Transitions
(03:24) - Teaching and Confidence Through Improv
(05:42) - Improv as a Communication Tool
(07:24) - Structure and Freedom in Improv
(09:16) - Teaching with Empathy
(12:13) - Advocacy in the Music Industry
(14:57) - Collaboration and Positive Change
(17:46) - The Final Three Questions
(20:43) - Conclusion

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