#Seinfeld i am the master of my domain how to

“It’s similar to calligraphy or samurai,” he says. 'Seinfeld will nurse a single joke for years, amending, abridging and reworking it incrementally, to get the thing just so.

#Seinfeld i am the master of my domain how to

Seinfeld relentlessly iterates how to word a punchline. Jiro serves sushi differently to left-handed and right-handed patrons, and once required an apprentice to make egg sushi 200 times before it was deemed acceptable. The broadband starts to narrow the moment you stop.” I used to wonder, Why am I doing these sets, getting on a stage? Don’t I know how to do this already? The answer is no. As soon as you stop practicing, the pathway begins shrinking back down. “I read an article a few years ago that said when you practice a sport a lot, you literally become a broadband: the nerve pathway in your brain contains a lot more information. “If I don’t do a set in two weeks, I feel it,” he said.

I'll continue to climb to reach the top but no one knows where the top is.' There is always a yearning to achieve more. I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. They are constantly practicing, honing their work, and seeking to improve.Īs Jiro describes it: 'All I want to do is make better sushi. Both are widely considered to be among the best in the world at what they do, and yet listening to them, one comes away with the impression they will never be satisfied. Jiro has been preparing sushi for over 70 years Seinfeld has been a stand-up comic for over 35 years. Never stop practicing (there is no perfect) Here are my observations regarding five shared practices from two wholly unrelated masters of their domains:ġ. I was also struck by the number of similarities between Seinfeld's approach to his craft and that of Jiro Ono, the 86-year old master sushi chef and subject of the highly acclaimed documentary ' Jiro Dreams of Sushi.' I strongly recommend the film to anyone interested in watching the pursuit of excellence personified. I always find it valuable when people at the top of their profession provide insight into how they do what they do, but as a long time fan of the comedian and the show (in my opinion, Seinfeld stands alone as the best sitcom of all time), I found this to be a particularly engrossing read. In addition to providing a view into the life of one of the most successful stand-up comedians of the modern era, the article focuses on the method behind Seinfeld's observational comic genius, and specifically, the painstaking process he applies to developing a joke. I recently read a great profile in the New York Times about Jerry Seinfeld written by Jonah Weiner (no relation).