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On a recent episode of Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist interviewed Michael Che about his journey to the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Michael Che was a standup comic in NYC when he met Colin Jost, a comedian and sketch writer for SNL. Michael was performing a comedy set in Brooklyn when Colin casually approached him, “You ever want to write sketches?” Michael described his response as follows, “I blew him off. I don’t know how to write sketches! I’m not going to audition and send in a packet. If they don’t like it, then I have to go through life knowing that I suck. So, I just blew him off. But Colin kept messaging me urging me to come in.” Then Colin shared with Michael an opportunity at SNL for comedians to be guest writers for two weeks. Finally, Michael responded. He said, “I ended up getting a sketch on TV. SNL let me finish the season, and I’ve been with them ever since.” Today Michael is co-head writer and co-anchor on SNL’s Weekend Update. Michael was a bit self-deprecating about his imposter syndrome throughout this interview. But my favorite insight occurred when Michael reflected, “SNL is a dream job that I did not know that I could possibly do.” He did not know that he could possibly do it. And, left to his mind chatter, he wouldn’t have. Fortunately, he had a Spot Mentor who stopped him from missing the opportunity: Colin Jost. Spot Mentors show up when we are about to overlook or neglect a moment. By definition, spotters are trained to look for something. Typically found at a fitness studio or a construction site, spotters ensure someone’s safety and provide situational awareness. Spot Mentors offer us similar protection from and awareness of our blind spots and missed opportunities. Their objective is not to prevent us from falling or failing. Rather they are determined to hinder our heedlessness. They see what we can’t or won’t. And by connecting our potential with possibilities, they practically dare us to get out of our own way. Weightlifters and equipment operators don’t operate without a spotter. So, why would we traverse any path without seeking a Spot Mentor? And while we’re at it, serving as a Spot Mentor does wonders for the soul and society. © 2021. Ann Tardy and Mentor Lead. www.mentorlead.com |