I'd like to share a bit of my experience with standup comedy.  Having done standup for a dozen years, I've watched a lot of people try to make it work and fail.  And I have a secret for you.  It's the number one reason why people succeed in standup.  In anything.  You won't believe it.  You're going to say that it's too simple.  That there's got to be some other magic ingredient… talent, or charisma…  but the truth is that the number one ingredient to success in comedy is PERSISTENCE with the INTENTION TO SUCCEED.  If you don't persist with absolute determination, you will have a very difficult time getting past the challenges that come up, and they are numerous.  

ACTION: Make a commitment to yourself when you begin that you will give comedy 100% of your good will efforts for a certain period of time–that could be one day, one month, or one year.  But make that commitment and then renew it when the time comes.  You sort of do comedy like you can sort of be pregnant.  I know a lady who tried both.  It wasn't pretty.

How does it all work?  Stay tuned for Part 2.