"I put on two shoes today. Right and left. I want to get at a little mind game: when I put on the right shoe, I put on humor. And when I put on the left shoe, I put on goals. That's how I go through the day," says Philipp Kauthe at the speaker's night at the Volksbühne on Rudolfplatz in Cologne. "What does that have to do with you, you ask yourself now? For me, humor and goals have helped me get through tough days. Because humor helps you distinguish between healthy and unhealthy goals!"
At the age of nine, Philipp had his first appearance on stage. Later he wrote columns. "I have been a radio presenter for more than 20 years, wrote two books and several articles for newspapers. In all these tasks, humour accompanied me. I can't get rid of it either. On the other hand, that's not bad either," says the Wiesbaden native.
For the audience at the Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz there is now a special taste of Philipp's humour! "Potatoes never boil for more than 20 minutes. I boil potatoes so often to tell her: MMy goodness, you're all dressed up. With me, potatoes are also never over-salted. You see, I went to dance school and took a salsa class. It's all in the pot! When I tell you to follow reason, it means be inventive. So I once developed a toothpaste for arrogant people - Decadent ...was her name. I wanted to give it a shot."
I always wanted to do home office. So I asked my brother. He had the great tip: "Philip, you want to work at home, so go to the Secret Service!" Too bad they didn't take me, because I was too smart. How to become free and independent, I'll practice with you. I'm going to say a sentence and you're going to repeat it out loud: "I never repeat anything!" - So far I've said nothing but nonsense.
But that's what humor is all about. Humor means: I don't take life so seriously. Of course I keep a certain distance. That way I'm not so dogged and uptight. These are my four steps for "humor as a way of life":
1.Humor creates distance from bad things
I was teased by a group of boys in primary school. Today I know why: I looked like a towel. I couldn't think of a cool thing to say to defend myself. No amount of humor will help you in a situation like that. I felt lost, powerless and desperate.
I get bigger and bigger
Philipp Kauthe
Then I asked myself the question: "What about when I get older? I do have goals in my life. As I think of these, my body straightens more and more. I am getting taller and taller, step by step. I've achieved my goals and I'm standing on stages today because I want to give hope to teenage bullying victims to pursue their goals."
2. Goals give hope
Set goals, then you can survive hard days! One question Philip often asks himself is, "Why do we take ourselves so seriously?" - "It's probably precisely because we always want to seem cool. A very cool guy lives in my house: he wears more gel than hair and looks bad-tempered. We're standing in the elevator together. My neighbor wishes me a nice evening by saying: Then another fancy... But I understood something else and answered: Yes, bon appétit! And at that, I grin stupidly at him. We both looked like the gods of humor.
3. Laugh at yourself
And by that, I don't mean make yourself small. Just take yourself down a notch, and the pressure's off. For example, I have two left hands. If they had used me as a construction worker on the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, it would look like the Acropolis today.
4. Healthy goals
What are healthy goals? Imagine I was a fairy godmother. What would you wish for? Your Desire for success is coming true. But on one condition. Which is that you don't tell anyone about this.
What is your heart's desire?
Philipp Kauthe
No one will ever know that you reached your goal have. Do you still want that desire under those conditions? Yes? Then you really want to achieve this goal! Then you are not doing it to look good in front of others.
Which shoes fit you? What strengths carry you through your day? It doesn't have to be humor. But don't make yourself a slave to others. But go your own way!
