Former 'SNL' Comedian Sasheer Zamata Shares The Career Advice That Changed Her Life

Most of the jobs I've gotten are because people like me, or they know who I am, or they know what I do, and they like what I do. And I feel very fortunate that right now, I'm pretty much doing things that I really enjoy and working on projects with people I also really enjoy. The best things in life happen when I choose to bet on myself and decide to be direct about the projects I like or the jobs I want. Id rather do something that feels good, and if it doesnt go well, at least I did me.

Seek out a squad

"By approaching people whose work I admired, I was able to build a small but mighty group of friends that support me. My best friend and main collaborator is Nicole Byer. We've been friends since I really started taking comedy seriously, which is almost, I guess it's been 10 years. It's been so nice to have other women who are doing what you're doing, who understand what you're doing, to talk to and to compare notes. Sometimes it gets very isolating in standup and comedy in general because you're kind of like just throwing things out there and you don't know if they're good. So you do it. But it's nice to have a team of people with you to help lift up your voice and help challenge you and help question what you're doing and also give notes. It's been a huge advantage to have people around me who are like-minded and also want to work hard and do the same thing."

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View this post on Instagram Hey pals, @nicolebyer and I are starting a podcast with @earwolf about friendship! And we want you to call, write, or tweet us a message with any friendship questions you may have and well answer them on the show! You can ask for advice on your friendships, ask us questions about our friendship, whatever you want. We dont know everything, but we have been friends for 472 years, so I think we know a thing or two about living/learning/growing with your friends. You can email us at nicoleandsasheer@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 424-645-7003. Were very excited to take this journey with yall! A post shared by Sasheer Zamata (@thesheertruth) on Mar 17, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT

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Practice kindness

"I feel like I have been given a demeanor of being very nice and sweet. But kind is a different thing, where it's not just being happy and joyful and sunshiny all the time. Kind is caring and having concern for people and having concern for what you're doing and intention. You don't have to be kind. You can be nice and superficial and fake and move on with the rest of your day, but I think it's a different level of love and care that comes with being kind to somebody."

Put pen to paper

"Often Ill jot down ideas for jokes only to realize I have deeper feelings about the topic. Writing helps me see more clearly. I think it's very healing to actually put words out there. Because it's easy to be in your head and stay there forever and not really know what's going on or why these emotions are happening, but as soon as you put it on the paper, for me anyway, it's easier for me to see what's going on up there and either do something with those emotions, or not. But at least I am aware of them."

Keep growing

Im always learning that there are new ways to write, to edit, to create, to perform-even while onstage. You have to stay open to the process and to the people in front of you. Their reception is changing as is my delivery, so I need to analyze why a line works one day but not the next: Was it me? Them? Time of day? Its an obstacle course, and I love it.

This article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue of Women's Health. For more intel on how your favorite stars and influencers lead healthier, happier lives, pick up an issue on newsstands now.