I'm a top auto industry analyst. Improv taught me to scare myself in public.

Erin Keating took five seasons of improv classes.

It taught her about how to really listen to coworkers and family.

Erin Keating Erin Keating spoke too fast during her first big presentation.

She also felt kinda sweaty.

In her mid-40s, she took an improv class to get better onstage.

It's taught her lessons about listening to others that have helped at work and at home.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erin Keating, an executive analyst for Cox Automotive.

It has been edited for length and clarity.

People should scare themselves.

In public.

I tested that theory out in my mid-40s by taking five seasons of improv classes at the DC Improv Comedy Club.

My goal was not to become a comedian — I wanted to take on a challenge that I could easily fail at.

And to add to the pressure, I had to perform in front of my family.

I work as an executive analyst in the auto industry at Cox Automotive.