In improv there's a concept of 'yes, and'. The idea is that, when improvising a scene, the natural tendency is to try to control the flow of the story, especially if you think of something hilarious that needs some set up. You can't do that, because you have to work with your partner, you are not in sole control. If you keep trying to force your idea of the story, you break the flow and ruin the whole thing. The way to work around this tendency is to force yourself to always accept whatever the partner gave you, and build upon it - no matter if it goes in a completely unexpected direction. So, if your partner says "and then, we walk into the bar and see an octopus", you don't say "no, actually it was man in octopus costume", you say "yes, and he was the best damn bartender I ever saw". I think the principle applies to everyday life as well :)