Dr. Tan Chin Ike takes the stage with wit and wisdom, sharing how stepping into the world of stand-up comedy reshaped his understanding of courage, learning, and creativity. Coming from a background in teaching, he reflects on what it means to challenge oneself, take risks, and embrace failure with humor. His talk reminds us that education isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about daring to try, to laugh at ourselves, and to discover the lessons hidden in every punchline we never saw coming. Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Tan Chin Ike is the Head of School, School of Computing at Asia Pacific University (APU), with 25+ years of experience in game development, computing, and digital education. He founded Malaysia’s flagship Game Development program and established the MYGAMEDEV initiative under the ETP. As founding chairman of the Game Development Council of Malaysia, he champions national talent development. A registered Professional Technologist (MBOT), he also serves on panels for MDEC, FINAS, MOSTI, and MQA. Dr. Tan holds a PhD in Game-Based Learning and a Master’s in Computing. His work bridges education, industry, and policy to empower the next generation of digital innovators. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx