Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Kick fear in the face!

Have you ever cleaned your home and then sat down and said to yourself: "Now what?".

In life, when you get something accomplished that you have been putting off and procrastinating about a strange sense of a peace comes over you. It can be something as small finally sitting down to watch a movie you've been meaning to watch.  Once it's over you can say to yourself, I've done it and it really wasn't that bad.

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to go to sleep I had one of those moments, the kind of moment when I said to myself: "Now what?".
I've been going to Toastmasters (public speaking) for about 5 months, trying to face a fear of speaking, I don't have a fear of speaking to people it's more a fear of not knowing a subject and looking like a fool in front of a crowd, so I have been getting up for an exercise called "Table topics" where you only have 1 minute to prepare for a subject that you will be talking about. I still haven't mastered this but I will, then yesterday came something new....

THE SPEECH
It was now time to perform my prepared speech, a piece of work I worked on for 2 weeks and practiced over and over again.  When I woke up I was ready, I had cue cards (which I never needed), a prop and a confident attitude, I hadn't had any fears then I arrived at the meeting.  As the meeting started and we got up to read the mission statement it happened to me, a fear like nothing I've ever felt.  The fear was so intense I told myself "I must leave right now!", the room literally started to change colors, I lost feeling in my hands and thought I was going to faint....that would be embarrassing!
As people gave their speeches, I wished I could have listened but I couldn't hear, I literally thought I was about to die.  Then it was time to hit the stage, I went for it and physically I had no control.  While speaking my voice shook like I was about to cry and my arms trembled but I got through the talk and from the feedback I received I must have done well.
All this was so strange to me, I've spoken to people before in trainings and it's never been an issue. I think it had to do with what label I gave the speech, this was public speaking and I need to be scared of it.

The point is, I did it and I killed a fear that I've never felt before. I now wonder to myself if this fear is conquered what else can I conquer?
I want you to look at your fears and excuses and ask yourself, when I finally face my fear what will be left to do?  When you grab something you are afraid of and throw it down like a football and yell "TOUCHDOWN!" you will have conquered it.
Face a fear, as uncomfortable as it may be and you can say to yourself: "Now what?".  Life will seem that mush easier.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

1 comment:

  1. Hi shane you did incredible speech. you killed it bro. For sure you conquer your fear.overall your speech was so interesting and you put all the points on the specified time.good job

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