Sometimes in life you’re asked to do something that conflicts with an internal story you’ve come to believe.
…Like to publicly speak when you’ve told yourself you’re “not a public speaker.”
And while you might even have a poignant reason from which a story like that originated, what you have to remember is that you’re the author and the story is still being written.
This becomes particularly useful when you realize you’re at a fork in your life’s road. And you can author a story that simply reinforces what you’ve always done which ensures you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten. Or you can author a story that helps you lean in that other direction… towards different… towards better.
Which doesn’t have to be any harder than:
- I’m not a public speaker, but if I prepare and practice, I know I’ll be able to rise to this occasion.
- I’m not a public speaker, but I can certainly speak about this topic, and it’s important for me to do so, so I’m going to try my best.
- I’m not a public speaker, and that’s okay… I’ll simply lean into this nervous energy and let emotion fill my words with a color that’ll make a more memorable impression.
- I’m not a public speaker—especially not when compared to the greats or the company I keep… but speaking publicly isn’t a competition… it’s an opportunity to share a gift… and I should be honored to have the opportunity to share my gift with the people I’m being asked to share it with.
- Or… quite simply: I’m not a public speaker… yet.