Game changer
This week I had the pleasure of delivering training for a client I've worked with for some time now. This time, we were at Twickenham Stadium, in glorious sunshine, and the image above was my backdrop for the session. It was as backgrounds go, startlingly intimidating and hugely inspiring in equal measure. Thankfully, inspiration won out.
The session was for 40 people and I only had 2.5 hours to cover what seemed like a mountain. I actively avoid PowerPoint at all costs and work with people on their feet so corralling larger groups is always more challenging. The session had been booked after a quiet period of wearing my other hat as 'mummy' during the Easter holidays and subsequently researching new material for some courses I'm working up. So mentally, this was a BIG leap. This wasn't debating the relative merits of peas vs carrots with my 5 year old and nor was it stretching my brain reading The Science of Fate by Hannah Critchlow. I won't lie that I felt the flood of adrenaline when I walked in to that full room and that startling backdrop.
But this got me thinking. I live for this moment. This is EXACTLY what I signed up for. Whereas the people I'm here to train with, many of them actively avoid any occasion where they have to speak publicly. It is their own personal nightmare. And I was thinking, just for a moment about myself.
Thinking about yourself in moments of panic or anxiety is never the way to resolve the problem. As humans we are hard-wired to put ourselves first (it is human nature to want to survive after all). But in fact, to start the process of quietening those nerves, you first have to shift your focus elsewhere, towards others. Your outward gaze (and here I mean mentally not just physically) needs to try and centre-in wholly on the needs of others; what do they need, what do they want, how can I help them, what would make this better for them? This changes the conversation you're having with yourself from 'what can I do to be better' to 'what do they need to make this better'.
Immediately the pressure will lift from you. Your power, energy and focus will zone in on the needs of others and how you can help them achieve those rather than wasting precious energy worrying about yourself. It may sound like theory that won't work in practice but trust me, try changing your strategy tomorrow or even the day after that, just once, and see how it makes you feel.
If suddenly it isn't all about you then why would you need to worry?
If you'd like to find out how maximising your personal impact could transform your business then do get in touch. That first conversation could be the start of something spectacular.