Speaking Is Sexy Tip #24 - What Will The Audience Think?

Speaking Is Sexy Tip #24

What Will The Audience Think?

      "I often get asked to speak in front of groups," a coaching colleague said to me recently, "but I just can't do it. I'm not afraid exactly. I know how to put a talk together. I have something important to say that they really need to hear, but when it comes right down to it..." she paused and bit her lip.
      "What?" I asked. "What is it that's stopping you?"
      She hung her head and her voice got very quiet.
      "I'm afraid the audience won't think I'm good enough."
      "Why?" I asked gently.
      "I don't know," she said. "But I do."

      Sound familiar? It's that amorphous, undefined self doubt that's like a wisp of smoke... not big enough to be called real fear, but large enough to make us avoid doing something we know we can and should do. It rears its ugly head for many of us when we're asked to speak in front of people whose respect and admiration we desire and whose approval we crave.

      The Big Three: Respect, Admiration and Approval. We've sought them from the time we were old enough to know the difference between yes and no, right and wrong, like and dislike. As children, even before we could define the concepts, we wanted them from our parents and family. In school we worked hard to get them from our teachers and classmates. As adults we seek them from our spouses, children, colleagues, friends, even from people we meet for the first time or hardly know at all. Certainly when we get up in front of a group to talk about the subjects most dear to our heart, we want them from our listeners, quite possibly more than we're willing to admit. That wispy doubt that we may not get them, that the audience will not see how deserving we are of respect, admiration and approval, gives us pause and stops us in our tracks. As Hamlet knew, "...conscience doth make cowards of us all... and enterprises of great pith and moment... lose the name of action."

      Put this into your head. You are good enough!

      You don't have to take my word for it. I don't know who said it, but it's true: feeling that we're not good enough is part of the human condition. Part of our journey through life is to learn to remember that we are good enough. We have to accept that we are one with the Source (whatever you believe Source to be), and therefore, just by existing we are good enough.

      Just by existing you are good enough!

      We have all walked through fire in one way or another. We have survived childhood abuse, serious illness, tremendous loss, aching loneliness. Our survival has made us strong enough for anything we want to do. We need to learn to forgive ourselves for not being perfect, because what we are, right this minute, is perfect. We don't need to be any different to succeed.
      We are good enough. We just need to act. To move ahead with what we have.
      "I am enough." Use it as a mantra. Say it every time before you begin to speak. The audience will feel your strength and give you the approval you desire.