Today (well, not the today you are reading, but the today I am writing) is my son's first baseball game.  In the midst of juggling the finish of indoor soccer and basketball, his team has been attempting to get ready for baseball.  The problem with spring training in North Carolina is someone forgot to tell the weather it was spring (nagging detail: it isn't officially spring for a few more weeks).  We've had more practices canceled - because of cold, snow, rain, schedules, and mud on the field - than we've had practices held.  

 As we wound down to game time, I overheard the coaches say privately - "We're not ready!"  Of course, I've never heard a coach think his or her team was ready for opening day.  There is always one more skill to develop, one more situation to prepare, one more drill to run, one more pep talk to give.  You can never prepare for EVERYTHING you will face.

The same thing is true of speakers.  Most of the coaching calls I get are born of urgency: "I have a speech next week.  Can you stop me from being nervous?!"  "I just found out I've got to fill in for the boss at the sales town hall.  Help!  What will I say?"  "I want to make a living speaking.  What should I do?"

Even with practice, we seldom feel completely ready.  Two thoughts on what to do when you aren't ready:

1.      Champions are made in the off-season

It's an old sports adage.  And it's true.  It's the repetition and practice in the off-season that makes you a star player in season.  The same is true of speakers.  The best time to practice a skill and prepare a speech is when you don't HAVE to have one ready.  For speakers desiring to hit the professional circuit, it's easier to sell a speech that's written and practiced (and videotaped!) than an idea and hope that someone will hire you to inspire their team.  Since most of the skill of speaking is about habits, last-minute prep won't change those skills appreciably anyway.  The time to practice is NOW.  Then when you need the skill, you have it.

2.      You can only do your best

It's game time.  The lights are on.  There's nothing more you can do to prepare.  So DON'T focus on it.  And by all means, DON'T let on to others.  No mumbling at second base that it's the first time you've played the position.  No saying as you open your seminar, "I've never done this before."  No lying in bed the night before thinking about how bad it's going to be.  It may be bad.  So what?!  There will be other games, other speeches, other opportunities to excel. 

What you CAN do is your best.  Your very best.  Focus on what you KNOW you can do to be great; not what you could have done to be great.

Over time, we hope (expect?) that this best will improve - we should never want to be content in our skills.  But that improvement comes in the film room, the practice field, and the off-season.

Enjoy your moment.  You're on the team and on the stage!  Now get out there and play hard!