Now this may sound a little counterintuitive, but if it wasn’t for this advice my Dad gave me when I was younger, I would never have summoned up the courage to enter a national Professional Speaking competition last year. I focused on the learning it would bring not the outcome, and won.

In the last few months, I have been notching up the virtual miles ‘travelling’ around the country, giving talks to professional speaking associations about how to write an impactful winning talk, and more importantly move out of your comfort zone to do so!

In the last week I have had the great pleasure of being in my hometown, London, Staffordshire, the North West, Ireland, and Yorkshire

Aside from advice on content and delivery, my key piece advice was on how to steady your nerves and boss any inner critic voices that may be holding you back.

These ‘voices’ are supposed to keep you safe, but as we’re no longer in danger of walking into the path of a sabre tooth tiger – they are not really keeping us safe, they’re keeping us small.

So if you are facing an out of your comfort zone scenario any time soon

🌼 Thank them for trying to keep you safe, but say “it’s ok, I’ve got this now!”
🌼 Know that the experience alone will be valuable, whatever the outcome
(Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t)
🌼 Finally, just takes 20 seconds of courage to take the plunge, rip the plaster off and have a go…

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Photo by Brett Jordan from Pexels