Recently, I received a landmark in my career as an author when the local chapter of a national book club named my latest book (Be Known for Your D.E.E.D.S.) as their selection of the month! A HUGE honor! To make the honor even more impactful I was invited to speak at their next meeting. The great feeling just kept getting better!
Upon arriving at the venue (a restaurant) it rapidly became apparent the ambient noise level was going to be very high outside the reserved private room, and presenting a 30-minute program would be quite a challenge. At this point in the story it would be easy to go on about the noise and the resulting difficulties, but let's change lanes and look at this from the perspective of the audience.
Too often, we, as speakers, tell of the drama we encounter when a venue, the material, or the audience are not set up perfectly for our style or message. And those tales can be instructive, but rarely do we read (or hear) about the equally difficult challenge faced by the audience. In this case, they were welcoming a speaker into a noisy space which necessitated they adjust their own ease and comfort to get the most out of the program.
My wife, Denise, had traveled with me and she commiserated with the club's members. In so doing, she became a bridge to their view, and helped me to have a more balanced takeaway of what had just transpired. Having this knowledge has me re-thinking experiential encounters. Too often we only consider one perspective...our own. Far fewer times do we even acknowledge that a speaking engagement, a graduation ceremony, a school play, a book signing, or other analogous gatherings have two sets of participants; those on stage and those in the audience.
In a very real sense both are dealing with the same experience. For my moment in the sun as an author relishing the moment of recognition it was a noisy venue with wait-staff interruptions. For the local members of the book club, guess what? It was a noisy venue with wait-staff interruptions! We both were immersed in an environment not in the least conducive to the planned program.
How often is it the case with so much else in life? The atmosphere of the restaurant is all wrong, there's no shade at the tennis match, the flight was delayed for mechanical reasons, etc. We must try to get outside our own selves and attempt the viewpoint of others. When we do we will draw closer to that place of understanding; that place of walking in the shoes of our brother or sister. What could have been a disaster became a common bonding experience because each party realized we were united in the experience. As a result, it was an unqualified success and both parties gained a fresh perspective about each other, and on the shared experience.
Fearlessly,
JD
Showing posts with label speaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speaking. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Back In The Saddle
Last blog - May 2013. Wow, what a long time in between meaningful correspondence! It's good to be back in the saddle.
Life is surely made up of surprises, and in the life of someone with a passion for speaking there is always, ALWAYS, new material. Take my life in between the last blog and this one, for example. When last I penned this blog I was fresh from an amazing trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, separated from my second wife, working very long hours in an inside sales job, speaking infrequently at best, and my second book was just a few months old.
Today, I am preparing for a return trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia this coming May, am remarried, and loving life with the very special lady with whom I hope to spend the rest of my life! I am no longer with the company for which I worked the inside sales job, having only recently left to concentrate on writing and speaking (Hallelujah!). Prior to my resignation, I had become a trusted voice for the company and hardly went a week without being in front of an audience (need another Hallelujah! on that...) which broadened my audience as well as potential employers of my talent.
My second book, 'Be Known For Your D.E.E.D.S.', has been picked up by The Literary Club as the May Selection for their Atlanta Chapter, and I will be speaking at their National Conference in August! Feel free to sprinkle in the Hallelujahs as you read :) Yes, much has changed! Finally, I am still working through my first novel, Jonny Pleasant. 'Jonny' has been with me since 1992. He came to light as a short story 20+ years ago, and has been growing and developing since.
A lot happens in the in-between! It's like the heartfelt story we have heard about 'the dash'. Most often the dash is told during someone's memorial service. The dash on a grave marker separates the date of birth and the date of the person's death. As told, the dash is representative of the life lived by the deceased, and the relevance to the congregation is expressed as a challenge to make 'the dash' (life yet to be lived) count for something.
In between May of 2013 and today (April 2d, 2014), I have experienced the great highs of preaching in St. Lucia and getting married. I have also lived through the great lows of seemingly endless 80-hour work weeks and divorce. All around me have been friends, relatives, co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers living out their own in-between moments, and all of us are either in the saddle or looking forward to the day when we ride yet again!
Being in the saddle is that period of our lives when it all seems to have come together. That period may be brief, and it may endure for many years. All we can do is ride, make the best decisions we can given the information at the time, and hope to stay on the horse! If by some chance we find ourselves walking instead of riding, then let us not despair of the journey on foot. It is a different perspective to be sure, but one with lessons from which we can learn if we pay attention, and then mount up to ride again.
I leave you today with this blessing: "May your time in the saddle point to the sunset knowing your in-between was fruitful and the dash was better than you planned."
Fearlessly,
JD
Life is surely made up of surprises, and in the life of someone with a passion for speaking there is always, ALWAYS, new material. Take my life in between the last blog and this one, for example. When last I penned this blog I was fresh from an amazing trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, separated from my second wife, working very long hours in an inside sales job, speaking infrequently at best, and my second book was just a few months old.
Today, I am preparing for a return trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia this coming May, am remarried, and loving life with the very special lady with whom I hope to spend the rest of my life! I am no longer with the company for which I worked the inside sales job, having only recently left to concentrate on writing and speaking (Hallelujah!). Prior to my resignation, I had become a trusted voice for the company and hardly went a week without being in front of an audience (need another Hallelujah! on that...) which broadened my audience as well as potential employers of my talent.
My second book, 'Be Known For Your D.E.E.D.S.', has been picked up by The Literary Club as the May Selection for their Atlanta Chapter, and I will be speaking at their National Conference in August! Feel free to sprinkle in the Hallelujahs as you read :) Yes, much has changed! Finally, I am still working through my first novel, Jonny Pleasant. 'Jonny' has been with me since 1992. He came to light as a short story 20+ years ago, and has been growing and developing since.
A lot happens in the in-between! It's like the heartfelt story we have heard about 'the dash'. Most often the dash is told during someone's memorial service. The dash on a grave marker separates the date of birth and the date of the person's death. As told, the dash is representative of the life lived by the deceased, and the relevance to the congregation is expressed as a challenge to make 'the dash' (life yet to be lived) count for something.
In between May of 2013 and today (April 2d, 2014), I have experienced the great highs of preaching in St. Lucia and getting married. I have also lived through the great lows of seemingly endless 80-hour work weeks and divorce. All around me have been friends, relatives, co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers living out their own in-between moments, and all of us are either in the saddle or looking forward to the day when we ride yet again!
Being in the saddle is that period of our lives when it all seems to have come together. That period may be brief, and it may endure for many years. All we can do is ride, make the best decisions we can given the information at the time, and hope to stay on the horse! If by some chance we find ourselves walking instead of riding, then let us not despair of the journey on foot. It is a different perspective to be sure, but one with lessons from which we can learn if we pay attention, and then mount up to ride again.
I leave you today with this blessing: "May your time in the saddle point to the sunset knowing your in-between was fruitful and the dash was better than you planned."
Fearlessly,
JD
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Speaking with Eternity on the Line
Most of the speaking opportunities with which I’ve been
blessed have been before secular audiences.
There is always an uplifting theme, this is the crux of my messages
after all, but a declaration of my faith in God is typically not mentioned.
When I tell audiences, “You can be better than you’ve been,
and do more than you’ve done,” it is sometimes received as an affront to their
character, accomplishments, education, or life’s journey, but that is never my
intent. As I continue to deliver my
remarks all audience members come to an understanding that their lives are
meant to count for something larger than a job, career, keeping a roof
overhead, or staying in shape through diet and exercise.
In a purely secular (ecumenical? humanistic?) setting
everyone can appreciate the question I asked back in 2008, “Why am I
here?” Certainly most have pondered, if
only for a moment, that age-old question of our existence on this earth. What I convey to all audiences is the truth
that this question has an answer, and we can know it…with certainty.
In my book, ‘Be Known for Your D.E.E.D.S.’ I relate my
own progression through the truth of unique existence, inherent design, and
specific passion. There is a certain
ignorance in society (and some societies) when it comes to God’s every day work
in our lives. Ignorance, by the way, is
not a bad word; neither is it an insult.
It is a statement suggesting lack of knowledge in a given subject area.
I am bold enough to declare that I possess a rudimentary
understanding of God’s love for us, and this knowledge has opened my eyes to,
among other things, how blessed we are in the U.S., how amazing the earth’s
distance from the sun really is, mankind’s dominion, and why the cycle of life
on this planet ensures our continued existence.
When called upon to speak in churches, or to audiences
comprised mostly of Christians, I am able to swing for the fences, to coin a
phrase. I can get to the heart of the
matter, and express the Father’s will concerning the ‘why’ of our being, and
further His agenda for the building of His kingdom (Thy kingdom come, Thy will
be done on earth as it is in Heaven…).
‘Be better than you’ve been, and do more than you’ve done’,
finds its home in the hearts of men and women who embrace the big picture of
life, and the very uniqueness of their own lives. Minds begin opening to the truth of unique,
inherent design when I state the very simple fact, “There’s a reason there
aren’t six billion doctors on the planet. We don’t all want to be doctors.”
Speaking with eternity on the line means I will convey God’s
truth about our lives, and the importance of living for a purpose beyond our
immediate needs. The folks who adhere to
the humanitarian aspects of other faiths, volunteer for philanthropic causes,
or earnestly try to ‘pay it forward’ each day, are modeling that piece of God
He has provided, though often are unaware of its source.
What I present to audiences is the truth God has blessed me
to know, to live, and to share. He opens
doors for me to enter in with the message of higher calling, higher
achievement, and higher living. Destiny
is on my lips for all to hear. I do not
hide my faith in Christ. I do not shrink
from being fully persuaded faith in Christ alone is the key to receive all this
life, and the one to come, has to offer.
I speak knowing eternity is on the line.
Fearlessly,
JD
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Arrive Early...Stay Late
Arrive early, stay late. Not just a recipe for getting the most out of a baseball game, this is the recipe for delivering a speaking homerun!
I learned the truth of this adage years ago when I was scheduled to roll out a new record retrieval process to my company's client, a national insurance company. As is my habit when unfamiliar with a company's location, I arrive in the area as much as an hour early if time permits. It is important to avoid unnecessary distractions prior to speaking, and feeling rushed is the easiest distraction to eliminate. On this particular day, I was about thirty minutes early to the assembly.
Arrive Early
As the Southeast Regional Sales Manager it was my job to be the face of the program, and to answer any questions the affected insurance company staff might have. The paralegals tasked with record retrieval in defense of personal injury claims were my audience that day, and about 50 were scheduled to be in attendance. By arriving early I was able to meet with the lady who organized the gathering. She provided invaluable insights as to the general mood in her office regarding the change in procedure her company was undertaking.
After chatting for about ten minutes, I was shown to the auditorium where I would speak. She briefed me on their sound system, gave me the mic to use, showed me how to use their overhead projector, and the entrance the paralegals would use. All that was left was to walk the room and get comfortable with the stage, which I did.
Five minutes prior to the start of the meeting paralegals began to trickle in. As they did, I was able to engage them individually, learn their names, and (this is important) not discuss the whole point of the meeting. Why not mention it? Well we were about to spend 45 minutes discussing the new procedures with a Q&A to follow. But I wanted the audience to view me as a person with whom they could relate; someone there to make their life easier rather than as a bureaucrat with an agenda.
I was able to meet, greet, and discover personal information about five of the paralegals, and as an added bonus these five professionals sat with other of their colleagues. This gave me five 'friends' spread across the room. During my remarks I was able to personalize the new procedures by noting how they would help Bob or Nancy, for example, do their job. For a laugh I poked fun at the guy who graduated from a college known to be a rival of my own school. Because of the pre-meeting interaction the atmosphere was lighter and the new procedures were more readily embraced.
Stay Late
Having been in the audience of many Q&A sessions, I can tell you that all the Q's don't get A'd. Plan your allotted time for the speaking engagement so that you can hang around afterwards for at least ten minutes. It is not necessary to reserve twenty or thirty minutes. Being available for just ten minutes afterwards shows a commitment on your part to the people who are expected to implement the process, procedure, or program you have just introduced.
The good news keeps coming. If unable to give adequate attention to the remaining questions, you can schedule face-to-face follow up meetings with smaller groups on or offsite the company campus. If interest warrants you may also address the entire assembly again, further cementing your position as the subject matter expert and reliable partner in the new program.
Now think about 'Arrive Early, Stay Late' in terms of a paid speaking gig....
Bearing in mind the strategies above, by arriving early and staying late at a paid gig, you reinforce your fees, increase back-of-the-room sales, and solidify your relationship with the client. Word of mouth with Event Planners affiliated with the gig talk, and the talk will be about your willingness to go above and beyond for their clients. It will be noted that you are a true professional, and your business will increase accordingly. Arrive early, stay late. Be the professional other professionals can count on.
Fearlessly,
JD
I learned the truth of this adage years ago when I was scheduled to roll out a new record retrieval process to my company's client, a national insurance company. As is my habit when unfamiliar with a company's location, I arrive in the area as much as an hour early if time permits. It is important to avoid unnecessary distractions prior to speaking, and feeling rushed is the easiest distraction to eliminate. On this particular day, I was about thirty minutes early to the assembly.
Arrive Early
As the Southeast Regional Sales Manager it was my job to be the face of the program, and to answer any questions the affected insurance company staff might have. The paralegals tasked with record retrieval in defense of personal injury claims were my audience that day, and about 50 were scheduled to be in attendance. By arriving early I was able to meet with the lady who organized the gathering. She provided invaluable insights as to the general mood in her office regarding the change in procedure her company was undertaking.
After chatting for about ten minutes, I was shown to the auditorium where I would speak. She briefed me on their sound system, gave me the mic to use, showed me how to use their overhead projector, and the entrance the paralegals would use. All that was left was to walk the room and get comfortable with the stage, which I did.
Five minutes prior to the start of the meeting paralegals began to trickle in. As they did, I was able to engage them individually, learn their names, and (this is important) not discuss the whole point of the meeting. Why not mention it? Well we were about to spend 45 minutes discussing the new procedures with a Q&A to follow. But I wanted the audience to view me as a person with whom they could relate; someone there to make their life easier rather than as a bureaucrat with an agenda.
I was able to meet, greet, and discover personal information about five of the paralegals, and as an added bonus these five professionals sat with other of their colleagues. This gave me five 'friends' spread across the room. During my remarks I was able to personalize the new procedures by noting how they would help Bob or Nancy, for example, do their job. For a laugh I poked fun at the guy who graduated from a college known to be a rival of my own school. Because of the pre-meeting interaction the atmosphere was lighter and the new procedures were more readily embraced.
Stay Late
Having been in the audience of many Q&A sessions, I can tell you that all the Q's don't get A'd. Plan your allotted time for the speaking engagement so that you can hang around afterwards for at least ten minutes. It is not necessary to reserve twenty or thirty minutes. Being available for just ten minutes afterwards shows a commitment on your part to the people who are expected to implement the process, procedure, or program you have just introduced.
The good news keeps coming. If unable to give adequate attention to the remaining questions, you can schedule face-to-face follow up meetings with smaller groups on or offsite the company campus. If interest warrants you may also address the entire assembly again, further cementing your position as the subject matter expert and reliable partner in the new program.
Now think about 'Arrive Early, Stay Late' in terms of a paid speaking gig....
Bearing in mind the strategies above, by arriving early and staying late at a paid gig, you reinforce your fees, increase back-of-the-room sales, and solidify your relationship with the client. Word of mouth with Event Planners affiliated with the gig talk, and the talk will be about your willingness to go above and beyond for their clients. It will be noted that you are a true professional, and your business will increase accordingly. Arrive early, stay late. Be the professional other professionals can count on.
Fearlessly,
JD
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Who Knows?
Who knows you want to speak? Who knows the desire of your heart is to be on stage in front of men and women who need the information or encouragement you have to share? If your wife, husband, close friends, parents or children are not booking agents or event planners how will anyone know your desire?
Spread the word! Blog about it (http://JDtheSpeaker.blogspot.com), tweet about it (@JDtheSpeaker), get Linked In (www.LinkedIn/in/WalkerJerry). Join organizations which can educate you about the profession, instruct you in the art of speaking (Toastmasters, Dale Carnegie), or otherwise further your ambition. Are you a member of a church, temple, mosque, or synagogue? Get involved and volunteer to lead. Sooner or later you will be given a ‘voice’ in that setting. Volunteering to serve as an officer or other leadership role in an organization is a terrific way to ultimately get the microphone.
Are you writing? Oftentimes it is important to establish your particular expertise by writing about it. I have been recognized as a thought leader in the area of turning negative situations into positive outcomes, and part of that recognition has come through my willingness to study and write about the results. What is your message? Have you written about it?
My D.E.E.D.S.© presentation is all about helping men, women, and teens live a life of purpose and destiny. I now get paid to present D.E.E.D.S.©, and have recorded a live DVD and CD presenting the topic in short-form to a gathering of business professionals.
Much of my current success is directly attributable to joining Toastmasters. I took advantage of my membership to not only hone the craft of speaking, but to serve as an officer, to participate in the various speaking contests, to volunteer to serve in Area and Division speaking contests, and to visit other clubs. I have been given speaking opportunities as a Target Speaker in an Area Evaluation Contest, and as the Sample Speaker in front of a Demo Club Meeting.
By virtue of immersing myself in Toastmasters I got my first paid speaking gig, which prompted me to begin defining my central message for public presentation.
This passion to speak that you possess will go nowhere until you elevate speaking to a life priority, as I did. As a practical matter it means you will spend time each day furthering your passion, believing you are going to become what you seek. It also means you are going to educate yourself about the art of speaking, which for me meant becoming even more well read than I was, joining Toastmasters, studying the craft of speaking, and studying my central message (do you have a central message?).
As soon as you have a forum to speak, no matter the size of your audience, by all means Speak! This will happen most quickly at Toastmasters, but as soon as possible demonstrate this passion of yours. What you will find is that your love of life increases as you become the person you wish to be. This will not go unnoticed by your family, friends, and co-workers who will likewise appreciate the joy they see in you. You are now sharing your passion, and it’s a blessing. I know because I began this journey in 2008.
Fearlessly,
JD
Spread the word! Blog about it (http://JDtheSpeaker.blogspot.com), tweet about it (@JDtheSpeaker), get Linked In (www.LinkedIn/in/WalkerJerry). Join organizations which can educate you about the profession, instruct you in the art of speaking (Toastmasters, Dale Carnegie), or otherwise further your ambition. Are you a member of a church, temple, mosque, or synagogue? Get involved and volunteer to lead. Sooner or later you will be given a ‘voice’ in that setting. Volunteering to serve as an officer or other leadership role in an organization is a terrific way to ultimately get the microphone.
Are you writing? Oftentimes it is important to establish your particular expertise by writing about it. I have been recognized as a thought leader in the area of turning negative situations into positive outcomes, and part of that recognition has come through my willingness to study and write about the results. What is your message? Have you written about it?
My D.E.E.D.S.© presentation is all about helping men, women, and teens live a life of purpose and destiny. I now get paid to present D.E.E.D.S.©, and have recorded a live DVD and CD presenting the topic in short-form to a gathering of business professionals.
Much of my current success is directly attributable to joining Toastmasters. I took advantage of my membership to not only hone the craft of speaking, but to serve as an officer, to participate in the various speaking contests, to volunteer to serve in Area and Division speaking contests, and to visit other clubs. I have been given speaking opportunities as a Target Speaker in an Area Evaluation Contest, and as the Sample Speaker in front of a Demo Club Meeting.
By virtue of immersing myself in Toastmasters I got my first paid speaking gig, which prompted me to begin defining my central message for public presentation.
This passion to speak that you possess will go nowhere until you elevate speaking to a life priority, as I did. As a practical matter it means you will spend time each day furthering your passion, believing you are going to become what you seek. It also means you are going to educate yourself about the art of speaking, which for me meant becoming even more well read than I was, joining Toastmasters, studying the craft of speaking, and studying my central message (do you have a central message?).
As soon as you have a forum to speak, no matter the size of your audience, by all means Speak! This will happen most quickly at Toastmasters, but as soon as possible demonstrate this passion of yours. What you will find is that your love of life increases as you become the person you wish to be. This will not go unnoticed by your family, friends, and co-workers who will likewise appreciate the joy they see in you. You are now sharing your passion, and it’s a blessing. I know because I began this journey in 2008.
Fearlessly,
JD
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Two Keys to Speaking Success, Key One
My lifetime of speaking has provided invaluable insights, shortcuts, work-arounds, and band-aids. Don't get me wrong and think even for a second that I believe I have learned all there is to know. Far from it. Each time I speak, there is something to be gleaned, and stored for future use. With that in mind, you may yet take the following to the bank.
There are two keys to speaking success. Upon these two keys all successful speeches are built. Without these two keys, the greatest material, the friendliest crowd, a venue's amazing acoustics, or a sold-out show will not help you as you crash and burn in front of all God's children! Yikes!
The focus of today's blog is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success. It is a key that works in concert with Key Two, as these two keys feed off one another. It can be developed, part of your DNA, or come to you rather organically over time, but it must be present for the good speech to become great.
Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success is Confidence. Without confidence most personal endeavors miss the mark of excellence. We all are subject to a greater exposure to failure when we operate without confidence. It is confidence that allows us to take the stage fearlessly. It is confidence that compels us to take a speaking gig with only two days to prepare. And it is confidence that puts our audiences at ease and allows them to trust us.
When teaching 'The Two Keys' I provide the background on where my own confidence came from. It originated from an outing at the lake with my folks when I was about six years old. On this particular weekend, my Mom and Dad had asked me to tell a joke. There were three or four families camping together that weekend, and most of the adults stopped what they were doing to hear the joke.
We all know the humor of a six-year old is not terribly sophisticated, but they laughed! Most likely they were just being polite, but hearing that laughter made me feel great. It gave me confidence. Quite obviously my parents had already laid the groundwork for this success in how I was being reared, but that is the moment I readily identify as the beginning of my confidence as a speaker.
From that point on, I had confidence that my voice was worth hearing. I performed in elementary school plays, volunteered to be on stage for high school fund raisers, was a DJ in college, and with two days to prepare preached a revival sermon in a church, city, and country where I'd never been before. Confidence: It is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success.
Fearlessly,
JD
There are two keys to speaking success. Upon these two keys all successful speeches are built. Without these two keys, the greatest material, the friendliest crowd, a venue's amazing acoustics, or a sold-out show will not help you as you crash and burn in front of all God's children! Yikes!
The focus of today's blog is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success. It is a key that works in concert with Key Two, as these two keys feed off one another. It can be developed, part of your DNA, or come to you rather organically over time, but it must be present for the good speech to become great.
Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success is Confidence. Without confidence most personal endeavors miss the mark of excellence. We all are subject to a greater exposure to failure when we operate without confidence. It is confidence that allows us to take the stage fearlessly. It is confidence that compels us to take a speaking gig with only two days to prepare. And it is confidence that puts our audiences at ease and allows them to trust us.
When teaching 'The Two Keys' I provide the background on where my own confidence came from. It originated from an outing at the lake with my folks when I was about six years old. On this particular weekend, my Mom and Dad had asked me to tell a joke. There were three or four families camping together that weekend, and most of the adults stopped what they were doing to hear the joke.
We all know the humor of a six-year old is not terribly sophisticated, but they laughed! Most likely they were just being polite, but hearing that laughter made me feel great. It gave me confidence. Quite obviously my parents had already laid the groundwork for this success in how I was being reared, but that is the moment I readily identify as the beginning of my confidence as a speaker.
From that point on, I had confidence that my voice was worth hearing. I performed in elementary school plays, volunteered to be on stage for high school fund raisers, was a DJ in college, and with two days to prepare preached a revival sermon in a church, city, and country where I'd never been before. Confidence: It is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success.
Fearlessly,
JD
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The Fearless Speaker
In 2008 I was sitting in my Study at home when I asked the age old question, “Why am I here?” Have you ever wondered that very same thing? It seems to be a rhetorical question. After all haven’t we all contemplated our existence on this planet? Well I really wanted to know so I let the query run. By letting ‘the query run’ I mean that what I did not do was dismiss the question with a comment like, “Aw that’s crazy. Who can know such a thing?”
Ever been in a conversation when you and the person with whom you are speaking are trying to think of the name of a movie, an actor, a song, or whatever, and each of you are drawing a blank? I have been in that situation countless times. Invariably one of us says something to the affect, “I’ll probably think of it at two o’clock in the morning!” You both laugh and go on to another topic.
The computer between your ears, the human brain, continues to process that query, and sure enough a couple of days later you are enjoying lunch in a restaurant when the piece of information that had escaped you just pops into your mind! Then you call your friend, share the good news with them, and you both laugh again.
Well, I let the query ‘Why am I here’ continue to run. I did not dismiss it as an unanswerable question. Within days I began to get an unusual answer in the form of memories. Almost in chronological order memories of my having spoken to this group or that came back. It may have been as a child telling jokes to my parents’ friends, acting in a school play, performing on stage, or being a DJ at my college radio station, but there they all were.
It was a bit like the forest had been hidden by the trees. Of course I knew all about the dozens upon dozens of times I had spoken to an audience both informally and formally. I had simply regarded all those speaking opportunities as just the use of a gifting, but not as a life’s calling.
Having all of those ‘speaking’ memories arrive within days of the question, “Why am I here?” left me with no doubts I had received THE answer. I am here to speak. Okay, but what about? Here is where the answered question led to memories even more specific. My message would contain words of encouragement was the clear mandate and answer to the follow up.
Through the years I have been an encourager. I am naturally optimistic, and very often will approach people to whom I have never been introduced (you see, I have never met a stranger) to share a compliment, or otherwise say something positive.
With an answer to my simple but profound question in hand, I made the following decision: If I am on this planet to speak encouraging words to people then I will make doing so a life priority. Making it a life priority led me to determine that I would let nothing stand in the way of the simple objective to speak encouragement into the lives of as many people as possible. Therefore all doubts about my future path have been erased, and so too any fears about how to proceed.
I became The Fearless Speaker based upon this epiphany. Today, I assert to Event Planners, church leaders, speaker boards, and anyone else who hires or engages Speakers, that I will speak in any venue to any audience of any size at any time! I am The Fearless Speaker! My fearlessness is based upon the premise that my life’s message is one which men, women, and children need to hear.
We all need to be encouraged in who we are! This old world takes its toll on all of us. We get beat up daily by the cares of life, the drama of bills, bad jobs, poor relationships, and all the other nonsense that distracts from a peaceful life. Folks need to hear good news about themselves, and about their prospects for grabbing the brass ring of life.
How about you? Do you know why you are here on this rock we call Earth? If not then I strongly encourage you to find out the answer to this all-important question. Once you have made your discovery then be fearless in your determination to pursue your life’s purpose. It will enrich your life, and the lives of all those around you.
Fearlessly,
JD
Ever been in a conversation when you and the person with whom you are speaking are trying to think of the name of a movie, an actor, a song, or whatever, and each of you are drawing a blank? I have been in that situation countless times. Invariably one of us says something to the affect, “I’ll probably think of it at two o’clock in the morning!” You both laugh and go on to another topic.
The computer between your ears, the human brain, continues to process that query, and sure enough a couple of days later you are enjoying lunch in a restaurant when the piece of information that had escaped you just pops into your mind! Then you call your friend, share the good news with them, and you both laugh again.
Well, I let the query ‘Why am I here’ continue to run. I did not dismiss it as an unanswerable question. Within days I began to get an unusual answer in the form of memories. Almost in chronological order memories of my having spoken to this group or that came back. It may have been as a child telling jokes to my parents’ friends, acting in a school play, performing on stage, or being a DJ at my college radio station, but there they all were.
It was a bit like the forest had been hidden by the trees. Of course I knew all about the dozens upon dozens of times I had spoken to an audience both informally and formally. I had simply regarded all those speaking opportunities as just the use of a gifting, but not as a life’s calling.
Having all of those ‘speaking’ memories arrive within days of the question, “Why am I here?” left me with no doubts I had received THE answer. I am here to speak. Okay, but what about? Here is where the answered question led to memories even more specific. My message would contain words of encouragement was the clear mandate and answer to the follow up.
Through the years I have been an encourager. I am naturally optimistic, and very often will approach people to whom I have never been introduced (you see, I have never met a stranger) to share a compliment, or otherwise say something positive.
With an answer to my simple but profound question in hand, I made the following decision: If I am on this planet to speak encouraging words to people then I will make doing so a life priority. Making it a life priority led me to determine that I would let nothing stand in the way of the simple objective to speak encouragement into the lives of as many people as possible. Therefore all doubts about my future path have been erased, and so too any fears about how to proceed.
I became The Fearless Speaker based upon this epiphany. Today, I assert to Event Planners, church leaders, speaker boards, and anyone else who hires or engages Speakers, that I will speak in any venue to any audience of any size at any time! I am The Fearless Speaker! My fearlessness is based upon the premise that my life’s message is one which men, women, and children need to hear.
We all need to be encouraged in who we are! This old world takes its toll on all of us. We get beat up daily by the cares of life, the drama of bills, bad jobs, poor relationships, and all the other nonsense that distracts from a peaceful life. Folks need to hear good news about themselves, and about their prospects for grabbing the brass ring of life.
How about you? Do you know why you are here on this rock we call Earth? If not then I strongly encourage you to find out the answer to this all-important question. Once you have made your discovery then be fearless in your determination to pursue your life’s purpose. It will enrich your life, and the lives of all those around you.
Fearlessly,
JD
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