Fears, Dragons, and Saying "Yes" to Public Speaking Opportunities.

When I was battling my public speaking nerves, I lived by a golden rule: If it scares me, say yes.

It was like the storyline to that Jim Carrey film, only with more panic and sleepless nights. 😆

First, I said “yes” to simple things:

• Going to speaking workshops.

• Attending networking events.

• Meeting people for coffee.

Then, my "yes's" got more serious:

• Auditioning for a play.

• Delivering workshops of my own.

• Performing in short films.

Eventually, I built a career from it:

• Touring theatre’s in Italy.

• Becoming ‘the voice’ of the Wildlife Trust

• Getting paid to deliver keynotes on stage.

You may already have a successful career or business, with many fears already faced along the way. But without new challenges, there is no new growth. The easy part? Your fear acts as a compass: a subtle sign, saying “head this way.”

Action point: Be honest about what scares you. Find the edge of your comfort-zone, and spend more time there — and when opportunities come up that make you flinch? Trust yourself, and say yes.

PS. There’s an interesting folklore connection with this. Ever wonder why in fairy-tales the Dragon (what we fear), sits atop a hoard of treasure (opportunity)?

Timeless wisdom!

To your public speaking success,

Ed