How One Decision Today Can Lead To The Life You Want Tomorrow

The phone rings, and my heart is pounding. If this call goes as well as I hope, I think I’ll finally get the help I need. This guy seems like the right person.

He answers the phone, and after a few pleasantries, I ask the BIG QUESTION…

“Darren, would you be willing to coach me?”

After a pause that stretches on for eternity, he says, “Maybe.”

Maybe?

Maybe!

Do you know how hard it is for me to ask for help, to admit I don’t know how to do this? And your answer is, “maybe”?

Those are my immediate thoughts, but before I can say a word, he follows up with a challenge. It's a seemingly simple choice that, as it turns out, will have major life-changing implications.

One Decision That Changed My Life

The date of this phone call was June 27, 2002. The person I was talking with was Darren LaCroix, then the reigning World Champion of Public Speaking.?

A few days earlier I had seen him speak at an event I had helped organize, and was immediately taken by his style. His energy, passion, and sense of humor appealed to me. I thought, “I’d love to have a coach like him.”

Thus, I asked him to fill that role, and then he gave me that one challenge. He said, “Read the book Stand Up Comedy, The Book by Judy Carter.”

My first thought was, “Read a book? About comedy? That makes NO sense! I don’t want to be a comedian. Why would I read a book about comedy?”

But, before I told him what I was thinking, a story popped into my head. It was an incident Darren shared in his keynote speech a few days earlier.?

When he was an aspiring new comedian, his mentor, Vinnie, pulled him aside one night at a comedy club and told him, “Darren, I see how hard you’re working. You put in the time, you’re willing to work wherever to get the stage time. I’m impressed.?

“Tell you what I’ll do — anytime I’m a headliner at a club, I’ll give you five-minutes of mic time. It’ll be a great opportunity for you to get in front of good crowds.

“But, know this, if you ever turn me down, I will never help you again.”

Whoa! Vinnie wasn’t playin’ around.

In the few moments between Darren challenging me to read that book and me wanting to say, “I don’t want to read a comedy book,” remembering his story made a significant difference in the course of my life.

I said, “Okay, I’ll read the book.”?

One week later, I’m calling Darren again, without the rapid heartbeat. I’m feeling good. After our initial pleasantries, I say, “What’s next?”

He says, “What’s do you mean, ‘What’s next?’ ”

“Darren, I read the book, I want to know the next step.”

After what feels like a 5-minute pause, he says, “You read the book?”

I say, “Yes! You told me to read it, so I bought it and read it.”

In a tone of disbelief, he says, “Michael, I’ve given that challenge to hundreds of people. No one has ever read it. That was a test to see if you’re serious. You passed. And guess I’m stuck with you now!”

The Long-Lasting Impact of One Decision

Because of that one action my life took on a new and more fulfilling course. I became a student of the craft of public speaking and storytelling.?

Darren steered me to the most beneficial books and courses. He introduced me to other world class speakers who also took me under their wing and guided me to be a better speaker and coach. That led me to becoming a certified speaking coach.

Eventually, Darren invited me to be a part of his Stage Time University (STU), first as a volunteer at his events, then as host/emcee, and eventually as a staff coach and host of STU’s weekly global coaching calls.

Darren has opened more doors in two decades than I ever could have in two lifetimes.?

Today is the 20th anniversary of that original phone call. This post is a tribute to a mentor and coach who became a good friend and continues to inspire and challenge me.

More than that, this post is a reminder that if you want to succeed and live the ideal life for you, the actions you take are what matter most. They’re all that matter.

The world is filled with people who say they’re going to succeed, or accomplish specific goals, but the number who take the next step — act on that desire — and take the risk to fail, those are the ones who realize those objectives.

Of all the incredible wisdom and insight I’ve gained from Darren and others in the past two decades, the one that has had the most impact came from one decision I made when I was given a simple challenge — read a book I didn’t want to read.

And that has made all the difference.?

It showed my coach I was serious, and fortunately for me (but I’m not so sure about him) he’s still stuck with me twenty years later.

It’s been a fantastic ride! Thanks, Coach! Looking forward to another 20 together.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE:

Want more insights into the value of coaching — whether it’s for personal, professional or career reasons?

Check out the latest episode of the Unforgettable Presentations podcast from my coach Darren, and his coach, Mark Brown. Mark is also a past World Champion of Public Speaking and a Certified Speaking Professional.

In this recent episode, Darren and Mark discuss four key reasons to work with a coach. To listen, click here .