I Don't Want To Do This!

Seán looked at his mother, his lower lip curled into a snarl.

"You can't make me go. I don't enjoy it."

His mother took a slow, silent breath, careful not to allow her frustration to show.

"Darling, I know you don't enjoy it at the moment, but I promise, someday you'll thank me for it."

Seán was determined. He was 16 now. Nobody was going to make him do anything he didn't want to do anymore.

"I don't care what you say, Mum. I'm not going. It's embarrassing."

His mother knew better than to fight with him when he got like this. There was too much of his father in him. Reluctantly, she let him be.

"Okay. But don't come crying to me when you're older."

Seán was certain he wouldn't. He was pleased with his win. None of the other guys at school had to take elocution classes. They laughed when the teachers complimented him on his speaking skills. What need did he have to speak clearly and sound all high and mighty when they had to present?

*****

Twenty years later, Seán found himself lacking. His corporate career wasn't what he'd hoped it would be. He knew there was more to life, so one day, after months of quiet contemplation, he took action and handed in his notice to leave. He had an idea that he could see changing the face of an entire industry, modernising it, impacting the lives of thousands of people all over the world.

Seán was right. Competitor analysis proved nobody was doing it yet. Market analysis proved the industry was ripe for a new approach. He took all his savings and hit the ground running, making great headway at the beginning. But savings don't last forever. The market he hit had some major players who could easily either buy him out or copy his technology and load millions behind it. Seán needed investors - and he needed them quickly.

He applied for funding round after funding round but never got past the first pitch. For some reason, his message just wasn't landing. He had a great back story. He had the skills, knowledge and expertise to lead the technological development.

"What am I doing wrong?"

After months of trying and failing, Seán finally sought feedback from a coach.

"Investors aren't as interested in your back story as they are in the opportunity, security and impact of their investments,"

the coach said.

"You need to know your numbers better. You need to demonstrate clearly and quickly what the opportunity is, the scope, and how quickly they'll make a return on it. Then, when speaking, you need to sound credible - your voice, your posture, the gesture you use - everything needs to ooze credibility."

Seán wasn't completely convinced. He was holding fast to his story. He decided to attend a trial pitch event, to get feedback from real investors. What would a coach know at the end of the day? They weren't pitching for the kinds of funds he was.

Pitch Day

A month later, sitting in his car on a rare sunny afternoon in Ireland, Seán called his mother, crestfallen.

"I know you told me not to come crying to you, but I thought you'd like the chance to say I told you so."

"It didn't go well then?" his mother said.

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it definitely taught me a few lessons about my attitude towards public speaking training. I'm going to have to go back to that coach with my tail firmly between my legs."

He called the coach to give her the news. She'd been, for want of a better phrase, on the money. The investor panel had given him exactly the same feedback as she had.

"We need to see the opportunity and believe you can make it work,"

they had said.

"When can I schedule my next session?"

Seán asked.

***********************

Seán is like countless others out there. We have a tendency as humans to wait until the pain is so great we cannot handle it anymore before taking action to change. But there is another way.

Neuroscience tells us that bad is better than good. In other words, we run away from pain and threat faster than we run towards reward. Very few people recognise this in themselves and flip the focus. Those who do, hire coaches and trainers to teach them the techniques they need before they become necessary.

It is this which separates great speakers and presenters from everyone else. Those who do it, drill it, deliver it, and do it again are the ones whose light remains on long after they've been under the spot. Are you one of them?

*******

I'm Christine from Ireland. I've been on stage since I was 7, presenting, singing, performing and competing in all aspects of vocal production and storytelling. Now, I teach professionals how to speak from their solar plexus, confidently, clearly and convincingly. You can wait until it's painful or you can pop a yellow pill now and let your communicative light shine. (yellow is the solar plexus colour)

There are three ways to work with me:

1. Do It Yourself - join the Connected Communication Resources platform. Follow the audio and video training at your own pace. Attend my monthly Public Speaking Practice live call to put your skills to the test.
2. Short Term: 6-session Phenomenal Presentations Fast. (BOOK A CALL)
3. Long Term: 10-session Neurocultural Communicator Package. (READ MORE )

Seán was 16 when his uncertainty got the best of him and he ran from the opportunity of a lifetime. If uncertainty holds you back, read about HOW IT WORKS then get in touch with your questions. Alternatively, wait until the plaster's been pulled off and the wound is showing. That sounds more appealing, right?