Nervousness is a Privilege

Nervousness is a Privilege: Reframing for success (and wellness).

A few weeks ago, I spoke at my first conference since pre-Covid. I have to admit, I was nervous. More nervous than normal. It had been a long time since I was on stage!?

Sure, at Channel Program, we have our monthly virtual Pitch events that attract hundreds of attendees, but I’m behind the scenes working with the team to ensure that all proceeds smoothly and everyone on camera looks great.??

Now I was going to be in front again, at the Channel Partners Expo in mid-April, held in Las Vegas. I was part of a panel on how to "Radically Reinvent your Revenue Engine," drawing off my experience as head of Sales and Marketing at a Top 50 MSP, where our team reinvigorated growth after several years of flat revenue (we achieved double-digit, profitable revenue growth within 13 months…no small feat).?????

I admit that I wondered if I still had what it took to be in front of and engage an audience. I could have easily let the nervousness take over, perceiving it as something I couldn’t handle, or that my nerves meant that I didn’t know what I was doing.?

But of course I could handle it. And I absolutely knew what to do.?

I’ve lived a life of higher-than-average stress, mainly because I prefer to operate on a steep learning curve. I’m one of those people who’s always super busy; for better or worse, I thrive on it.??

As I mentioned in my last post, I try to incorporate both hard data and gut feeling into my work and play life. Sometimes that means acting first and thinking, “I really hope I’m right!” Other times, it means being patient, looking at the issue from all angles, analyzing, and then purposefully moving to action.?

Going into this conference, I was incredibly busy with other work tasks and commitments, as Channel Program is one of the fastest growing tech startups in the nation.? We’re scrambling to hire amazing additions to our already spectacular team; plan, strategize and dream big; get all the regular stuff done; and admittedly, fix the occasional mistake.??

So rather than sweating and stressing (too much), I chose to reframe the situation and, more importantly, my perception of it. I chose to feel excited. I told myself that the lead-up, the prep, the wondering, and the pushing myself to be uncomfortable was actually the fun part! After all, as a friend and mentor told me once, feeling nervous is a privilege. Regardless of the hard work that went into it, it’s a privilege to be in that uncomfortable situation, to push yourself, to turn an "I can't" into an "I can", and to enjoy the success of facing and overcoming the challenge.

And guess what? When I was on stage, I had fun. Part of it was the support of our panel moderator Mike Schmidtmann who told me “just be Amy” as well as that of my fellow panelists Frank Lusko and Joe Rittenhouse who are simply super smart, successful and fun individuals. As we were taking our seats, I asked them, “Shall I be the thorn between two roses?” and after the first question I answered, both started chuckling and Frank said, “you always kill it.” That set the stage for me, and the rest was easy. I even worked in a few impromptu, corny jokes (see my prior blog).

Mike, Frank, [me] and Joe on stage.? So much fun!

Reframing for Success

According to the Stress & Development Lab at Harvard University, positive reframing “involves thinking about a negative or challenging situation in a more positive way, ...identifying a lesson to be learned from a difficult situation, [or] finding something to be grateful about in a challenging situation.”?

And I love this line from Forbes : “Reframing challenges our interpretations in order to see what other possibilities exist. [It] allows you to choose how you would like to respond, rather than instinctively react. … It puts some distance between your reaction and your response, which helps you see more possibilities.”

Isn’t that what we’re trying to do in business? Look at a challenge or problem and figure out what’s possible!?

I love how this relates to the concept of expansion vs contraction. When we encounter a difficult problem, we often contract, emotionally and mentally. Initially we may think it’s too hard, or there’s no way we’ll figure it out, and we start to doubt ourselves and whether we’re cut out for this.? Effectively everything – our view of ourselves, chances for growth and success, likelihood of fixing the problem–decreases (or contracts). Reframing the problem as an interesting challenge and adopting an expansive view, helps us to dream about possibilities and be creative in our brainstorming.??

So not only does reframing give us the chance to do better, grow, and be more successful, it teaches us to see other perspectives, take a breath, and be purposeful.?

And another great benefit of reframing? The potential to better understand and connect with others. I firmly believe that meaningful connections are where the magic happens, and where growth and success are born. It is what made all the difference in my first post-COVID speaking engagement, and I’m looking forward to future opportunities.

Now, onto the next challenge.?

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That’s right, our team is hard at work on our next challenge - hosting some extra exciting virtual events for you! I invite you to join us for…

?? May 25th Channel Pitch , All new vendors.? All new 7-minute presentations.? Fun and friendly competition.? Tune in to see who will take home the coveted Best Pitch award!?

? June 8th Channel All-Stars , featuring THE Gary Vaynerchuk as headline guest.? We have a few GaryVee mega-fans on our team and are counting the days...

?? And while you're at it, don't forget to check out the "new and improved" Channel Explorer - our social and video platform that is quickly becoming THE place to go for all things [IT] Channel.