Making this 47 second speech changed her life!

"You have a story to tell, and someone needs to hear it!" ~ Les Brown

In this edition of the Blue-Collar Leadership? Tips newsletter, Ria Story shares a bit about the first time she shared her story publicly for the first time...

In August 2013, Mack and I returned to Orlando for speaker training with Les Brown.

During the two day training event, each one of the 200 or so in attendance was required to create and deliver a scripted 60 second speech. There would be three rounds of judging where ultimately the five best speakers were selected.

Those five winners would be offered an opportunity to share the stage with Les Brown at one of his future events. I had been struggling with the decision to share my story for six months.

I knew it was now or never.

As I rehearsed the night before the conference, I didn’t share with anyone what the topic of my 60 second speech would be. I wasn’t sure I could go through with it, and I needed to work through that myself without the (well-meant) encouragement from others which would put additional pressure on me.

I couldn’t even say the words out loud to myself in private.

Fighting the urge to be physically sick, I broke down crying in the ladies’ room just before walking in to the conference. The bonds of shame and fear, along with having a false sense of guilt, had been holding me captive for more than 20 years. The thought of breaking my silence publicly was almost too much for me to contemplate.

In the ladies’ room, I repaired my mascara and simply prayed, “God, I can’t do this. Lord, if this is your will, give me the strength.”

That was the moment I truly began my relationship with God. I had been raised believing in God and Jesus. However, until that moment, I had not experienced the comfort and strength of a relationship with Him. It didn’t happen until I was willing to surrender my own agenda and become obedient to His.

The strength to share my story came from something much greater than me.

At the end of that long day, it didn’t matter to me if I had won the contest or not. I had won a much greater victory in my heart when I told the world I wasn’t going to be ashamed of what had happened to me any longer. And, in saying that out loud to a room full of people, I proved it.

“Although it may be difficult to face the ugly pain of our past, we cannot conquer what we are not willing to confront.” ~ Chawanis J. Ash, MFT, MAC, CADCII

For the first time, I was willing to publicly confront my past, and therefore, I was positioned to conquer it. The response from the audience after my speech was overwhelming.

200 other speakers, all competing for the same opportunity I was, gave me a standing ovation. Every person I passed on the way back to my seat gave me a high-five, a hug, or a handshake.

As it turns out, I was one of the five winners selected and was invited to share the stage with Les Brown in Los Angeles, CA a few months later.

It was a defining moment in my life.

I knew the time had come to make an even bigger decision. I had a successful career, but I couldn’t deny the calling God had just placed on my life.

10 days after giving what turned out to be a 47 second version of my story, I decided to walk away from a career to follow my calling.

Note: Fortunately Ria's 47 second speech in 2013 was recorded. You can watch it below. She also has a powerfully inspiring 7 minute TEDx Talk that was recorded 4 years later in 2017. After watching the 47 second video below, I encourage you to watch her TEDx video to see how much confidence she had gained 4 years after she first shared her story .

Like what you just read?

It was an excerpt from...

Meet Ria Story….

Ria understands first hand the frustration and challenges leaders face. She understands, from experience, the discouragement of vague, confusing, and theoretical “leadership” materials that don’t help you understand how to develop the team you want to lead and become the leader they want to follow.

Ria understands the sacrifices of leadership, and she believes leaders deserve simple and effective leadership tools that will help them be successful. She specializes in helping you Become the Leader You are Destined to Be.?

Ria Story is a motivational leadership speaker, TEDx Speaker , certified leadership trainer, and author of 20 books and journals, including Leadership Gems for Women , and The Ladder of Influence ?.

Ria has presented on leadership at Yale University and has spoken on Capitol Hill. She has been a guest on Dr. Phil’s Primetime show, spoken several times at International John Maxwell Certification Events, and spoken with motivational speaker Les Brown in Los Angeles, CA.

Ria has an MBA as well as a BS in Human Resources Management and has more than 20 years of experience in leadership and management.

Ria and her husband, Mack Story, co-founded Blue-Collar Leadership ?, and they often speak or teach together on leadership principles which provides the audience with a much more dynamic presentation. Ria also has an inspirational backstory of overcoming adversity, and she will inspire you, encourage you, and equip you.