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Imagine what you could accomplish if you couldn’t fail.

When was the last time you had to speak in front of a large crowd? The sweaty palms. The butterflies in your stomach. The racing heartbeat.

Studies show that one of the most common fears is the fear of public speaking.

The act of speaking probably isn’t the real fear. When you examine it more closely, the true fear would be the fear of failure. We don’t fear speaking. We fear making a fool of ourselves.

If we knew it wasn’t possible to look dumb, imagine how powerful your speaking could be.

Fear of failure holds us back from so many incredible experiences and possibilities. You could do so much if you just attempted more adventures.

SKIING

As my two kids were growing up, I wanted to teach them to ski. Each time I would ask if they would like to go learn, they would just say, “nah”.

My daughter was in high school and wanted to take a father/daughter trip one year over Easter break. We talked about going skiing. She decided it was time to give it a shot.

We made it a two-day trip, just to make sure it was something she enjoyed. After a quick, half-day lesson, she picked it up like a champ.

We went to the top in the afternoon and took our time coming down. By the end of the day, I couldn’t keep up with her. She was having the time of her life.

SKIING AGAIN

The next winter, my son decided it was time he give it a try. He had heard my daughter talk about it so much he thought he might be missing out.

When we arrived at the slopes, we got his rental gear and made our way out to base of the hill. We had about 30 minutes before his lesson was to begin.

Simon was a bit nervous. He had been playing hockey for ten years, but had never been on skis. This was a big step.

We found a bit of a hill. It was about a 20 yard stretch from one lift to the other. We started by learning how to snowplow and stop. 20 minutes later, Simon had great balance and was stopping with ease.

This gave him just enough confidence to take on the lessons.

After a 3-hour lesson and some lunch, we were ready to head up the hill and give it a real try. Simon wasn’t ready for the big hills, but was ready to see what was next.

We took that run nice and easy. Building a little more confidence.

By the end of the day, he was taking a few risks and picking up some speed. He was having a blast.

The magic came when he forgot about failing and just had fun. Falling is part of the game. It happens. Get up, dust yourself off and give it another whirl.

On your podcast, you may try a few things that don’t work. That’s ok. Get up, dust yourself off and give it another whirl.

THREE STEPS

There are three steps to overcoming your fear and making progress.

• Be brave. Try to push your boundaries on each episode.
• Take baby steps. Just a little past your comfort zone will help you grow.
• Find someone who can encourage you and pick you back up when you fall.

 

You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.

Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.