Last weekend, I attended the ‘Get Paid To Speak” bootcamp by Eric Feng in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. I was chosen to do the after lunch session to “energize” the participants on Day 2 so they don’t fall asleep after lunch. I was excited initially, then got really nervous, especially after I saw the great job done by the “energiser” on the Day 1!
I was hoping they would cancel this session on Day 2 due to the tight schedule. On Day 2 morning, Eric confirmed my 10 minute session at 2:30pm. Yikes!! It’s too late to back out now. There was only one thing to do: go onto the stage and do the show!
I decided that I will get excited about it and enjoy myself. Once that decision was made, I continued rehearsing, even while walking back from lunch! I imagined the thrill of walking onto the stage, engaging with the audience, and just having fun! And that’s what I did.
Guess what I found out? It wasn’t as scary as I thought. And guess what else? It was quite exciting and fun! One of the things I realise from my own experience is this: when it is exciting and scary at the same time – always go for it! It is a sign to overcome the fear, and feel the excitement.
As I mentioned last week, do not let your Lizard Brain scare the shit out of you when you are doing something new, unfamiliar and out of your comfort zone. The Lizard Brain is doing its job of protecting you in case you fumble and embarrass yourself in front of a big crowd. That’s its job – to protect you. However, mistakes are lessons we can learn from – so that we can grow, improve, and reach a new level.
This is my invitation to you today: if you encounter a dream that is scary and exciting at the same time, do not let your fear stop you from pursuing that bold dream. Create a new chapter for your life!