Thursday
May282009
On Taking Chances
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 03:14PM
Last weekend I gave the commencement speech at School of Advertising Art in Dayton. With fifty-five graduates, family and friends, instructors and staff from the school, the audience was a total of about 500 people. To be honest, when they first asked me I was petrified and about to say no, but Catherine talked me into it.
What an incredible experience! Feeling completely unprepared for what I had just agreed to, I spent two weeks of intense work with a speech coach. He helped me develop topics, write a speech and practice, practice, practice. It was hard, stressful, frustrating...yes, at one point there was a meltdown over how I was going to deliver the opening line.
But I'd do it all over again. By pushing myself to do something I was absolutely not comfortable with, I learned a lot about the process and myself. Now I'm much more confident anytime someone asks me to speak. I know how to organize a topic, structure a speech and work on the delivery. More than anything, I know I can do it. And confidence is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Believing that you can do something is half the battle.
I seem to do something about once a year that I feel absolutely afraid of, overwhelmed by, or unqualified for. And it always turns out to be an amazing experience! I encourage you to try something completely outside of your comfort zone. The reward and thrill of accomplishing your goal is absolutely worth it.
What an incredible experience! Feeling completely unprepared for what I had just agreed to, I spent two weeks of intense work with a speech coach. He helped me develop topics, write a speech and practice, practice, practice. It was hard, stressful, frustrating...yes, at one point there was a meltdown over how I was going to deliver the opening line.
But I'd do it all over again. By pushing myself to do something I was absolutely not comfortable with, I learned a lot about the process and myself. Now I'm much more confident anytime someone asks me to speak. I know how to organize a topic, structure a speech and work on the delivery. More than anything, I know I can do it. And confidence is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Believing that you can do something is half the battle.
I seem to do something about once a year that I feel absolutely afraid of, overwhelmed by, or unqualified for. And it always turns out to be an amazing experience! I encourage you to try something completely outside of your comfort zone. The reward and thrill of accomplishing your goal is absolutely worth it.
Reader Comments (3)
Kristen, just wanted you to know I continue to receive wonderful comments about your commencement address! Admin/faculty thought the content was spot-on and you navigated both audiences [grads and parents with very different points of view] with seeming ease. If you hadn't confessed it in your blog, no one would have guessed you were the least bit anxious. It was the best saa commencement address in recent memory and you were the perfect person to deliver it. Thank you again so much. saa appreciates all you do AND who you are. Have a great summer!
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