One year ago, I had the opportunity to speak at TEDx Mile High here in Denver, before an audience of 2200 people at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. It was an amazing experience that taught me a number of things.
Since I just attended the 2016 event yesterday, I was reminded of some of the things I shared in my talk. And I felt like it was on me to practice what I preach by sharing some important things with you.
First, the preparation and delivery of this talk took me to a new level as a speaker. When I first started speaking, I was extremely nervous about it. As time went on, my fears subsided. I had gotten to a point where I only had the mildest nervous energy before getting on stage.
There was something about the significance and weightiness of this talk that took me to places I had not yet been as a speaker. The composition of the talk… scrapping it all… consulting with friends like Chris Brogan and Bryan Kramer… scrapping it all again… rewriting it and scrapping it yet a third time. By the time the talk I wanted to give fully surfaced, I was satisfied and knew it like the back of my hand.
After standing on the red dot at that amazing structure (with 3 balconies!), I didn\’t notice an immediate shift. But I did notice that the next times I was asked to speak, it was like walking into my own living room. I was sleeping better the night before a talk. I had hit a new plateau. I\’m forever grateful for that experience.
Secondly, and perhaps more important, is the vulnerable part I want to share.
If you\’ve watched the first 30-seconds of my talk, you\’ll know that I took the opportunity to get metaphorically naked before the entire audience. I shared some of my greatest pains, struggles and flaws. It was necessary in order to share the message I wanted to deliver.
So here I am a year later. And no, my life is not perfect. In fact, the last year has been a bit of a personal struggle. In seeking to redefine myself, or be redefined as is actually the case, I have found myself a bit stuck.
That doesn\’t mean I\’m not doing anything, as you can clearly see from the things I am involved in.
But in several areas of my life, I feel like I am \”off\” by a degree or two. This whole notion of figuring out what I want to do and how I want to spend my time has been left unanswered. I\’ve got many projects in the works, and all kinds of opportunity before me. But choosing the right thing and then putting my full support and effort behind it has proven to be challenging.
It often looks like others live a charmed life. And I am certainly grateful for the wonder of the life I get to live.
But it\’s not perfect, gang. It\’s got some great highs and some horrible lows. It\’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Nor have I seen a unicorn lately.
We ALL struggle with things in different seasons of life.
Work and career. Relationships. Bad habits. Depression.
Don\’t assume that everyone you observe has everything together just because their Facebook page makes it LOOK that way. (Again, this was the purpose of my talk.)
When I see someone posting only good stuff and always in a positive, upbeat mood, my first suspicion is to wonder \”What\’s really going on here?\”
If you haven\’t seen my talk, I hope you will give me 14 minutes of your life. I promise it will be worth your while.
On another note, this is NOT a public plea for advice. I have people that I trust for that. It is, however, a place for you to share how my talk and my post make you feel. If you want to share some of your struggles here, I want it to be a safe place for you.
Do good stuff, my friends. Do good stuff.