WING TIPS

I had a golf lesson earlier today, and my coach showed me something I needed to do on the video to have a better swing. We worked on correcting my hand position, and I could eventually do what my coach taught me. The problem was that I couldn’t hit the ball as well as I was hitting it before, and the new hand position felt very uncomfortable for me. As we talked about it, he reminded me of some fundamentals that I intuitively knew:

1. You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
2. You often have to step back before moving forward to get to the next level.
3. The transition requires putting time and effort in.

These fundamentals have also been true in many aspects of my professional life.

Eons ago, when I was learning to fly fighter-type jets, we had to learn to fly in close formation. This required flying three feet apart at over four hundred miles an hour while doing many different maneuvers. I was doing quite well in the program, learning to fly the jet solo until my first formation ride. My instructor would tuck our jet close and tight next to the lead jet and have me come on the controls. I was immediately erratic and would pull away. I was very uncomfortable being that close to another jet at such a high rate of speed. But by applying the three fundamental principles listed above, over time, I became an excellent formation pilot.

In recent years, these same fundamentals have enabled me to become a better speaker. By accepting being uncomfortable, taking a few steps back to hone my skills and putting the time and effort in, I have received the highest earned designation in the professional speaking business, the CSP™, which stands for Certified Speaking Professional.

And I am still applying those principles and honing my skills. I am headed to San Antonio, TX, to attend the Thrive 2023 Winter Workshop this coming March 3-5. Every year, the National Speakers Association produces this conference to give attendees the tools, strategies and foundation they need to build a solid business and become even more amazing speakers,consultants and coaches. This is a “Can't-Miss” conference if you are or have any interest in those disciplines. And if you sign up before year-end, you’ll get a nice discount. Just click here.

By the way, I have no financial interest in this event or NSA whatsoever! It is a wonderful organization that has given me so much help in my business.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season, and I hope to see you in San Antonio next year!

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