Patience

Patience.

Is really just a test of confidence. This is something I’ve learned in my time being a speaker where there’s no real pattern to how busy you are. I don’t think this is speaking specific though, I’m sure it’s something felt by people in a number of different professions. So it’s natural to head straight down the path of thinking the phone will never ring again and that you’ve worked the last day of your life in that job. The human brain does lean towards fatalism after all.

To those who are unfamiliar with the world of speaking, it can certainly create intrigue around how you actually make a job out of this. The inevitable question of “So, how often are you speaking?” comes up frequently when I talk to people about what I do. The response is understandably varied but this time last month was when I had to check myself for the first time because it’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking the good times will last forever. And why not, those times feel phenomenal!

At that stage, I was the busiest I’ve ever been which was great but when confronted with this question, and considering the frequency of my presentations I would have loved to cite the stats for that week and say “Well, I’ve spoken 5 times in the past 6 days”. However, at this stage, I’ve learned to approach this question with more equilibrium.

There are most certainly some weeks where you appear to be travelling all over the place and speaking almost daily in some amazing locations, but for a large majority of speakers, this is not the norm - me included. Because these weeks are almost always followed up with some quieter times that bring you back to earth both physically and mentally.

A physical reset is always a good idea. You don’t realise how much being on the move all the time takes it out of you so there are times when you get back home and just being in a familiar place can make a world of difference to your energy as you have a chance to relax.

But an idle mind is a dangerous one. And these down periods are usually a big test of your mental fortitude on a number of fronts. I’ve always been aware that there may be a day when my story just isn’t as relevant as it once was and I’m trying my best to combat that but there’s always that little voice of doubt in your head when things get a little quiet.

I remember speaking to Peter Baines about my fears of expiration in this speaking world which is something he was happily able to give me some insight on. Peter told me, plain and simple “I feel the same way but these fears will never go away, it’s just the nature of the business.”

A point on the scoreboard for fatalism it seems.

But as I thought about that, and spoke to Peter, and saw him present, I started to gain some perspective on what this all means. Peter has lived an immeasurably impressive life and one of the main things he talks about is his experience as a responder to the Boxing Day Tsunami in Thailand, that was back in 2004! And he’s still speaking about it today which is not by any measure of luck or chance.

He’s still doing it today because he’s a fantastic speaker with a wonderful message that makes a difference.

This is where I have to look back to my opening line here. Patience is truly a test of confidence because if you have confidence in what you do, and you back that up with all of the tangibles. The phone will ring again. The moment you become complacent is when you’re in real danger of letting it all slip away.

Which brings me to what I’ve been up to the past few weeks. Which broadly speaking, is working on my craft. Working with a coach, watching plenty of other speakers, and being physically and mentally in the best place to perform. See also; Approaching my job like a professional.

But more specifically speaking, I’ve been putting together a brand new keynote. One with a slightly different style, more engagement, more updated stories, and more Jaws music! It really is a lot of fun so I can’t wait to get an opportunity to present this one soon, I know it’s going to be a hit!

Whilst these days at home have been filled with contemplation and a hint of anxiety. I truly believe I’ve been putting in the work and can be confident that this is going to not only take my speaking to the next level but also ensure that the phones keep ringing for the foreseeable future.