STOP THE PROCRASTINATION GAME

An accountant I know wants to improve her speaking ability. She's very good at her profession, has no problem with tax returns, profit & loss statements, anything else financial that pertains to running a business.  

But when it comes to telling potential clients just how good she really is and why they should work with her, suddenly she freezes and can hardly remember her own name.

          Gina sees so many entrepreneurs making financial missteps that could easily be corrected. Most of her business is by referral, but recently, like so many of us during this pandemic, the pipeline hasn’t been as full as it used to be.  She’s been thinking about ways to offer her expertise to larger groups on video.  She’s never done a teleseminar or webinar, but for several years now she's been thinking about it... and thinking about it... and thinking about it. She's expert at playing the procrastination game.

Thinking isn't doing. Gina knows she could help so many more people if she could just get rid of that overwhelming fear of not knowing what to say or saying the wrong thing. But when it comes to actually doing something to overcome her fears, she procrastinates.  She’s not alone.

People fear speaking in public or on video for a whole slew of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with actually giving a speech. It could, of course, come from an unpleasant experience, years ago, when as a kid in school you gave a report you thought was brilliant but the whole class laughed at you. Or maybe you forgot your speech in the middle at your bar/bat mitzvah or graduation or some other important occasion when you wanted to be perfect.

Many people grew up in a family where their opinions weren't valued. They might have been constantly compared to a sibling who was more accomplished and they suffered by comparison. Some people acquire a deep-seated feeling that what they have to stay isn't important or good enough, and that nobody wants to listen. They fear they won't be heard.

  If it’s a simple case of never having done it before, sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone to try is too painful to think about. Not knowing in advance if we'll succeed or make a fool of ourselves stops some people cold. We plan, we prepare, we rehearse. That's the best we can do to predict the outcome. For some, taking that leap off the cliff and actually giving a speech is way too scary, so they continue to procrastinate because that feels safe.

The problem with refusing to speak in public is that you never get to feel the joy of knowing that you do have something to say. You have valuable knowledge to offer and people want to learn from you. Even better, they’ll admire you for sharing it with them. You are unique and your unique perspective is your gift to the world.

Give it a shot.  You'll be amazed, once you start speaking, how many will admire you and thank you for it.

Give yourself a break! Stop playing the procrastination game and grab hold of the joy of sharing your expertise with the world. It's time!