I recently had the incredible opportunity to stand on the famous red TEDx circle and deliver a talk at TEDx Arkansas State University!
Getting there was quite an experience. I had been warned that becoming a TEDx speaker would involve a lot of rejection, and those warnings turned out to be accurate. In fact, I discovered that some of the very things I thought qualified me to speak, such as being an author, consultant, pastor, and professional speaker, actually disqualified me from certain events. Apparently, I had spent years building a résumé that made me ineligible!
Fortunately, Arkansas State University gave me an audition, and I was selected. I was thrilled! I also knew I had just committed myself to something that would require an extraordinary amount of preparation.
My talk was thirteen minutes long, delivered entirely from memory. No notes. No prompts. And the possibility of reaching millions of viewers once the video was released.
I practiced constantly, especially during the final two weeks. Even then, I occasionally lost my place and struggled to recover. I could just imagine that happening on stage, with a camera recording every painful second.
By the time we arrived in Arkansas, the pressure was enormous.
The morning of the event brought one more surprise. As I was getting dressed, my wife, Erica, noticed two holes in my T-shirt. Somehow, after weeks of preparing every word of my presentation, I had neglected to prepare a shirt without holes.
So, two hours before I was supposed to speak, with the TEDx event already underway, we went shopping. As we were running around looking for a new shirt, Erica looked at me and asked, “Why did you do this to yourself?”
It was a great question. And as I began processing the answer, I found myself remembering why I had pursued this opportunity in the first place. Yes, the pressure was intense. Yes, I was nervous. But I wanted to do this, and I was grateful to have the opportunity.
Later, backstage, that pressure returned. I sat in a chair, bent forward, trying to focus as the speaker before me finished.
My thoughts turned to everyone I wanted to honor. My family. The people who had encouraged me through my transition from ministry into business. And especially Tim, the wonderful coach who had helped me through the application process before unexpectedly passing away while battling cancer.
I wanted to make them proud.
Then, sitting there just moments before stepping onto the stage, I began thanking God for bringing me to this opportunity. I thought about the doors He had opened, the people who had helped me, and the privilege of being there.
As I focused on gratitude, the pressure I had been carrying seemed to disappear. I felt free to enjoy the opportunity I had worked so hard to reach.
And when I stepped onto that stage, I did.
I delivered the entire talk from memory, finished on time, and walked off the stage absolutely elated!
Looking back, I think there is an important leadership lesson in that experience.
When the stakes are high, we naturally feel pressure. We care about the outcome, the people depending on us, and the consequences of getting something wrong. That pressure can help us take our responsibilities seriously and prepare thoroughly. But it can also consume so much of our attention that we struggle to perform the very work we prepared to do.
As leaders, we need to prepare for those moments. We also need to recognize when our concern about the outcome is interfering with our ability to do our best.
For me, gratitude helped. It reminded me why I was there and allowed me to focus on the opportunity in front of me.
Interestingly, the video of my talk has yet to be released because of circumstances outside my control. Naturally, I hope it becomes available soon. But whatever happens with the video, I know I prepared thoroughly, delivered my best, and enjoyed an experience I will never forget.
This month, we’re exploring how leaders can prepare for and perform well when the stakes are high.
And if you ever find yourself wondering, “Why did I do this to myself?” perhaps it is worth remembering why you wanted the opportunity in the first place.
Blessings,
Tom
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