197: Start Ugly
Have you ever wanted to start something new. But maybe felt paralysis of analysis? Overwhelmed? Scared?
Chris Krimitsos has written the book that is the antidote. It's called Start Ugly and it's available for pre-order right now. Order it here: http://bit.ly/start-ugly
On this episode you'll hear Gabe's foreword that he wrote for the book. It's his origin story of how he became an international speaker, author and podcast host - all because he followed the simple advice inside this book.
Full Transcript of the Foreword:
The lesson in this book just might change your life. It surely changed mine. In fact, if Chris hadn’t pushed me along the way, I’d likely be a lot less happy and certainly less fulfilled. I would have probably given up years ago or, worse yet, never tried.
Change is scary. Most of us are too afraid to step into a new opportunity, innovate or simply change our habits because we’re afraid of failure. That fear is built into our DNA. It’s normal to feel it. In fact, it would be strange if you didn’t. I know I have - many times. Heck, I still do!
About 5 years ago, Chris asked me to present at one of his business symposiums. I had never spoken to an audience for any length of time and I was deathly afraid of public speaking.
I told Chris I didn’t think I had it in me. He knew my content however, and he told me it was so valuable that folks would still embrace the message even if my performance was lacking.
I knew public speaking was the way to get my message out to more folks, build my business and help others. Still mortified, I decided to team up with a co-presenter. It was the only way I could do it!
Over the next few weeks I prepared my content. I also prepared myself. My mirror became my audience. I learned what a power-pose was. I practiced the “calming breath” that I had learned when my wife had our first child to ease my anxiety. Finally, the day came and I felt as prepared as I could be.
There were a few speakers that morning and I studied how smoothly they spoke and carried themselves. I admired that. I told myself over and over in my head that I could do it.
“Just relax,” I told myself. I started to feel relatively confident.
That quickly changed. Between sessions as I was getting mic’d up by the sound guy I saw the camera. I looked at the seats. Suddenly I felt very warm. My mouth dried up. I started to sweat.
I thought to myself, “Oh no, no, no, no. Breathe, just breathe.”
I looked at my co-presenter. She was just as nervous as me and she muttered something to that effect which I barely processed because my body was going into fight or flight mode.
Before I could have an all out panic attack our names were called and we were walking up to the stage. Like it or not, this was happening. My co-presenter started and a few minutes later it was my turn. I barely got the words out. I stumbled multiple times. I completely bombed.
Or so I thought. The thing is, my content was good. In fact, people came up to me afterwards telling me how much they enjoyed it. A friendly guy named Scott told me how much he agreed with my talking points. Chris had been right!
I just needed to start. I could refine it later, but I needed to start.
Chris did it again about a year later. He pulled me aside at a networking event he was running and told me I really needed to con
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