“I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, I don’t have the right training, I’m too old, I’m too fat….”
These are the lies we make up when something really big is at stake. They give us plenty of handy excuses if things don’t go the way we want.
You can’t stop them. Resisting the thoughts only makes them stronger. What you resist persists. So how do you turn these stories around and keep your calm when it’s go time? It’s simple: pack your parachute. Packing your parachute means doing the work ahead of time so that when it is go time you can surrender.
In this video I share what it felt like for me to give a talk at Google – the nerves, the lies and the awesome realization I had when it was time to step up:
We prepare not for the performance, but for our nerves.
What do I mean by this?
We prepare not so that we can control how our presentation goes, but so that when we get nervous, we can remind ourselves that we’ve done the work. We can trust ourselves and let go.
So, pack your parachute, friend. Do the research, learn your lines, comb your hair – whatever you need. And then know that when it’s go time you can jump into the unknown and your preparation will be there to guide your landing like the beautiful parachute that it is.