Confession: Years ago, my life was dominated by fear
Confession: Years ago, my life was dominated by fear.
I was so scared of failure that I was afraid to speak up. I was afraid to try things that might not work.
“I feel like a fraud”.
“What if my boss or coworkers realize I’m not very good?”
“What if I say something dumb in a meeting and embarrass myself?”
I hit a fork in the road. I could either hide from my fears, or I could chase them down.
I chose the latter.
I decided to start speaking at user groups and conferences because it would force me to get over my insecurities, and get better, fast.
And more importantly, public speaking intimidated me.
“What if they think I’m an idiot?”
“What if I get on stage and freeze and forget my points?”
“What if my demo fails?”
So what?! I was tired of living in fear. I decided hiding from my fears was no way to live.
So I spoke.
Was it great? No. 😒
But did I die? Also no. 😀
So, I kept practicing, and I got better.
That was over a decade ago. Fast forward to today. I’ve presented over 250 sessions worldwide, I’m independent, I teach and consult for a living, and over 500k people have taken my courses.
My weakness didn’t just become my strength - it became my job! 🔥
The world feels bigger (and way less scary) today.
Now I can present to a room of 100’s of developers without fear. It’s genuinely fun. I feel no more stress than having a coffee 1:1. This transformation still blows my mind.
The moral of the story? With any fear, we have a choice: Hide from it, or chase it.
I chose the latter, and that made all the difference.
