When I teach presentation skills to my coaching and training clients, I always emphasize the importance of knowing their material inside out. As jazz musician Bradford Marsalis wisely said, “If you’re not prepared, it’s too late.” This principle applies to all aspects of life, not just public speaking.
However, there comes a point where you need to stop preparing and just DO it. This leap of faith can be terrifying for many people, causing them to remain stuck in a perpetual state of preparation. I call it “getting ready to get ready,” which can prevent you from showing up, stepping up, and speaking up when the time is right.
I fell into this trap several years ago during a weekend retreat designed to challenge fears and perceptions. One entire day was devoted to tackling a rope-challenge course. For those unfamiliar with these courses, they involve exercises that confront you with your fears, particularly the fear of heights, while building teamwork, trust, and self-confidence. Activities include leaping off the top of a tall tree towards a swinging trapeze or walking across a tightrope—definitely not for the faint of heart.
I. Do. Not. Like. Heights. Period.
Let me confess, I have a colossal fear of heights. The ropes challenge course both terrified and strangely attracted me.
The first challenge was supposedly simple since it didn’t involve climbing up a rope or a ladder: we just had to take turns leaning off the side of a cliff, tethered to two ropes managed by the instructors. To prepare, we were meticulously instructed on how to strap on the harness and shown how the belay ropes worked to prevent injury. We were given helmets and shown the proper way to secure them. We each took turns feeling the tension on the rope as an instructor dangled off the cliff.
I asked a lot of questions: How secure were the belay lines? What if something went wrong? Should we look down? The more questions I asked, the more prepared I felt. At the same time, the more questions I asked, the longer I avoided taking action and facing my fear.
Prepping Forever vs. Action
I would have preferred preparing forever and avoiding the spine-chilling moment of hoisting myself off the side of a cliff. So, I managed to put myself as far back in the line as possible. This gave me far too much time to watch with amazement and horror as person after person strapped themselves into the harness, walked to the edge of a cliff, yelled “ready,” and then slowly leaned out over a 300-foot drop. The line moved much too fast, and finally, it was my turn to buckle on the harness.
I truly didn’t want to go. Wasn’t there more to do, more to prepare, to ensure I would be completely safe? Was my helmet on right? Was the rope secure? The instructor watched me with a knowing smile. “You’re ready,” he said. “Just do it.”
“You’re Ready. Just Do It.”
And so, I did. Somehow, I managed to make my feet move toward the cliff’s rocky edge. “Now let go and lean forward,” the instructor ordered. And I did that too, my heart pounding like a bad headache, leaning slowly out into the cool fall air. “SNAP!” The ropes attached to my harness locked into place. And there I hung, at a 45-degree angle, the scruffy gray-green of the southern California hills spread out beneath me. I had done it! And, oh, it was a beautiful thing.
Afterward, once my pulse had slowed and my legs had stopped trembling, I wondered: Why had I let myself be so scared? The fact of the matter was this: Actually DOING it wasn’t nearly as hard or scary as PREPARING to do it.
There comes a time when preparation must end, and you must just do it, whatever “it” is. You must simply pick up the phone and make that call, send that letter, have that conversation, take that action, step onto that stage, give that presentation. Stop letting preparation stop you from doing what you know you need to do.
And just do it.
Eleni Kelakos, CSP The Speaker Whisperer®