So there it was, last Saturday the 3rd December and then it was gone – the International Day of People with Disabilities. Should we actually have such a day, is it celebrating the achievement of Disabled People or is a patronising distraction to make society feel better. I leave this one for you to decide.
On Monday I met a few guys in wheelchairs wondering how they would get into the conference suite at the Thistle Hotel Heathrow. I was here for the same reason they were, but had some issues of my own, would we have to do a lot of handwriting, but for me – could I really be about to get my chance to impress him.
We were all gathered in the conference room. Inspiring videos by the greats such as Mohamed Ali, you could feel the passion dripping from the screen. The build up was leading to something that I had been waiting for months – and then as he made his entrance to get Story Telling Secrets Live underway, there he was the man himself Andy Harrington.
I was here for my big chance, the chance to get up on stage and tell my story. To add to the tension and to see who really wanted this Andy asks “who would like to be speaking on my stage at the Power to Achieve in February 2017?” If you know me always there before anyone else, my hand shot up and I was ready for whatever came next.
Have you felt so driven to do something, but also so scared you could blow it when you got the opportunity?
Towards the end of the first day by 8:00 PM I had told the first Act of my story and was rocking. I was getting incredible feedback from my coach, but I knew that my achilles heel was there waiting to muck my chances up. So far I had excelled at the structure I had learned and listened, I had tried to include real emotion and had established the loss as all great story tellers can do.
That was the international day of people with disabilities over.
The next day started at 9:00 AM and we were due for another long day. I noticed that my team had decided that they now felt confident enough to go first and accepted this as their right to also shine. It was drummed into us from the outset that if we could not take feedback and instantly apply it we would not be on Andy’s stage. So what happened at approximately 6:00 PM was not what I expected.
“Chris up you go” said my coach. I started to SAVE the Scene and felt like a real seasoned professional speaker. I was being so descriptive that my audience was hanging on my every word and then…..
He was there, with his clip board and it happened.
If you had been sat with me on Saturday the 10th December 2016 at the table to the left of the stage in the large conference rook at Latimer Place you would have heard the many conversations of would be hopefuls attending The International Coaching Awards 2016. Kris Robertson takes to the stage – Mr Sales as I call him. “We now come to the Coaching for a Cause Award and the winner is ….” Were’ cheering and capping the winner, a worthy winner.
Have you ever had a few things that have knocked you off track and caused you to look at your why and then realised its your why that always allows you the resilience to bounce back?
This is something I know a considerable amount about. Come with me into my world.
Thank you for sharing.
If you would like to read my story, please click here.