Why “taking action” can make a big difference in public speaking

Stepping outside our comfort zone is always tough. 

And we're all susceptible to slamming on the brakes, especially when it comes to public speaking. Maybe you've backed out of giving a presentation, or hit "pause" on the chance to pitch a client, or said "no way" to a media interview. “No, no, no, I’m not ready.” “I’m not good enough.” “Maybe next year, when I’m better at this.” 

If you’ve every gotten stuck, there’s only one real solution. 

Taking action.

Why we don’t take action

Taking action isn't easy. 

Most days, we've got a million insecurities gnawing at our ankles (and sometimes we'd rather just bury ourselves under the covers with a box of stale croissants and a bad Netflix romcom). 

To add to the pressure, you get stuck AGAIN just when you’re starting to get traction.

And all our efforts can backfire, triggering massive amounts of self-doubt. Our inner dragons get fired up, and creative resistance threatens to swamp us.

And that's when we pull the ultimate self-sabotage tactic when we jam our feet on the brakes and yell, “Stop!”

Thoughts like this will rattle around in your brain:

“Why bother? I’m crappy at this anyway.”

“I’ll do this later, I’ve got plenty of time.”

“There’s no rush, I can tackle this another day.”

That's when you really need to fill up your gas tank.

Instead of backing away, you need to make sure you're adding MORE rocket fuel (i.e. action steps) to your routine...not less.

Make the next step easy

But what if you're really, really, really not moving? (Like, grounded at Cape Canaveral with no flight dates in sight.)

To solve this problem, follow NASA's example and start chopping up your targets. 

Focus on the small, concrete steps that lead to your goal. Like "load up space rocket with food for the astronauts". Or "wash the windows of the rocket so they're clean for launch day". 

Action makes a difference

No matter how humble, every step matters. And by chopping up your work into smaller, bite-sized pieces, you'll feel less overwhelmed.

And you'll be able to give yourself a massive high-five sooner as you start knocking tasks off your list. 

So, stop overwhelming yourself with big goals.

Narrow your focus to very tiny actions.

Lean in...and push your work forward.