11/16/2024
“If you want growth, fear is the price of admission.” 🌱
A friend and colleague shared this quote today. She mentioned how scary it is to take the mic, knowing her voice and hands might shake—but she does it anyway because it’s important to her.
Next week, I’ll be speaking publicly, and I’m honestly really nervous too! Fear doesn’t disappear just because I’ve gotten on stage before. But fear is a natural part of doing something hard (and legitimately scary).
This also reminds me of a teen I worked with who told me she used to believe she had to feel calm and ready before speaking in front of her class. But she never felt calm (or ready), so she never spoke. She asked for accommodations to get out of giving class presentations, but her fear and apprehension about speaking only grew stronger.
She’s since realized that she can go ahead and talk (and stutter openly) even when she’s feeling scared, and she became one of the most captivating speakers of her class.
Growth and fear go hand in hand. If you’re scared of speaking, whether it’s in a class, meeting, or a conversation, others (me included) are right there with you. It’s not easy, but we don’t have to wait to feel ready. Fear just means we’re stretching ourselves.
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