Succeeding is worth the risk of ridicule and failure.
Bobbi Kahler

As a kid, I was highly competitive, and I was lucky in that I did most things pretty well the first time I tried them. Speaking was the exception. Because of the speech problems I had as a kid, I hated speaking in front of people. Then I had a very positive experience speaking in front of the school when I was in the 8th grade. That success led me to take speech and debate in high school. I silently watched some of the experienced speakers at our school, and I would marvel at how articulate and graceful they were with their words. Secretly, I wanted to have that skill; secretly, I wanted to be like them; secretly, I wanted to try. I was terrified. I knew that speaking would be that thing that wouldn't come easily for me. I knew that I would probably fail quite a bit before I got it right. I knew that I had to risk being ridiculed and made fun of if I were to learn to do it and do it well.

My first year, I didn't even travel to tournaments. I practiced in front of my class and teacher, Mr. Jordan. Early on, Mr. Jordan told me that he thought I had more potential than any of the other students, but that I would have to work the hardest if I were to bring that potential to life. He worked with me on timing, making me stop and begin all over again if I began talking too fast (which was pretty much all the time). He would stop me –– in the middle of my presentation –– every time I said a word incorrectly (and then he'd help me get it right). Because my gestures were wild and nervous swoops (and a really hard habit to break), and therefore, distracting, he would duct tape my arms to a chair and that's how I would have to practice my presentation to the class. It was painful work. When I won my first tournament, I knew it was worth it.

How sad I think I would be if I had allowed that fear to stop me. We want to do things right. We want to do things well. That's admirable. However, what happens when we don't try something new or something that we are secretly passionate about because we are afraid that we won't do well at it right from the beginning? If that fear stops us, we are at risk of leaving our potential untapped.

Are there areas in your life where you allow fear to stop you from trying? If so, list some of those things. Which of these items are worth the risk?

To Your Success,

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