Speaking

I started out with a really long blog post about this, but really I don’t think there’s any need to ramble on.. so here is the abridged version of my blog post on my experience speaking at the Pechakucha night earlier in the month.

Public speaking is hard and lots of people avoid it like the plague. I’m lucky in that I’ve had some experience in this area, so I at least know that I can do it if I need to. That doesn’t mean I don’t get super nervous, or filled with doubt and worries that try to talk me out of it. One thing I have learnt from my experiences in doing things that really push me out of my comfort zone is that just because you don’t feel ready/good about it/it doesn’t feel easy, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.

I came across this awesome blog post from a dancing blog I subscribe to and number 15 is a real doozy (highly recommend the rest too!)..

“15. You will never feel 100% ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Dancers have to be willing to take risks. From letting go of the ballet barre to balance, to moving around the world to dance with a new company, from trusting a new partner to trying a new form of dance, dancers must have a flexible mind and attitude as well as body. The greatest opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means you won’t feel totally comfortable or ready for it.”

Of course, this applies to anything. Even if you put in all the work and preparation that you can, when it comes to the moment of truth, you will still feel like you are not ready, like you need more time, like you haven’t done enough.. the list goes on. All excuses- which ultimately stem from a fear of the unknown. You will never know how something is going to turn out, ever. All you can do is all the work and preparation you can beforehand, and then take the plunge and just do it. I encountered this lesson with my Banksy project as well.. I remember thinking the exact same things before the first day of shoots (and even as we went through the days of shooting), but even if I had spent a whole year in pre production getting things ready (instead of 5 weeks!) I know I would still have not felt ready. The moral of the story is that you do all the work + preparation you can, and then you just have get on with it.

Thank you to everyone who came out to show your support on the night, it really meant a lot to me- and we even made it into the Sunday Star Times!