Member-only story
How a Year of Sweating Through My Shirt Paid Off in a Big Way
Facing my fears led to one of the best days of my life
About a year ago my sister asked me to be the best man at her wedding.
I was thrilled, honored, and terrified.
Nearly all of my public speaking experiences had started and ended with sweaty palms, shaking legs, and a quivering voice.
But since I have the best older sister in the world, I wanted this speech to be special.
I also wanted to be able to deliver it without blacking out or having a panic attack.
So I did what most people do when they have a big, scary, audacious goal.
Absolutely nothing.
Waiting & wallowing
I spent about 3 months wallowing in a mixture of self-pity, fear, and apprehension.
Whenever I thought about the wedding I turned into a sweaty little potato.
I would spiral as incredibly unhelpful thoughts filled my mind:
Why wasn’t a born a great public speaker?
Maybe I can get out of giving a speech?
What the hell do I do with my hands?
