I went around to the local bookstores and restaurants asking for
door prizes in order to encourage attendance. I got commitments from
almost everyone I approached. Man, I was on a roll!
After a long and tiring three months of preparation and planning,
the showcase became a reality, and my demo video was born. It was a
labor of love! That video allowed me to present in front of over two
thousand members of the National Speakers Association. As you can
imagine, I was very proud of my work!
There is the general belief in the speaking arena that if you dont hav
a demo video, you must not be serious about speaking. I went from
talking and dreaming about becoming a professional speaker to
actually becoming one! My dreams had become reality. The fact that I
was still a doorman, living off my tips, never made me lose
confidence in the direction I was heading! In fact, it was a
stepping-stone to my success.
Watch Out For Dream Busters! Once I finished editing my video, I bega
showing it around to others. Although I believe we are our own best
coaches, I thought a little feedback would do me a lot of good. Yet,
there was something else going on, too: I wanted to impress my
friends; I was looking for approval.
I went to one family member expecting him to give me some kudos, as
well as a little encouragement. Well, I guessed wrong! The moment I
started talking about my struggle with diseases in my village in Haiti
he sarcastically chuckled.
He told me that he was shocked to hear me tell such a big lie, that
I had never had that kind of life. He also suggested I give up
professional speaking altogether. As if that wasnt bad enough, his wif
was 100 percent behind him. They were both laughing at my dream. I
was in shock. I hadnt expected such a negative reaction. My story is
authentic. When I was going through those very difficult times in my
life in the village, this guy didnt know me then.
Even my own mother, sister, and brother were not there with me. They
remembered my swollen tummy and my bouts with constant indigestion
after I arrived in the City. I only came to know him when I was in
my twenties.
Although the shock was startling, I did learn something that night.
I left the gentlemans house with a resolution to be careful with
whom I shared my goals, dreams, and aspirations. I learned, too,
that people view my story through the story of their life.
Part of their reaction, I now believe, was due to the fact that in
our culture one does not go into public and reveal his or her
poverty-stricken past. To them, what I was saying reflected their
past even though they didnt have things nearly as bad as I did. My
close family, in general, was not happy at first when I started sharin
my story. However, they didnt try to burst my bubble either.
