Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.- Mark Twain
I love Mark Twain. He was not only a brilliant writer, but he had a wonderful self deprecating sense of humor. I can identify with that completely---the sense of humor that is.
If you were me, you, too, would have to have a sense of humor. I am notorious for “belly flopping” on “first” attempts. We won’t talk about the first time I drove a car, the first time I skied or the first time I tried parasailing.
Let’s just say that I am not a quick starter in the gate. It takes me a while to warm up to something different, to feel comfortable in a new role, to succeed in my own mind.
The first time I stood up in front of a group of people to give a lecture that I had practiced incessantly and on a topic that I was very familiar with, I felt like the entire Russian army was walking across my tongue in their stocking feet. My manner was stilted, I stuttered and I almost forgot my name.
Other than the physical obstacles that will evaporate (hopefully) with time and practice, I am primarily concerned about making the class enjoyable and comfortable for my colleagues. Horrors! What was I thinking?
I am going to be facilitating for a room of seasoned PROFESSIONALS for Heavens sake, I must have masochistic tendencies that are laughing “themselves” to death in my gut right now!
I love Mark Twain. He was not only a brilliant writer, but he had a wonderful self deprecating sense of humor. I can identify with that completely---the sense of humor that is.
If you were me, you, too, would have to have a sense of humor. I am notorious for “belly flopping” on “first” attempts. We won’t talk about the first time I drove a car, the first time I skied or the first time I tried parasailing.
Let’s just say that I am not a quick starter in the gate. It takes me a while to warm up to something different, to feel comfortable in a new role, to succeed in my own mind.
The first time I stood up in front of a group of people to give a lecture that I had practiced incessantly and on a topic that I was very familiar with, I felt like the entire Russian army was walking across my tongue in their stocking feet. My manner was stilted, I stuttered and I almost forgot my name.
Other than the physical obstacles that will evaporate (hopefully) with time and practice, I am primarily concerned about making the class enjoyable and comfortable for my colleagues. Horrors! What was I thinking?
I am going to be facilitating for a room of seasoned PROFESSIONALS for Heavens sake, I must have masochistic tendencies that are laughing “themselves” to death in my gut right now!
It ultimately reminds me of one of my favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Story, when Ralphie is mockingly told, “you’re going to shoot your eye out, kid”!
My fellow classmates are going to be saying, “she couldn’t teach colors to Crayola”.
Now slooooooooow down, I need to turn this thing around. What’s the worst thing that can happen? I can set a judicious example for my colleagues of the mistakes that one can make facilitating. Even at the worst, that does have some merit, doesn’t it? I would be teaching by example, albeit bad example . . . that’s the worst case scenario, right?
Back to Mr. Twain, and I quote, “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” I have to look beyond the risk and focus on the opportunity for training---be that peach, transform into that cauliflower.
After all even if Ralphie was warned that he was “gonna” shoot his eye out, he still had that tremendous passion, took the risk and he only broke his glasses . . . and life went on, right. Life went on.
Ahhhhhhhhh yes, that feels better. Okay, “Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor” . . . I have to take that risk, . . . even if I may shoot my eye out!
My fellow classmates are going to be saying, “she couldn’t teach colors to Crayola”.
Now slooooooooow down, I need to turn this thing around. What’s the worst thing that can happen? I can set a judicious example for my colleagues of the mistakes that one can make facilitating. Even at the worst, that does have some merit, doesn’t it? I would be teaching by example, albeit bad example . . . that’s the worst case scenario, right?
Back to Mr. Twain, and I quote, “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” I have to look beyond the risk and focus on the opportunity for training---be that peach, transform into that cauliflower.
After all even if Ralphie was warned that he was “gonna” shoot his eye out, he still had that tremendous passion, took the risk and he only broke his glasses . . . and life went on, right. Life went on.
Ahhhhhhhhh yes, that feels better. Okay, “Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor” . . . I have to take that risk, . . . even if I may shoot my eye out!
No comments:
Post a Comment