I’m halfway through my Stage Academy Live Stage Speaking Masterclass with Vinh Giang. Leveling up my communication and speaking skills in real-time with other students has been terrifying, exhilarating, humbling, and empowering.
I’m reminding myself that my fellow students have never met me, so they have no baseline assumptions of my voice (or my ‘instrument’ as Vinh refers to it as). I am playing to neutral ears. I can experiment with tonality, pitch, and melody. I can use more facial expressions and body language than I naturally do, and see how it feels.
It feels unfamiliar and unnatural, but I remind myself that it only feels that way because it’s new. It doesn’t mean that my voice in a higher or lower range is inauthentic- it’s merely I haven’t played those particular keys in my vocal range before.
Every week we’re given a task. Sing a song for 20 seconds. Record a three-minute story of an experience that shaped us into who we are today. Upload it to the community page, and comment on fellow students’ videos. Be open to feedback because we’re all trying to improve.
I find myself procrastinating, dragging my feet, sweating, overthinking, and putting it off for days.
Then I realized what it was.
Fear. Resistance. Vulnerability.
The old me was comfortable staying the same. Staying safe. Swimming in the familiar.
But the new version of me yearns to grow. Build. Improve on these skills to level up in life and business.
So I set up my camera and pressed record. I was nervous and the first run-through wasn’t smooth. But I was putting in the reps. Just like I do in the gym. I felt a huge sense of relief because I had decided to just do the hard thing.
What’s the hard thing for you? How can you silence the noise and just begin?
(Note: Vinh Giang was recently on The Diary of a CEO podcast, where he shares a ton of great gems if you’re looking to upgrade your speaking/communication skills. Watch the episode HERE).