Ready or Not…Here I Come!

I heard myself say this a minute ago (in my head), “I’m not ready”! This was regarding eWomen radio, and whether I should apply to have my own show. It got me thinking…exactly why do I think I’m not ready. Here’s the dialogue that followed.

INTERNAL CONVERSATION WITH MYSELF

That’s a bunch of crap. I’ve been speaking before large conferences, small conferences, workshops, CEC classes, etc., since I was 29. (Some of you have heard me refer to that part of my professional life…I spent 18 years in the fitness industry.) 

I absolutely loved speaking, teaching, training and motivating. I, not only spoke/trained group fitness instructors and personal trainers across the country, but motivated my fantastic club members who became my supportive fitness family for 10 years. (Kind of my eWomen during the era.)

The pinnacle of my fitness career was being selected out of a huge group of video entries to present at the IDEA World Fitness Convention. At the time, this was the largest fitness convention in the country with attendees and presenters from all over the world. My entry was “Boreography to Choreography” and centered around the concept of taking complex footwork on “The Step” and using a breakdown methodology that allowed the novice fitness participant to get the steps and maintain their heart rate without being confused. This system also avoided boring the heck out of the veteran and fitness pro. (Some of you might understand the reference) Many opportunities arose as a result of being a featured instructor at the world’s largest fitness convention. I wanted more, and did more.

I was also accredited by American Council on Exercise (ACE), and taught new and experienced instructors anatomy and physiology, kinesiology and other related exercise science in preparation for or to maintain their certifications. I was, by far, one of the most well-known fitness professionals in the Pacific Northwest during that five to ten year period. 

I never once thought I “wasn’t ready” when asked to be part of a fitness video, workshop or present at another convention in Canada or the U.S. During the taping of one video project, evidently I intimidated the heck out of another participant just by my presence. The gal who coordinated the entire video project commented that she was rehearsing her choreography like crazy, as though she was making it up on the spot. That was never my style, as you might expect. No surprises in the middle of any choreography. That’s why it’s called choreography, not freestyle. 

She gave me the stink-eye throughout the production and anytime I saw her over the next many years. If I remember correctly, she walked out of my workshop when I indicated perhaps she’d been “stepping” at too high a beats per minute in her classes which could increase the risk for injuries in her students (so said studies). I should keep my facts to myself, I guess.

A Moment of Ponderance

So when I heard that in my head a few minutes ago I wondered why I thought that. What the heck happened over the last 20 years that made me think “I’m not ready”! That never stopped me before. I was never afraid of going after something when the opportunity presented itself. Was that the ignorance of youth? And now that I’ve enjoyed 20 years as an advertiser, brander, designer, marketer and business owner, I wonder whether the realities of the business world have impacted my risk to reward ratio. Someone or something slowed my roll. What the??? 

I wonder, what has happened to my ability to “be ready” at all times, no matter what. I alluded to “the ignorance of youth” earlier, but maybe it’s “the truth of life”. The reality check…what was it all about? Was it the practical world of paying your own bills. Or the responsibility of having employees. Could the ugly bruises of “life” zapped the dream-maker in my head!

What does give me comfort is that after that “internal conversation with myself” I realized what I really meant is that I have a lot of balls in the air right now, and “not ready” really has less to do with my psyche, and more to do with the growth mode I’ve committed to for my business. 

Sometimes it’s just about timing! I thought I’d been corrupted by life. Phew, I think I can let that go, now! But what about you? Do you have these moments in your life, and let them stop you from moving forward whether in business or professionally? If so, perhaps you should take a step back and do what I did…have an internal conversation with yourself. Take a moment to really look at the situation with fresh eyes. And, then decide how to move forward.

While I’m not ready to have my own radio show “right now”, it’s in my view, and I expect I’ll be tackling that with my usual vigor come mid-2015. See you there!