During my days as an executive coach I often had people ask me how to overcome their fear of public speaking, or sales, or simply striking up a conversation. It is usually difficult for someone who is introverted or shy to push through and initiate an interaction or stand before an audience and hold forth.
The secret is simple. You must find your power.
Finding your power takes some practice and a lot of concentration but it’s easier than you think. Finding your power is about remembering those times in your life when you felt in control and on top of your game. But not just remembering with your conscious mind but remembering with all five senses.
It’s important to try to recreate for yourself the feeling you had when you experienced the high of being successful, in control and “powerful”. Sort through the times in your life when you felt the most powerful and then narrow the experiences down to one or two. Then begin to remember what you felt, and your senses were engaged.
For example: Let’s say the time you felt most powerful was when you dunked the winning ball in a high school basketball game. When you think of that time, were you hearing the roar of the crowd? Did you see the fans standing up? Did you feel your team mates high fiving you and patting you on the back? Did the gym smell a certain way? What taste did you have in your mouth?
Once you begin to remember how your senses were engaged you can begin to remember the emotion that was involved. Were you elated? Calm? What does “powerful” feel like to you?
When you’ve identified the emotions you were feeling you’re ready to go. Tap into these emotions, remember them and bring them to the forefront of your being. Feel the power and lock in the memory.
When you need to draw on your power remember this time you’ve identified when you felt most powerful, remember what your senses were telling you, build the emotion and draw on that feeling of power for the task in front of you. Remember emotion, not fact alone will make us take action.
As you use this technique it will become easier to tap into your power. The time it takes for you to pull up the feeling of being powerful and in control will lessen. Soon it will simply be an act of will for you to draw on your power to help you when you need it.
You can use your power to eat healthier, get motivated to move, greet each day with renewed positivity and believe in your self and your abilities to make positive decisions about your life and health.
