In 2023 I was invited to speak as a keynote speaker at the PA Area on Agency Health and Wellness Conference. It was quite a journey\u2014from the initial honor of being invited to the rollercoaster of emotions that followed.<\/p>\n\n
In preparation for a speech, you always consider the audience and direction that you want the story to unfold.\u00a0 Long days, long night and longer hours go into the overall speak before the event.\u00a0 I am committed to not utilizing notes cards and do all my speeches by memorization.\u00a0 I am the story, and I am the prop as it is a bold approach, especially if you fail to make an impact or impression.<\/p>\n\n
My speech, without going into detail was entitled, \u201cHow to Become a Rockstar!!\u201d I must of have made some form of impression or impact as I received unsolicited feedback. It was heartwarming to have individuals thank me for incorporating my faith and recognizing my efforts.<\/p>\n\n
But then came the anonymous feedback. Ah, the mysterious veil of anonymity\u2014the same one that shrouds love letters and peaceful protestors. It\u2019s fascinating how feedback can cut deep, even when it\u2019s not directly attributed to a specific person, even though it was directed towards my efforts. Those three words\u2014 \u201cinappropriate,\u201d \u201cdisappointing,\u201d and \u201cfelt like I was in a therapy session\u201d\u2014echoed in my mind for months, even as I write this.<\/p>\n\n
As a speaker, you pour your heart and soul into your words, and when they\u2019re met with criticism, it\u2019s natural to question everything. Was it the music? The storytelling? The references to Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Eminem? Sometimes, we\u2019re left wondering if our message truly landed or if it got lost in translation\u2014and it impacts you.<\/p>\n\n
As I processed all of this, I realized I was swimming in a different sea\u2014this is a powerful metaphor. As I was moving from the familiar ponds of speaking to this unknown vast ocean of knowing no one in the audience, which meant encountering hazards and risks.<\/p>\n\n
Overtime I embraced the \u201canonymous feedback\u201d as I didn\u2019t shy away from the feedback; instead, I have begun to weave it into my next speech material\u2014turning critique into growth\u2026what did you think, I was going to let it burn me? Or better yet, solicit some friends to leave me some \u201cauthentic reviews\u201d to counteract my deflated ego to make me feel more validated\u2026you know who you are.<\/p>\n\n
In my speeches, the real version of life isn\u2019t always polished. It\u2019s raw, unfiltered, and sometimes messy. But that\u2019s where authenticity resides. I wear my \u201cgarbage\u201d proudly, and that\u2019s what sets me apart.<\/p>\n\n
Keep making noise amidst the noise, my friends. You\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n
-Jesse<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":644,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,12,30],"tags":[17,24,57],"class_list":["post-641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth","category-inspiration","category-motivation","tag-jesse-swoyer","tag-motivation","tag-speaking"],"yoast_head":"\n