Fear Almost Stopped Me
I wanted to give a TEDx Talk for a long time. I wanted to stand on that famous red circle and share a message I believed could make a difference. But wanting to do something and actually doing it are two very different things.
The TEDx stage intimidated me.
What if I wasn’t chosen?
What if my idea wasn’t good enough?
What if I finally got onto that stage and completely blew it?
Maybe you’ve felt this way when considering a goal? Your scary thing may not be giving a TEDx Talk, maybe it’s making a career change after 20 years in the same industry. Maybe it’s leaving corporate. Maybe it’s starting a business. Maybe it’s writing a book, applying for a promotion, launching a podcast, speaking on a stage, or finally telling people about the dream you’ve quietly been thinking about for years.
Whatever your “scary thing” is, I’ve learned that fear doesn’t necessarily mean you’re on the wrong path. Sometimes it’s evidence that you’re stretching yourself toward something that matters.
After months of preparation, I recently gave my TEDx Talk about the Imagination Recession and why play, creativity, and imagination matter more than ever in our work and our lives. And when I walked away from that stage, I realized the experience had taught me three lessons that apply far beyond public speaking.
Listen to episode #269 of the Second Act Success Podcast about this topic below…
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Lesson #1: Try the Things That Scare You
Giving a TEDx Talk was a goal of mine, but it didn’t simply land in my lap. I worked for it. I submitted application after application. Then I got the yes from an organization that understood the message I wanted to share. Suddenly, that thing I’d been trying so hard to achieve became very real.
For six months, I worked with the TEDx organization every week to develop, practice, refine, and prepare my talk, and then it was time to step onto that stage.
Was I nervous? Absolutely! But I did it. I checked the box on a big goal I’d set for myself. That’s something I want you to think about if you’re contemplating your own second act career or career transition.
We often assume confidence needs to come first.
We tell ourselves:
“When I feel more confident, I’ll start the business.”
“When I’m less afraid, I’ll change careers.”
“When I know exactly what I’m doing, I’ll put myself out there.”
“When I’m ready, I’ll take the leap.”
But what if confidence isn’t the prerequisite? What if confidence is the result?
Every time you do something that scares you, you give yourself evidence that you can handle hard things. You may not know exactly how it will turn out. You may have butterflies. You may question yourself right up until the moment you begin. Do it anyway.
3 Lessons My TEDx Talk Taught Me About Fear, Self-Doubt & Going After Big Goals | #269
Lesson #2: Other People Have Self-Doubt Too
This may have been one of the biggest surprises of my entire TEDx experience. I wasn’t the only nervous person backstage. There were nine other speakers at my event, and these were incredibly accomplished people. Doctors. People with multiple degrees. Cancer survivors. Mental health advocates. Experts with powerful stories and important ideas to share.
And guess what? We were all nervous. We all had butterflies. We all wondered whether we could step onto that red circle and deliver a story worthy of the audience’s time. There was something incredibly reassuring about realizing that self-doubt doesn’t disappear when you become successful.
This matters so much when you’re considering a career change or starting a business. It’s incredibly easy to look at someone else and assume that she’s more confident than me. But you don’t know what’s happening inside her head. She may be asking herself the exact same questions you are.
Imposter Syndrome Doesn’t Mean You’re an Imposter
We hear a lot about imposter syndrome, particularly among successful women. It can show up when you’re applying for a bigger job. It can show up when you’re making a midlife career transition. And it absolutely shows up when you’re becoming a female entrepreneur and suddenly have to put your name, expertise, ideas, and offers out into the world.
“What if I’m not qualified enough?”
“What if everyone else knows more than I do?”
“What if people judge me?”
“What if I fail?”
Self-doubt isn’t proof that you shouldn’t proceed. Sometimes it’s simply proof that you’re doing something you’ve never done before. And there’s a big difference.
Lesson #3: You Don’t Have to Do Big Things Alone
This may be my favorite lesson from the experience. Those nine other TEDx speakers could have felt like competition. Instead, we became a team.
We were honest about our nerves. We encouraged each other. We supported one another before taking the stage. And we came out stronger on the other side together.
That reminded me how important community is when you’re pursuing something new. Yes, your goals belong to you. But that doesn’t mean you have to accomplish them alone.
When I work with women who are navigating a career transition or starting a business, I see how powerful it is to have someone in your corner. Someone who understands what you’re trying to build. Someone who can remind you of your potential when you’re having trouble seeing it yourself. Someone who can say, “Keep going,” when your self-doubt starts getting loud. That support matters.
What Does This Have to Do With Your Career Change? Everything.
You may not be preparing for a TEDx Talk, but if you’re thinking about changing careers or starting a business, you’re probably experiencing some of the same emotions I felt before walking onto that stage. Excitement, fear, self-doubt, and that little voice asking, “Who am I to do this?”
Your version of the red circle might be handing in your resignation. It might be telling your family you want to start a business. It might be getting your first client. It might be updating your LinkedIn profile to reflect where you’re going instead of where you’ve been.
It might simply be saying out loud: “I want something different.” And that’s a brave step too.
Career Reinvention Requires Courage Before Confidence
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through my own career change from television producer to entrepreneur is that you rarely have every answer before making a transition. I didn’t. And years later, walking onto the TEDx stage reminded me of that all over again.
We grow by doing.
We build confidence through experience.
We learn what we’re capable of by trying something before we’re completely certain we can do it.
That is true in public speaking and in entrepreneurship. And it’s absolutely true in career reinvention.
What Is the Thing That Scares You Right Now?
Think about the goal you’ve been putting off.
The business idea. The career transition. The conversation. The book. The stage. The dream you’ve been quietly telling yourself you’ll pursue “someday.”
What if someday is closer than you think? You don’t have to quit your job tomorrow. You don’t have to have the entire business built. You don’t have to feel fearless.
You just need to identify your next brave step. Then take it.
If you’re considering a career change, navigating a midlife career transition, starting a business, or pursuing a big goal that feels slightly outside your comfort zone, I hope this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast gives you the push you need.
Because you don’t need to wait until the fear disappears. Sometimes the lesson is discovering what happens when you decide to move forward with it anyway. And who knows? Your own version of the red circle might be waiting for you.
Book a free Second Act Strategy Call with me, and we’ll talk about your business idea, where you are now, and what makes sense for your life as you begin building your second act.
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