Eventronics’ Blog

There, in front of a room of 35 newly met relative strangers, I began a presentation that I had never given before. It started out alright. Then the worst event happened, everything in my mind went totally blank. I couldn’t remember my presentation. A total brain burp!

There wasn’t enough time to prepare PowerPoint slides that would have helped. The presentation I had come to deliver needed to be completely revamped when I realized what the real pain in this group was. In this case, I needed to connect my new message with the audience. Sharing what was in my heart could not be put on slides. No, this was a chalk talk.

I was the last breakout speaker at a “Living Your Legacy” 3 day weekend. Every other speaker was polished and practiced with striking projected slides. In comparison I was RAW. My only ace, was my ability to connect with everyone in this room. At this moment.

This presentation was about the gap the majority of the attendees felt from the three days of information overload. We went through hard questions. We explored answers that seemed obvious. Yet the answers were a subterfuge. They turned out to widen the gap. Then, on my sleeve with my own heart, I explained that there was a cause underneath it all.

That is when it happened. You see, for several years, I struggled to connect with an audience. I mean really connect. Up to that moment, I had given presentations that gave information. They were practiced and professional. I offered training on time management, effectiveness, on process and something was always missing. I couldn’t pinpoint it. Now I was experiencing it.

All the hard work. All the thwarted effort by everyone around me. All the struggle to keep going, to live an authentic life finally registered. There was massive objection almost daily for those many years from my wife, my siblings, in-laws, and mother. But, something inside nudged me to keep pushing. Just as I was ready to throw in the towel and admit they were all right and I was wrong is when the moment presented itself. The whole opportunity to present at this event happened only at the last minute. I had to be there in two weeks.

This weekend event was all about living a legacy. There I was, opening up and letting my legacy unfold right in front of me. I was not merely giving a presentation. The audience and I were interchanging real meaningful understanding. We looked deep inside and exposed a hurt that penetrated our souls. Then during a pause I heard it. I looked around the room. Not one, not two, but about one third of the room were blowing their noses and wiping tears from their eyes. I was totally humbled.

I share this story with you because living your passion can really be hard. It’s like birth.

Birth isn’t painless. It is an absolute bloody mess filled with agonizing pain. But, after the afterbirth passes, your creation looks back at you. At that moment you know how beautiful it is and you absolutely know without question it was all worth while. It was the love of seeing the birth of your passion that makes life incredible. From that moment on, everything is different. Better.

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