Attending the “Going Pro” Experts Acadamy
Never stop learning! That was the theme of my weekend back in person live with some of my NSA Oregon colleagues.
Our leader for the day, Jim Cathcart had so much to share with all of us.
One golden nugget he shared that absolutely resonated was to ask yourself the question; “What do you want?”
This question determines EVERYTHING. Articulate it.
Be a Magnet
In addition, he encouraged us to be a magnet for what we want.
I could totally relate to this concept. Clarity of vision helps us move towards our dreams and live the life we are hoping to achieve.
Jim’s story of his early beginnings in his professional speaking career, playing his Earl Nightingale cassettes on his portable cassette player, brought me right back to my own story.
Before Life as a Keynote Speaker
In 2008, I was sitting in an audience in Las Vegas, as an Arbonne consultant. At my first conference, I heard Rita Davenport, a renowned speaker, share stories from the stage and I was totally smitten. During the years I was a consultant, she brought in other keynote speakers like Joel Weldon and Shad Helmstetter to talk to us about professional development.
We had cassette tapes called Learn and Burn. I listened to them repeatedly in my car when my kids were at school and I did my errands.
I even wrote a letter to Rita in 2008, letting her know that she’d inspired me.
I told her, “One of my goals on my dream board for the last two years has been to be an Arbonne trainer and speak in front of 1,000 people or more. I want to be one of your Learn and Burn guests as well.”
I ended with this, “I know that sometimes dreams are a size too big so that we have the opportunity to grow into them. I am so grateful for every part of my journey. I love who I have become in my life. Even though my title is still AM I am absolutely an ENVP inside. Thank you for being a visionary and helping each of us achieve our own potential.”
Our Goals Always Teach Us About Ourselves
Sometimes our goals take time to unfold, they need time to simmer and percolate. I like to think when you add a little persistence and determination, you evolve toward those dreams. I know I have.
Always grateful for the reminder to both look back to remember how far you’ve come and look forward to keeping going. Then, live right here in the present.
Surrounding yourself with great colleagues makes a huge difference. You will never stop learning if you do. Meeting others in your professional area will only increase your chance of growing and gaining new skills. It will open doors to new opportunities, some you may never think to consider otherwise.
Join Our Community of Colleagues
Those of you who missed it, come join us at NSA Oregon for more of our awesome programs in 2023! I joined the NSA over a decade ago, and I never stop learning new skills, resources, and helpful ideas from my fellow members.
NSA Oregon is a thriving community of like-minded speaking professionals and aspiring speakers. We value the unique gifts and talents that our members bring.
If you are looking to join the world of professional speaking, I’d suggest checking out your local NSA chapter. You’ll be met with a welcoming and encouraging community that is sure to get you started in the right direction.
