There is not a day gone by that I do not stop to think how lucky I am to have “stumbled” into a career that has allowed me to stay at five-star hotels, get paid to visit over 19 countries, meet many hundreds of nice people, take numerous cruises on both sea and river, and do it all by verbally sharing my experiences along the way.
Of course, there were more than a few downsides along the way. I remember one night in particular, sitting in my hotel room in Kansas City thinking to myself, “It is 7pm on a Tuesday and I am about to take the elevator down to the ballroom to talk to a room full of strangers. I’d rather be home with my wife. What am I doing here?”
And then there were those handful of hecklers along the way who thought they were funny when yelling out from the audience, “Hey motivational guy. Motivate me.”
If you stop to think about it, for the past 40 years I was a human dart board, standing in front of a bunch of opinionated people with no protection—no place to hide knowing those in the audience would soon either connect with my messages or find fault with my delivery. I like to think there were more of the former than the latter.
Of course, as a professional speaker, you not only seek but take pleasure in a post-talk ovation. Like you, we seek positive validation and want to be “loved” by everybody. But here comes today’s message, and I will say this as clearly as I can.
You can’t be all things to all people. Never could. Never will. Period. End of sentence.
And, furthermore, you should not try. Everybody I present to is not going to “buy my act,” and everybody you encounter is not going to want your help. The key is to continue to seek those who do.
As I grew older (became more experienced …. and, dare I say, “wiser), I stood in front of audiences of all ages, experiences, shapes, and sizes. I looked for those who were open to new ideas, displayed a coachable demeanor, showed a desire to enhance their understanding of good business practices, were receptive to a giggle or two, and expected the best from their efforts to improve.
Along the way, I have received more than a few letters from people who shared with me the positive outcomes from our brief time together. And it is these letters of appreciation that kept fueling my career and had me looking forward to taking the stage time and again… even in faraway places like “Kansas City.”
And, so it is with you. Your challenge is to keep putting yourself out in front of people fending off the naysayers, while seeking those in the audience who want, need, and appreciate your contribution to their well-being.
I will bring my message today full circle. You can’t be all things to all people.
And this is as it should be.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club, mike@mikemarchev.com.
*** You want more to think about? Check out my weekly podcast (Miked Up Marchev). Also listed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and iHeartRadio.