I Couldn't Believe They Cared

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at an alumni event. The organizer graciously allowed me to share my message of, The 4 Truths of Creating Your Own Opportunities. I spent several months carefully crafting my message before delivering the talk in Cleveland, Ohio a week before. 

But at Case Western Reserve University the audience consisted of 20-somethings, many who were just about to graduate and embark on their professional careers. In my mind the talk was far more appropriate for a group of millenials.

I rarely get nervous before speaking in public, but yesterday as I gazed out to a room full of brilliant, accomplished, and older audience members I nearly wondered out loud if topics like, create your own opportunities, avoid toxic people, protect your time, and fall madly in love with failure would not only be too pedestrian for the group but a little beneath them.

Clearly this wildly successful group of data scientists, serial entrepreneurs, attorneys, and doctors know all of this already! I thought. I'm just wasting their time. 

I felt like a complete amateur.

Still, I decided to give the talk everything I had. I infused the speech with passion, purpose, and did my best to be open and vulnerable about my failures.

After the talk nearly everyone in that room approached me thanking me for what I had to say:

"Thank you so much for that great talk," one said.

"I needed to hear that," another chimed in.

"It's amazing how much crossover there is in both the acting world and business world," a gentlemen shared. "Do you have a business card?"

"Would you be willing to speak to some of my colleagues?" another asked.

"Hey Nick, can you send me that talk once it comes out online? I want to share it with my son."

I was SHOCKED! 

I couldn't believe anybody cared.

There I was wishing I had the background or intellect to talk about the next great start-up they should consider investing in, or what vaccine I'd been working on while what they really needed to hear were simple reminders of our shared humanity.

It reminded me of something I constantly preach (but apparently had forgotten). 

EVERYONE has something of value to offer. 

What keeps most people from sharing their unique gifts is a lack of belief in that proclamation.

I've seen it time and time again and was not so subtly reminded of it yesterday:

If you can share what you know through personalization, vulnerability, and honesty people WILL listen. 

However big or small, there IS an audience waiting for you.  

If you teach it they will come.