Your Secret Weapon to Conquer Nerves and Shine..

Ever found yourself at an event or in a meeting, anxiously awaiting your turn to speak or demonstrate something? It’s nerve-wracking, isn’t it?

Some years ago, I was at a CrossFit trainer certification seminar. Before the seminar, I had made a promise to myself. I decided to put some advice I’d heard into practice: always volunteer to go first. 

So that’s exactly what I did. For the entire training event, I went first. No holding back, no second thoughts, just diving right in when ever they asked “who wants to go first?”

And let me tell you – it was a game-changer.

Three Life-Changing Lessons

The benefits were immediate and profound. First off, my anxiety over the weekend plummeted. Instead of my nerves growing with each tick of the clock, I took the plunge straight away. And you know what? It was liberating. No more dread, no more anticipation, just action.

Secondly, going first meant that I got my part out of the way quickly, freeing me to focus on learning from others. I was able to absorb more because I wasn’t distracted by my own performance anxiety. I could engage, listen, and learn from my peers without my nerves stealing the show.

And finally, and perhaps surprisingly, I found that by volunteering first, the facilitators were actually a little more lenient. It seemed like they were warming up too, demonstrating how each exercise worked with the first volunteer, which in turn made things a bit easier for me.

So next time you’re in a situation where you’re waiting for your turn, consider going first.

Give yourself the chance to lessen the anxiety, to learn more, and to set the pace on your own terms.

It might seem like a small step, but trust me, it can make a world of difference. You’ll bypass the nervous wait, gain confidence, and truly shine.

Bring on being first!