“Wow! You must be courageous.”

This is a common reply I get when people find out that I do Stand Up Comedy.

Would you like to know the truth?

The first time I had to get up on stage, I did not sleep for two nights. I was a nervous wreck. I would have chickened out, but I had lost a bet. My friends were sitting in the audience waiting, which made the whole affair even worse.

Over a decade later, my stomach starts feeling queezy about an hour before the show. The very moment I stand at the side of the stage waiting for the MC to announce my name, butterflies are playing catch in my stomach.

What has changed between the first gig and now? Thankfully, my sleep is uninterrupted. But I still need the courage to step on that stage every single time.  

The difference is experience. I live off the buzz and the energy. The fear of a total unknown has turned in to a calculated risk, which I can handle. After all, there are always some performances that go South!

The biggest lesson for me is that getting used to muster up this courage repeatedly has made it a habit. If I want to achieve a goal, I go for it. The thought of fear is questioned and put in perspective. I learned that if I do not conquer fear and use courage to jump into the unknown, I won’t move forward and will miss opportunities.

Did you ever make the excuse that you were too busy and did not attend or volunteer for leading a meeting or event, because you felt you didn’t know enough yet?

Would you like to start your own business but are afraid to be rejected?

When have you last missed an opportunity? 

What does your self-doubting voice in your head tell you to chicken out of?

To move forward remember the Slogan Nike has.

Just do it!