Nip It in the Bud (Butt)
It’s embarrassing. But unavoidable.
It’s in my DNA.
I am constantly butchering the English language.
I combine words that shouldn’t be combined.
I mix up common phases. (Which my wife just pointed out should read “common phrases”).
Even with my wife correcting me over the years, I still say things like: “Nip it in the butt” and “Supposably.” The other day I was trying to use the word “tumultuous” and my wife just started laughing. And I know the correct word is “specific” but half the time it comes out as “Pacific.”
This would normally not be that big of deal.
People mix up their words all the time.
But I’ve compounded this embarrassing flaw with the fact that I do a live radio show every week. There are no do-overs in live radio.
You say something silly, you can’t take back.
I also teach classes to real estate agents and often speak in front of big crowds, like at Impact Club events.
When I flub up my words in front of an audience, it’s embarrassing.
Sometimes I know right when it happens. Sometimes my wife shares the news with me later. I can only imagine the mistakes I make that she’s not telling me about.
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By the way, my wife writes a lot about her own embarrassing mistakes in her books, she has a new one coming out soon… See video for details:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyTNZsssY6U
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It’s safe to say that I don’t bring natural talent to speaking in front of others.
The same thing happens when I send out emails to 10,000+ people. I make silly, and often quite embarrassing errors.
Like the time, I wrote about a “Newly Remolded House” right in the title of my email and sent it out to 14,000 people.
I’m not going to lie. I get frustrated with myself when I flub up publicly like that.
But I will say that I am blessed with the ability to not let those embarrassing moments stop me.
What I lack in natural talent, I’ve always been able to make up for with my drive to press on.
I won’t say that I’m fearless.
Sometimes, the mornings before an Impact Club event, when I am thinking about what I will say to 200+ people watching me on stage, my gut becomes twisted and starts to cramp.
But for some for reason, I don’t have a problem running towards a challenge, even when I know I have a very high likelihood of embarrassing myself.
I’ve always been surrounded by supportive and encouraging people. My parents were always super supportive with my endeavors. My wife, with whom I’ve been for 20 years, has always been my biggest fan, accepting all my flaws and being first to recognize my strengths.
After so many years of embarrassing myself in public, to dozens, and sometimes thousands of people, I really can say it doesn’t bother me as much anymore. I know it’s going to happen. Best to just laugh at myself instead of stewing in frustration and self-loathing.
I know I will continue to make mistakes. Big ones. I’ve accepted that fact long ago.
I would have never agreed to do an hour-long weekly radio show live on the air if I was too worried about embarrassing myself.
I would never have started my own real estate brokerage, YouTube channel, podcast, published a book, or launched Impact Club if I was worried about making embarrassing mistakes.
My 11-year-old daughter just decided to start her own YouTube channel. She just posted her first video. I’m so proud of her. Mostly because I saw her fight that impulse to bag the idea when she saw herself on camera and felt embarrassed. She saw her flaws and decided to own them. That takes guts.
One thing is for certain. We all have embarrassing flaws.
However, we do have a choice in how we let those flaws impact our lives.
I’m trying to teach my kids that it’s ok and normal to have flaws. To not live in worry of what others will think of your flaws and let that keep you from doing what your heart compels you to do.
Something that is easier said than done.
But we do get to make a choice.
And today, today I’m just proud that my daughter made a choice to go for it, to not live in fear.
Today is a great day.
P.S. Do me a favor and check out my daughter’s video. Give a thumbs ups or say something encouraging. Thanks a million. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVVSavrP0pw
#BestDayEvery #Impactoftheday
Mike Turner
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