We have our big event, the Build A Better Agency Summit coming up. One of the things that makes me anxious about this event is that I have to do a keynote. Danyel and I teach workshops throughout the year, and I teach in videos like this and on the podcast, and I’m super comfortable with that. But a keynote: 45 minutes, no slides, it’s supposed to be aspirational and inspirational.
That makes me nervous. And somebody asked me today, does that make me feel like I’m not prepared? And I was like, no, actually, it’s part of my prep process. I welcome the butterflies. So back when I was pitching, when I was playing baseball and pitching, before a big game, I got nervous, anxious, and had butterflies.
Why? Because the game was important. Because my performance was important to me. I didn’t want to let my team down. And I look at stepping on a stage exactly the same way. It’s a team sport. Not just me on the stage. It’s me and the audience. It’s us working together to create an experience, and I want to do my part to ensure we win the game.
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Hey, everybody. Drew McLellan here from Agency Management Institute this week coming to you from home here in Denver, Colorado, as we prep for the Build a Better Agency Summit next week. You know, I am super excited to welcome 350 agency owners and leaders to Denver. Three days of learning from each other, from the speakers, from the sponsors. But one of the things that makes me anxious about this event is that I have to do a keynote.
So I teach, Danyel and I teach, workshops all through the year. And I teach in videos like this and on the podcast, and I'm super comfortable in that. But a keynote: 45 minutes, no slides, it's supposed to be aspirational and inspirational. That makes me nervous.
And somebody asked me today, does that make me feel like I'm not prepared? And I was like, no, actually, it's part of my prep process.
I welcome the butterflies.
So back when I was pitching, when I was playing baseball and pitching, before a big game, I got nervous, I got anxious, I had butterflies. Why?
Because the game was important. Because my performance was important to me. I didn't want to let my team down. And I look at stepping on a stage exactly the same way. It's a team sport. Not just me on the stage.
It's me and the audience. It's us working together to create an experience, and I want to make sure I do my part to make sure we win the game. I want to show up prepared. I want to show up energetic. I want to have everything I have to offer front and center for that audience, and that makes me a little anxious. The pressure to be on, to be good gives me those butterflies, gives me that adrenaline rush.
But I've learned over time, and I learned this during my athletic career. I learned to welcome those butterflies, to welcome that energy and that anxiety. Because what it means is I care. What it means is I'm prepared. What it means is I have enough respect for the audience and the topic that I want to do a great job. So if you're like me, and whether you're getting on a big stage, a small stage – you know, I literally have spoken in front of thousands of people on a very professional level. I have had to give eulogies for both of my parents and a much smaller and more personal setting.
And no matter what the venue, no matter what the topic, I welcome those butterflies today. I know they're a sign that I want to get this right,
that I'm going to bring my best self to what I'm doing, and that that is going to create a better experience for me and my audience.
So if you're like me and you get a little butterflies, you get a little nervous. Don't let that convince you that you don't belong on that stage or that you can't do it, or you're not good at it. Instead, I want you to reframe it and see it as a reminder to you that you're bringing the right amount of energy and the right amount of care and concern to this very important effort and that it means you're going to bring your best self to that stage, and you're going to bring what the audience needs from you because you care that much.
So welcome the butterflies. They're part of the process. They're part of your level of excellence. And honestly, I think they're just part of being human. So don't worry about them. Welcome them.
