32. Life is a test. It is only a test.
As part of my recent work requirements, i have done a presentation skills course. In fact i have done two. A short version at work and then a two day version with a training provider.
If only i had revisited this chapter before i set about causing myself a fair bit of work and doubt over what i had to do for my presentation delivery extravaganza.
So is life test - often is doesn't seem like it. It's more trial and error that can result in us having to find another job, if we don't perform. When i think about the way we have to live our hectic lives and spend so much of our time doing our "job", it seems like it's the most important thing in the world. But where are we without earning an income in order to live day to day?
Leading up to this presentation, i spent my whole weekend and i mean my WHOLE weekend doing a presentation that would take me about 10 minutes to deliver - and that didn't even include any practice time. I made a couple of notes and winged it.
Once this was all done and dusted, i discovered something really interesting about myself. Sometimes, i take some things too seriously - not everything, but for this presentation business i really gave it my all and the result of this is that i have come home today and i feel absolutely fucked and i personally could see how i could improve (which is great) but did i need to spend so much time in order to prove that to myself? The person i was worried about letting down the most, was me!
I do feel pretty chuffed that i could get up in front of a group of strangers and share something that i really put my heart and soul into - even if it was a bit wobbly. I took people on a journey about why our life isn't all about work and no matter what age, we can still find opportunities to pursue the things we really feel passionate about. At the end of the class, the facilitator shook my hand and told me that I was an inspiration......WOW.
As i said, if had i looked at this chapter before hand, i probably would have still done some work on it, but would have known when to call time and say - that's enough, there's other stuff that's more important - it's not all about the day job and i probably don't need to take it so seriously.
Note to self: Regardless of how much i spread the love about not sweating the small stuff, i always judge myself the hardest. The test of life and the way i judge myself, shouldn't be so harsh. And when you look in the mirror and see bags under your eyes that belong in a luggage store, then i need to ask the question - was it necessary to make it much harder then it needed to be?
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