Thirty-five years ago, a professional speaking colleague of mine tossed some prophetic words into a conversation we were having: “Before anything else,” Colin said, “always get the people right first.” These wise words had such a profound impact on my thinking they’ve influenced the way I’ve coached people in communicating effectiveness ever since. They Immediately got me thinking about where I’ve been and where I might be heading in my life - and how much I valued my own self-worth. With the benefit of hindsight, they’ve helped sharpen my understanding of the lessons life has taught me. They’ve helped me see that unless we can come to terms with where we are in life and what we’ve experienced along the way, we can never be truly free to enjoy life and achieve all the things we yearn for. And I should know; with no dad to guide me I ran away from school when I was 13 because I couldn’t fathom maths. As a result, I spent the next thirty years blundering from one manual job to another trying to steer clear of this debilitating torment. This ever-present fear affected all aspects of my life and held me back for years for I was always scared the ‘truth’ would be found out about me and my hopeless education. I was to waste decades trying to prove myself to the world that I did matter by striving to be perfect with everything I tried my hand at. It was many years later in my role of author and master speaking coach that I was able to draw on life’s hard-earned wisdom and pass the true essence of Colin’s prophetic words of getting you right first onto others. Through the courage and stories of these people I discovered they weren’t looking for perfection in me at all; they were looking for connection! I discovered that the more they could relate to me and my imperfections, the more I could relate to them and theirs and how much we all had in common. So, as you travel alongside me in this journey of self-awareness, you’ll end up discovering who you really are and what you stand for as well - you’re very own version of getting you right first. Finally, I’ve given up trying to change the world for I can only help those who want to be helped. The fact that you are reading these words shows you have a genuine wish to expand your mind and better yourself. So don’t stop here: as your mind opens to new insights as you travel with me, allow yourself to veer off into your world too for this is where you’ll make valuable connections with your journey and learn more about you; by book’s end you’ll not only see yourself in a brand new light, you’ll be treading an entirely new path of unburdened hope, self-worth, and confidence.
