Welcome to this week’s capsules. Last week, we began looking at the concept of Talking, the forth factor for consideration in the topic Building Confidence to Face your Dream(s). Today, we round up on Talking with the experience of a close friend and former colleague who used his mouth to talk his way to greatness.

He was a two time university drop out and his family had technically given up on him in life. He got so frustrated and began hanging out at odd corners with his likes at the time. In his frustrated state, he decided to try out odd activities like drinking and smoking, in a bid to keep himself happy.
One thing he said was that in that messy state, himself and his friends never stopped declaring how successful they were going to be. They used to say to themselves regularly in pidgin ‘’Guy, forget o, we go make am, we must make am…… For this life, we must hammer! We must get money.’’

In that ugly state when nothing seemed to be positive around him, he kept confessing that he was going to be a success. Little wonder, many years later, he is a success story, even more successful than his peers who graduated and took up regular jobs.

Let me throw more light on the story of this young man who understood the power of talking. He found a mentor who had the gift he was carrying and so he decided to submit to him so as to polish his speaking prowess. Years later, his first speaking opportunity came. He was to facilitate a training in a bank. He had spent years preparing for this opportunity which finally came but guess what? On the morning of the training, as he was stepping into the training hall gracefully, he met an old school mate from the university. This school mate knew quite well that he did not graduate and the conversation went thus:

School Mate: My guy, how you dey now?
My Colleague: I’m fine o. Quite a while indeed. So what are you doing here?
School Mate: I work in this bank. I’m here for the training. What about you? What are you doing here?
My Colleague: I’m here to facilitate
School Mate: As in? You are in training school like me too? You are here for the training right?
My Colleague: No, I’m here to train. I’m the facilitator….
School Mate: (Cutting Him) Guy wait! Na you wan train me? You when I know well well? Okay na. I go dey wait you for class

At this point, all my colleague’s confidence was dashed! The confidence he braced, with which he seized his first opportunity as a consultant and speaker was gone! He suddenly developed cold feet as he managed to drag himself to the rest room.

While he stood there staring at the mirror, he remembered the many positive things he used to say to himself before his mirror at home and began he to talk. ‘’I can do this, I can succeed. I will succeed. Regardless of what people say or think about me, I’m a success’’. ‘’ It’s my day, the world has gathered to view me and I can’t fall short’’. ‘’This is who I was born to be, great! So I can’t act as anything less’’ ….. and so on!

As he continued speaking, his confidence was rekindled and when it was time, he walked into the hall, did his thing and the rest is history. Today he is a king pin in consulting and public speaking.
Ever heard this before? A CLOSED MOUTH IS A CLOSED DESTINY. Yeah, that’s so true. I learnt about the power of spoken words quite early in life. I have seen it work in my life and in the lives of others, so much so that I have become very careful with my words.

Punch line, your words create your experience. Learn to talk right!

I’m a Communications Intelligence Consultant with an eye for Creative Presentation. I Speak… I Inspire… I Train… I Anchor events

Follow me as we share mind boggling truth.