Lots of experts throw out words like "transparency" and "authenticity" in an attempt to seem more relatable to their audiences.

But it's neither "transparent" or "authentic" if your messages changes from what it really is to something different just because a mic is on, you're otherwise being recorded, or somebody else is in the room watching.

Everybody has a thing. By that I mean, we all have something about ourselves we don't like or would like to change. And I'd argue that most people spend a lot of time denying that thing or trying to work around it.

This is the stuff we don't share – it's the "secret" we hope nobody discovers.

Then there are people who lean into these "secrets," not only acknowledging them, but using it as a foundation to build upon.

James Hayden is one of those people...but he wasn't always. Today he writes and speaks about the one thing he tried to hide for years.

This is a story about jumping in and taking control and your life. James Hayden has done that via public speaking. As somebody with a message to spread, even if public speaking isn't your medium, you will connect with it.

In This Episode:

• How to "accidentally" start a speaking career
• Jumping in (even when you're scared)
• Getting comfortable with yourself
• Behind the scenes of a TEDx event
• Planning an effective talk that connects with people

Links To Things I Talk About:

• James Hayden's Blog
• Dear World, I Stutter (James' book)
• Pedro Pena's My Stuttering Life (How James and I connected)

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