As we planned for our latest Speaker Bootcamp, my business partner, Barbara, wanted to use the Marianne Williamson quote that begins “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” (See full quote below). Ugh. I see that quote everywhere. I think it has lost its meaning and feels like a cliché. I pushed back, “Let’s find another inspiring quote to use.” But she persisted arguing that the message to stop “playing small” and “shrinking” to avoid challenges is central to the work we do as public speaking coaches. Right?
YES! Public speaking is about standing in front of people and saying what you want with purpose, enthusiasm and meaning. It is a risk. For me, this quote is not about a guarantee of being “brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous,” it’s about facing the fear that stops us from stepping fully into our talents and strengths – into that which we love and want to pursue. It seems so counter-intuitive that we would allow ourselves to shrink from this “shining,” yet we have all done it again and again.
A good coach understands, relates to and redirects this thought process to guarantee a successful outcome. Stepping out from behind the curtain of uncertainty takes clarity and courage. Guess what? I love this quote. I hope you can read it with fresh eyes and gain your own inspiration today.
– Charlotte Dietz
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson