Did people ever make fun of the way you looked or talked? Did they ever whisper behind your back at how slow or inept you were at work? People made fun of my big head, my buck teeth and my desire for approval once upon a time. Now, these same people that used to dismiss or ridicule me are trying to reconnect and be friends with me.
What changed?
- My appearance– This is something I have to thank my mother for. After sensing how unhappy I was with my ugly teeth, she coughed up the money for expensive braces, even though she and my dad could hardly afford them. I owe her for many big and small things that she’s done for me throughout my life. I also started working out at the gym, getting into sports and wearing better-fitting and stylish clothes which really helped boost my confidence and self-esteem.
- My confidence–I started out being very timid in group situations. So I forced myself to interact with more people and volunteer to lead various groups to boost my confidence. I also hired coaches to help improve my manner of speaking and be more effective in front of audiences. I got onto as many stages as I could to fully get out of my shell. I find that if you can survive that kind of pressure and scrutiny, you can pretty much survive anything.
- My reach– When I started writing, I got invited to deliver many talks at conferences and association meetings, which helped me become more well-known in my own city. Word eventually got around about my books and the work that I was doing and I got invites to fly to cities in the U.S. to share my message. It was thrilling to get that sort of recognition and respect for my work.
Once people you don’t know (including former tormentors) start inviting you to connect, you’ll know that you’ve achieved real power. Once you’ve built a tribe of followers, you’re put yourself in a position to create a massive shift in the world’s consciousness.
I’ve finished another 2 chapters in my upcoming THE MAVERICK EFFECT book: one chapter is about how rebels and outsiders succeed and the other one is on how to get to the top by allying yourself with other mavericks who want to change the world. Only one more week until I finish writing my book. I pretty excited to get to the end.
