Surrender Perfection when Presenting

Standing on stage, I freeze. My mind goes blank. Earlier that day I facilitated two workshops, and now was performing a story for 90 people.

I was exhausted.

I memorized my story.

I wanted reassurance my mind was on autopilot.

I just wanted to get through it.

Fortunately, because of my theatre training, I took a deep breath, grounded myself, and continued and finished sharing my story.

Days later, I presented that same story in a very different way.

In the first performance, I was in my head, worried about every word being “right.” I had memorized each word and sentence, limiting myself with the expectations for my presentation to be perfect.

This didn’t feel good.

During my second performance, I readjusted my attitude, showed up, and presented with passion.

I got out of my head and into my heart, connecting with myself, the story, and my audience.

This felt amazing!

The difference?

I let go of my perceived judgements of others. I let go of expectations. I let go of perfection.

Kim Collins said, “Strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection.”

Whether you’re presenting a formal speech to an audience, a progress report to your supervisor, or a new idea to your team or client, let go of perfection when presenting.
Instead, be open to growth and learning.

Acknowledge when and why it happens.

Adjust and soften your expectations.

Experiment with your content.

Give yourself grace.

Then, and only then, will you enjoy the experience and better connect with your audience.