How to “Dracarys” Your Obstacles

Just for fun, I’ll be focusing on . the “energy” portion of the “Peak Performance Six” — Clarity, Energy, Necessity, Productivity, Influence, and Courage.

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I was in second grade, chosen as the lead in the Christmas play at Alta Loma elementary school. You know the kind: a little singing, a little dancing, construction paper costumes, cardboard sets painted by the PTA, and the room full of parents murmuring “that’s my kid!” to each other. A great time to be had by all. I was so excited, and when it was my turn to step out on stage, I faced those lights, that crowd, the flashing popping light bulbs…

And FROZE. Couldn’t remember my lines. Couldn’t remember ANYTHING. Sweat ran down my face into my eyes beneath my costume’s mask. Panicked. Humiliated and terrified. What could I do? If the other kids hadn’t coached me through it, feeding me lines, the entire performance would have crashed and burned.

I still remember the emotions, the pain, the fear ALMOST SIXTY YEARS LATER. Any time I want my stomach to get sour, my confidence to drop, my self of self-esteem to buckle…all I have to do is dredge up that or an assortment of other disempowering memories. I feel a little sick just TYPING it.

Ugh. Its like one of those old-time juke boxes, as if all your memories are just sitting there, and all you have to do is punch in the right number-letter combination and up it pops, no matter how long ago it happened. Has this ever happened to you? Sucks, doesn’t it?