Who Will Cry When You Die\?: Life Lessons From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari pdfdrive com

35.
Remember That Awareness Precedes
Change
You will never be able to eliminate a weakness you don’t even know about. The
first step to eliminating a negative habit is to become aware of it. Once you
develop an awareness about the behavior you are trying to change, you will be
well on your way to replacing it with one that is more helpful.
As an author, I am frequently invited to appear on radio and television talk
shows. When I first started doing these programs, I thought I was a natural. I
enjoyed meeting the hosts, sharing my insights and discussing the ideas in my
books with callers. It was only when I began to tape myself and study those
tapes that I realized something I had been unaware of: I spoke far too quickly.
As a matter of fact, I sometimes spoke so fast that many of the key points I was
trying to make got lost in the avalanche of words I heaped on the audience that
had tuned in. Becoming aware of my weakness was the first step to eliminating
it.
I then went to my favorite bookstore and bought five books on effective
communication. In addition I ordered a series of audiocassettes that contained
the speeches of some of the world’s top speakers. I also joined the National
Speakers Association. Finally, I picked up the phone and called a number of
media personalities whom I felt I could learn from and invited them out for a
quick lunch. Not one refused. Over a matter of weeks, I educated myself on how
to improve my delivery on TV and radio so that I could share my message more
effectively.
I have found as well that becoming aware of a weakness, that is, paying
attention to it, also attracts more solutions into one’s life. For example, as soon
as I realized that I needed to slow down to communicate in a better way, I started
to notice seminars on the subject advertised in the paper. I also noticed that the
right books appeared on the shelves of the bookstores where I was browsing and
found people who could coach me. So, over the coming weeks, reflect on your
weaknesses and vow to transform them into strengths that will add richness and
energy to the way you live.

---