Important progress

When a speaker is eloquent on stage, most people conclude that he or she is talented and brave. What the audience does not see is the tremendous amount of preparation invested behind a 45-minute keynote that must have taken the speaker days, or even weeks, to prepare.

There was once a preacher who got into the pulpit week after week, relying on the Holy Spirit to tell him everything he was to say.  Each Sunday, before entering the pulpit, he would pray, “Lord, give me your message for this morning.  What do you have to say to your servant?”

Finally, one Sunday just before he got up, he said again, “Lord, give me your message for this morning. What do you have to say to your servant?”

The Lord finally answered him, “You’re not prepared!”

People usually ask me, “Francis, in your line of work and as you have given thousands of talks in your lifetime, do you still get nervous every time you get up on stage?” 

My response is “Of course I still get nervous.” To the surprise of the one asking, “You still do? How come?” I reply, “I get nervous when I am no longer nervous before giving a talk.” The expected quizzical look on the face of the person asking can be seen. “You see, if I no longer get nervous, that would probably mean I am over-confident with what I am about to do, and I would simply wing it. If I do that, I would be short-changing my audience, I tell the person asking.

”I have to make sure I understand the needs of the audience. I am well-prepared with new and relevant materials, and that I am there to serve their needs. The “happiness” comes only after the work is done, the audience benefits and clients are happy and satisfied.

Many are contented with their current status in terms of business and career. Others are successful, but are not happy. They may be successful because they have achieved a certain degree of progress, but the issue here goes deeper. Are they making important progress?

There were times when I would give a presentation to the large crowds that fill up coliseums, arenas, and convention halls. I know how to give a nice presentation. The results are expected and even when the glowing compliments and good words come, they do not surprise me anymore. That feeling could be disappointing because something is lacking. Could it be that there is progress, but not important progress?

And then, there was this small group of business executives I had to address. My heart pounded like crazy. Though as a group, it is small, but individually each participant is a CEO of his or her respective organization. So there I was getting really nervous. I had butterflies in my stomach because I did not know what the outcome would be.

“Would I let them down? Would they find me cheap and shallow? Would they have known the materials before and would they still respect me and my craft after my presentation?” In the midst of all these nervousness and anxieties, I did the most logical thing… I prayed. Then, the thought came, “I am not here to impress them, cheat them, fool them. The reason why I have been invited to address them is because there just might be something I have that they need and I will give it to them.”

I smiled, took a deep breath, and spoke away. I felt so good afterwards. The audience was gracious, and God is merciful, but I began processing the whole experience in my mind. I was unsure of the outcome and when it came out well, I was ecstatic.

Todd Henry explains it: “You and I may be good at what we do. We may have even improved our craft. It is unfair to say that people fall into a state of stasis because of mediocrity. I would surmise that the reason why there is this stinking and sinking feeling that we are not making important progress is because we know instinctively what the outcome would be. When the outcome does not satisfy our expectations, we get depressed. When it does meet our expectations, we feel nonchalant about it. We seek the next quick fix. We raise the bar and goals. We want to earn more and we pour more work into our work and it does not satisfy. This is vicious. Many people find the entire process meaningless to a point. Then, they ask: “What is the meaning to all of these?”

The cause of this empty feeling that we are not making important progress is because everything is focused inwards. We do what we do, and all that matters is not what, and how it impacts others. This self-focused trajectory of purpose and interest leads to a feeling of emptiness. But when we do what we do according to how we do things directed to how others may derive benefit from it, then we are not just doing work, but we are also fulfilling a purpose. Work now carries meaning because it is no longer centered on the self, but is centered on others.

The desire to excel is no longer satisfying the objective of my “self-image management”, but the higher purpose of wanting to express truths and ideas that will help others. Very few people know this, and in their pursuit for more, this quick fix to satisfy that emptiness leads to less.

God created us for a purpose, and that is to be of use and of service to others. So, back to the question now: Is the work that we do and the progress we achieve really a meaningful progress as it serves the purpose for which we are created?  Now you know why I still get nervous before every presentation.

God bless you.

(Francis Kong will team up with Luigi Mapa in a two-day seminar workshop called “Leadership That Matters” on June 25-26 at Marqui Convention Center, BGC. For registrations or further inquiries contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy and look for Pauline at 0998-841-7217 or 0917-561-4673)