Her Next Move: February 2014

This week I was invited to speak at TEDx in Edmonton. Giving a TED talk has been a dream of mine since I saw Sir Ken Robinson's How Schools Kill Creativity over five years ago and I, like so many others, was hooked on TED.

Giving a TED talk was a fantasy I harbored from that point forward and it became bigger after seeing Elizabeth Gilbert's talk, "Your Elusive Creative Genius". Though this was something I really wanted, at the time, I didn't see how it could happen.

In February 2013, I was at a development seminar where we were told to get into groups of three and write and share our breakthrough goals. I wrote down "Ted talk" but when it was my turn to share it, I copped out and said my goal was to "give a talk at Toastmasters." My triad consisted of two men, one of whom shocked me by saying "Come on, that's not your real goal! What's your real goal?" Somehow he saw through me and knew my lame offering was a shield for a much bigger dream. I was busted, I knew it and I came clean and said, "My goal is to speak at TED in 2014." It seemed outrageous. I had not spoken in public in 20 years, but both men said almost in unison "Great, that's great!" After saying it out loud, I felt lighter and somewhat liberated. I had not admitted it to myself, but when I said that goal out loud, I realized how important it was to me and how I had assumed it couldn't happen so, I'd fallen into this mindset of "Why put it out there?" After it was "out there" it became possible for me. It became real. That may sound simple and unlikely, but it's the truth. I felt different and better. For me the universe shifted perceptively.

Once it's out there, the magic happens

After that exercise our group went on a break, Forrest was the name of the other man in our triad (and yes, he does a mean Forrest Gump impression). I had just met him that day. He came up to me smiling from ear to ear and said, "Come with me 3 minutes, no questions asked." It was so funny and original, I couldn't say no. He walked fast out of the seminar room and I followed, curious and amused. We went to the lobby of the hotel and he said, "Wait here! I have to get my camera." At this point I'm really baffled at what this is all about. Within minutes he came back, nearly running now, and headed out the front door of the building. I followed, by this time, nearly overwhelmed with curiosity. We walked down the block in downtown Long Beach, CA and when we rounded the corner, I saw the Long Beach Convention Center, where TED flags were flying and TED banners and signs covered everything. TED had arrived in town the night before for their annual convention. Forrest had known they were there when I confessed my goal. He looked at me and said "This is no coincidence, you are going to speak at TED!" He took several pictures of me in front of the TED signs. We were laughing and enjoying a really cool moment.

The next day before the seminar started, Forrest found me and handed me an envelope, in it were the pictures he'd taken. He'd had them printed out and on the top of one, he had added "Speaking Live June 19, 2014" - exactly a year away. This virtual stranger believed in me, believed I could do this and it transformed my belief about what was possible. Part of me thought, "yikes! How will I do this in a year!?" Forest said, "Use these pictures to visualize it happening." When I got home, I posted the picture where I could see it everyday. I put a small one in my car and carried one in my wallet. What did I have to lose?

All this happened because I put my dream and goal out there to two strangers. I told people what I wanted most and they supported me and helped. I began telling this story in my talks, and people began coming up to me saying 'I know someone who is involved with a local TEDx. Let me introduce you." People began helping me get to my goal. After a keynote I gave earlier this year, someone who heard this story, sent me a TEDx application and the magic happened again. Two days ago, and almost a year to the date from when Forrest handed me that picture, I received my invitation to speak at TEDx Edmonton this June 7, just over a week shy of the date my new friend Forrest put on the top of my picture.

What's your breakthrough goal? Share it with people and see what happens.

Download a free breakthrough goals worksheet here.