Today is my radio interview with Mark Franklin from Career Buzz (on CIUT 89.5 FM at 11am). I am pretty excited, but clearly a little nervous as well, as I awoke at 4am this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. For the next hour I just kind of laid there thinking about the interview.
It’s funny how the mind, when not controlled, can jump to things that help us least. You see, I was interviewed once before on the radio. It did not go well.
It was almost 10 years ago in fact when I did a brief 9 month stint in Vancouver. It happened that a buddy of mine was in town for business, so we agreed to meet up for coffee on a Friday morning. It was early, like 7:30am early, when we came out of the coffee shop. Just as we did we were ambushed by 2 street reporters.
Of course when I say ambushed, I mean they quietly walked over and asked if they could ask us a question. I can’t be sure how I responded, but I am pretty sure I was salivating. I had been in front of a mic many times before (I did a number of stints as an MC) and I had yet to find one I did not like.
This was going to be awesome.
The question had something to do with local politics so I figured I would let my buddy go first so I could “close” the show properly.
Now it should be noted that asking me about politics is like asking me to discuss strategies for effective breastfeeding. All I know is that both require the presence of boobs.
But I was undeterred by this minor setback. I would simply do what I always did in these types of situations-WING IT!
As I listened to my buddy, I must admit I was impressed with his elegance. He sounded pretty good, but I knew it was time to let the master do his thing.
The interviewer then turned to me and asked his question.
Interviewer: What do you think local government should do to improve the economy?
Me: Well…ah…local government is…ah….elected by the people, so…ah…it should improve the economy.
Interviewer: Right. How?
Me: By the people.
Interviewer: What?
Me: The government. It is elected by the people.
Interviewer: Ah yes. Thank you. That was very insightful.
And with that the two reporters disappeared into the crowd to harpoon a few more unsuspecting victims.
I turned to my buddy and asked the question I unfortunately already knew the answer to.
“Did I just tell him that local government is elected by the people?”
My buddy simply laughed and said, “Yup!”
Needless to say my “educational” clip on how local government is selected never made the news, but my buddy’s did.
As I flash forward to today, I realize it is easy to focus on all that can go wrong. However, that is not where my mind will be at.
I am focused on all that can go right. I have the opportunity today to be involved in a great conversation about a topic I am passionate about. I get to do it being 100% me and I have the opportunity to spread a message I know has great value.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in all that can go awry in any given situation. We do it all the time, but the trouble is it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Well I say it’s time to quit that stupid idea and instead focus on all that can go right.
To an idea worth quitting,
Dean
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