A few years ago, I was speaking at a business forum in Washington D.C.

The room was packed with CEOs from all over the world.

I was nervous.

In a good way.

My 30 minutes was solid.

I had brought my A-game that day.

They graciously awarded me with a standing ovation.

I was filled with gratitude.

Minutes later I was in the green room gathering my stuff so I could head to the airport.

A gentleman walked in and extended his hand.

“My name is Phil. Wondering if we could chat for a moment?”

“Sure!” I said.

He looked like he had something important to tell me.

It turned out to be the most profound advice I’d ever received about speaking.

Or anything for that matter.

Phil continued,

“Mr. Brown, I am the committee chairman that sponsors this event and I’ve seen my share of speakers.

You have a gift.

May I give you two pieces of advice?”

I replied, “Yes, sir, I always want to get better.”

Phil held up one finger (his index finger) and said,

“Number one don’t stop doing what you do. The world needs your message.”

Then he held up two fingers.

“Number two, commit to the gift, and don’t let anyone touch the instrument.”

I’m sure I looked confused, and Phil sensed that I needed a little more explanation.

He said,

“Let me put it this way.

When you are naturally gifted at something, your responsibility is to hone that gift to be the very best and use it to serve others.

Gifts aren’t about perfection. They are about delivering something special.

What you do is not textbook. Well-meaning mentors, guides, and coaches would try to coach out of you the things that you do naturally but might not meet the standards of proper mechanics or technique.

They would have you move your hands differently, walk to other places on the stage, and change other things about your style.

Don’t misunderstand, fundamentals are important. But results matter most.

It’s like that kid in Little League that has a weird throwing motion but he hits the strike zone every time, until a well-meaning coach tries to ‘fix’ the mechanics and the poor kid never throws another strike.”

He smiled and said, “You’re throwing strikes, kid."

I will never forget his words. They have guided me ever since.

A few things for you to ponder this week.

1. Commit to your gift. Work to get better. Work to get stronger. Work to be your best and expand your capacity. Measure success by how much you improve over your last performance.
2. Don’t let anyone touch the instrument. Find coaches and guides that will amplify what you do naturally. You don’t need to look like everyone else to find your greatness. Results matter most.
3. Be consistent in your application of the gift. Consistency is the foundation of excellence in any endeavor.
4. Be mentally strong. Critics will always be there to kick you when you’re down. But remember this, they kick harder when you win. They will tag you for how good you really are. Maybe because it looks different or unconventional. But mostly because they wish they could do what you do.

Go play your game this week.

Be your best.

Commit to the gift!

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