Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Summit Lesson #2: Put the Mirror Down!



After I was born and the doctor slapped my bottom, I am sure there was a mirror in the room and I got a glance of myself. Been self-centered ever since. :0)

The second lesson I learned at the Professional Communicators Summit is:

Put the mirror down.

Why?

Cause it’s not about me!

As I’ve grown in my relationship to Christ, I’ve learned to set the mirror down. A little bit at a time, I have found that the world does not rely on me to keep spinning.

This is a key principle in speaking and deciding to create my own speaking business. You see, I like to be in front of people. It has always been easy for me. I taught for 19 years and my students, at least most of the time, were entertained. I am SURE other teachers taught them more knowledge and skills, but I entertained them more than any other teacher I’ve met. Please understand that I am not necessarily proud of this fact. A good teacher imparts balances an active class with knowledge. The seesaw in my class was weighed down with entertainment.

So when I began speaking in earnest, I naturally took that same view of my audience. My job? Entertain! And I did and I have and the Lord has used me. But it is time for me to make a basic philosophical change in my speaking business.

It’s not about me anymore. It’s not about how much I can make ‘em laugh or tell ‘em a great story. Although I will always use these assets. So what is it about?

It’s about them!

It’s about those lovely people who listen to whatever God has guided me to say. It’s about how my words can BENEFIT their lives. Every presentation is a gift to my audience that they can unwrap and take home and USE!

I’ve thought about this before and implemented it in writing. But during the Professional Communicators Summit, the Lord solidified this principle in my heart. It is truly time for my assets to be useful to others.

So what about you? It’s a simple focus change. Do you look at your life goals as what you can get or what you can give? Who’s it about?

Wanna join me? Let’s get over ourselves! Cool thing is that when we die to ourselves, life truly begins! Paul said it well in Philippians 1: 21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Let's put the mirror down and take a look around.

3 comments:

Red Bridges Home said...

excellent post! I really enjoyed the summit and the whole put the mirror down thing really does sum up one of the things I learned.

It was fun meeting you and I'm glad that I found your blog.

Blessings
Deana

Robbie Iobst said...

Deana, Thank you! Wasn't the summit great? It was good to meet you and talk to you. Now I am headed over to check out your blog!

Jan Parrish said...

So true. It isn't about us.

I'm was so blessed that you were able to go and glean from this conference. I pray that this will be the beginning of a vibrant speaking career in which God will use you to reach others.

I can't wait to hear more.