This post was inspired by the Startup Edition prompt, “What advice would you give young entrepreneurs?”
During my senior year of high school, I was passionate about one thing: public speaking. It showed because I was a national debater, who traveled all over the country to compete. My home state was Texas, well known for having a powerhouse of debaters every year. Throughout my senior year, I had my eye on one prize: to win the Texas state debate tournament. I knew the competition at the tournament would be tough, but after four years of preparing, I was confident I could make it far.
When I finally made it to the semi-finals, I faced my toughest competition, a kid from Houston. I was pretty sure that I had done well in the round, but I didn’t want to be overconfident. You never know how things will turnout.
After about 20 minutes of deliberation, the judges got together, and said they were ready to announce their verdict. Their decision would determine whether I made it to the final round, to compete for 1st or 2nd place. The judges announced 2-1 for Houston. I lost, and with it my dreams of winning Texas state ended.
My debate coach and many of my friends tried to console me, but I just felt like my public speaking career was over. In my head, I’d never be presented with an opportunity to speak in highly competitive environment again, because I’d be graduating from high school.
Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted. One moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?
When you’re young you feel like you need to seize every opportunity you’re given, because it might be your one and only. This of course creates a lot of unnecessary pressure and anxiety. And when things don’t go the way you expected them to, you beat yourself up. I’ve seen people give up their dreams and ambitions at a very young age from one setback.
However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that you are actually given many more chances than you think. Plus there are often circumstances beyond your control, which leads to both positive and negative outcomes. Hence, the key is to view each opportunity as a chance to learn, pursue your passions, and accumulate knowledge to apply to the next experience.
Back in 2009 after my first startup Mint.com sold to Intuit, I got a number of requests to speak. Since then I’ve been invited to speak around the world, almost monthly, at conferences and other events. I’ve been given the opportunity to participate in panels, give talks, and deliver keynotes. I’m just as passionate as I was when I was 17, and I relish the opportunities I’m now given to reuse the public speaking chops I honed back in high school!
My public speaking career didn’t end at age 17. I merely took a hiatus to go to school, start my career as an engineer, build companies, become an entrepreneur, and travel. In fact, I’ve become a more relaxed speaker with even more experiences to share.
I wish I had learned earlier that you have not one shot, but many. While it is possible to succeed on the first try, it does take many years of learning, and making mistakes to find your stride.
This post was inspired by the Startup Edition prompt, “What advice would you give young entrepreneurs?”
