Roy Rosell – Shatter That Barrier

Roy Rosell shares his story about overcoming his paralyzing fear of public speaking, and learning that once you shatter that barrier, nothing can stop you.

Transcript:

All my life I’ve been deathly afraid of two things, public speaking and spiders. The idea of public speaking horrified me to such an extent that if a professor ever gave one of my classes the option of jumping into a pool filled with venomous water spiders in place of giving a speech, I’d be the first one with my swimming trunks on.

“Somewhere along the way I realized something. I realized I couldn’t continue to allow this fear to consume me. I started researching presentation techniques such as looking just above the eye line of the spectators, deep breathing exercises, and imagining the entire audience is naked.

“In a matter of two months, I went from sweating like a mad man upon addressing a group of 20 students, to conducting persuasive speeches to city councils throughout LA, to this. Even though I appear before you today with sweaty palms, perhaps a slight tremor in my discourse, there is no way I’d take a pool with spiders over this.

“I realize fear is nothing more than a glass barrier waiting to be shattered. It’s fear that sets limitations, that makes us complacent, that justifies excuses, and that does not allow us to be extraordinary. Once you shatter that barrier, there’s nothing that can stop you.”