"An elderly person approached me after my TEDx speech titled, 'Listening: The Dying Superhero,' and I was deeply touched by his words as he said, 'I never realized that listening to myself is such an essential part of truly listening. Thank you for a wonderful talk today.” In that moment, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment, knowing that my message had resonated with someone so rich in experience and wisdom, as well as the audience at large.
One of the most meaningful lessons I've learned is that true joy comes from embracing the journey, as it is filled with valuable lessons, rather than merely chasing the destination. Reaching a destination is a reminder for me that I'm ready to embark on a new adventure filled with exciting possibilities. Ralph Waldo Emerson captures this beautifully: "Life is a journey, not a destination." My TEDx journey exemplifies this truth.
The three essential ingredients that transformed my journey of speaking on a TEDx platform into reality were Clarity, Belief, and Action.
Clarity: As Tony Robbins, the renowned philanthropist and coach, said, "Clarity is power. The more clarity you have, the more power you have to drive your life in a direction that you want." Clarity fuels conviction and accelerates your actions, creating a clear pathway that empowers you to pursue your goals with confidence and determination. The two questions I answered for myself were:
How can the TEDx platform help me advance towards my mission?
A year ago, I committed to empowering over a million leaders to live with clarity, courage, and connection, unlocking their peak performance and deep fulfillment. I realized that to achieve this ambitious vision, I needed platforms that enable me to reach a broad audience. TEDx, one of the world's most influential platforms, stood out as the ideal choice for several reasons. It has the power to bring my mission to life by inspiring countless individuals and it will challenge me to grow as a motivational speaker. Additionally, it will help me build meaningful connections and expand my professional network. Thus, I knew this was the path meant for me.
How can I best prepare to be eligible for speaking on such a prestigious platform?
This led me to recognize the two essential ingredients that are belief and action.
Belief: The moment we design our goals, doubts creep in and we are filled with uncertainty about whether we will achieve them or not. We get fixated on the challenges ahead instead of the possibilities. This creates anxiety and fear, which are the exact opposites of what is necessary for achieving our goals.
As said by Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” Thus, to achieve we need to wholeheartedly believe first. In my TEDx journey, there are two areas I focused on diligently:
Manifestation: I included my TEDx speech as part of my vision board and embraced my power mantra, “My faith is stronger than fear,” wholeheartedly, trusting that what is rightfully mine will always come to me. By remaining unattached to the outcomes I discovered a profound sense of peace and empowerment.
Shifting from disempowering to empowering beliefs - Our beliefs are the cornerstone that determine whether we will achieve our goal or not. They are like unquestioned commands to our nervous systems, and have the power to expand or destroy the possibilities of our present and the future. Some of my disempowering beliefs were:
There are so many incredible speakers out there; I doubt I would ever be selected to speak. I need to be an expert in my field to be worthy of speaking.
We need to stop treating our beliefs as the only reality by asking the right questions, e.g. What's actually silly, ridiculous, stupid about this belief? How has this held me back in the past, and how might it continue to limit me in the future? Thus, replacing them with empowering beliefs shifts our focus and thus our ability to grow and succeed. For e.g.for me my new empowering beliefs were:
My unique perspective and experiences bring value; my voice deserves to be heard.
I have valuable insights and life experiences that can inspire and resonate with others, making me worthy of sharing my message.
As a result, my new beliefs energized me and instilled a deep conviction that the path has already been laid out for me. With the right actions, I am confident I can achieve my goal of becoming a TEDx speaker.
Action: A powerful quote by C.S. Lewis states, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream, but it only comes true when you take action.” By taking action, we signal to the universe our readiness to embrace new possibilities. Consistently pursuing our goals creates experiences that reinforce our confidence and strengthen our conviction, empowering us to achieve our dreams. My journey has involved purposeful actions centered on learning and growth:
Toastmasters Club: Being an active member of the Toastmasters Club has allowed me to frequently deliver speeches, which has boosted my confidence, and helped me pinpoint areas for improvement.
Learn from the best - Listening to TED Talks daily became a key ritual for me, where I focused on learning every aspect of the delivery, from message structure and body language to vocal variety and storytelling. Additionally, I proactively reached out to individuals who had already delivered TEDx speeches to gain insights from their experiences.
Practice - There are no shortcuts to success, so I scheduled my TEDx speech as a priority in my calendar and dedicated time to recording my speeches, and analyzing my vocal variety, body language, and facial expressions. I maintained this routine right up until the day of my TEDx talk, and it’s no surprise that this preparation made a significant difference in my performance.
My vision became a reality when I had the opportunity to speak at TEDxKharadi. To ensure I brought genuine value to my audience, I surveyed over 180 individuals to gauge their views on listening as an essential skill. An overwhelming 95.8% believed that improving listening skills could create a happier and more positive world. This insight reinforced my conviction that sharing my perspective on listening as a dying superhero would deeply resonate with the audience.
As I walked toward the red circle to deliver my talk, for the first time I experienced a deep sense of calm in my heart, my gut relaxed. Though my hands were cold, a profound sense of peace washed over me as I prepared to share my passion with a group of remarkable individuals. I knew I was ready for this moment, eager to connect with them on a deeper level.
The TEDx journey has heightened my self-awareness, boosted my confidence, and opened the door to beautiful, meaningful relationships. Most importantly, it ignited a fire within me to spread ideas that can truly make a difference for millions. This journey has been deeply personal and fulfilling, and I am more inspired than ever to continue this mission.
Author Bio:
Rachana is on a mission to empower one million individuals to live with clarity, courage, and connection—unlocking their peak performance and achieving deep fulfillment. To support this vision, she founded her venture, Coach Rachana. As a Connection Coach, Leadership Coach, and Motivational Speaker, she has successfully guided over 500 individuals, including senior executives, mid-level managers, doctors, and IIT graduates, in forming meaningful connections, realizing their potential, and experiencing profound fulfillment in their lives.
A soul searcher at heart, Rachana brings over 23 years of experience in corporate leadership and social impact, including 16 years leading large teams of 200+ members in the Banking and HR Consulting sectors. Her expertise lies in building high-performing, collaborative teams that foster deep synergy with clients, resulting in exceptional outcomes.
Rachana is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership coach, an ICF approved Certified Executive Coach, NLP practitioner, and certified on Unlocking EQ (Emotional Quotient). Drawing on her extensive experience, she delivers expert coaching and motivational talks, helping individuals and organizations cultivate meaningful connections, enhance emotional resilience, and unlock strategies to be future-ready. Her power mantra is: “Let your faith be stronger than your fear.”
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachrachana/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachrachana/
Website - https://coachrachana.com/
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