Over the last several months I feel the Holy Spirit has whispered to me a few times that I need to open myself up again to doing more speaking. Being a speaker was a dream of mine from years ago, but it was always something I talked myself out of or believed I was not gifted enough to do or was told everyone wanted to be a speaker that was in ministry, but it wasn’t for everyone. I remember sitting at the National Youth Workers Convention year after year and dreaming of the day I would get my shot. Earlier this spring I got a chance to speak at an event called Twelve for the youth at my church Cross Timbers Church in Argyle (www.crosstimberschurch.org) and that gave me a new passion for speaking again. I used to speak at quite a few events but always limited by my commitment to the local group I was currently pastoring.
Fast forward to last week as I am doing a self-paced social media training called Side Hustle Social Academy put out by former Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson East and her Husband, NFL player Andrew East and others. In that training we were asked to write down things on notecards we were good at and thought were marketable but we were not taking full advantage of in our life or business. I wrote down speaking and writing.
This week I attended a phenomenal entreprenuers’ conference called Habitude Warrior Conference in Southlake. At this conference they offered the opportunity for people attending the conference to come early the second day if they were aspiring speakers. They would get the opportunity to be coached by the weekend speakers, and perform a 1 minute motivational talk in front of those same professional speakers as judges. From there the judges would pick three speakers who would get the opportunity to speak at the conference in front of all the weekend participants and deliver a 2 minute talk. Based on the applause of the audience one of those three aspiring speakers would win the challenge and get the opportunity to speak at a future Habitude Warrior Conference in another city as a regular speaker as well as other things to help launch their speaking career.
I tried to get the competition out of my head. Fear told me I shouldn’t do it. I looked at my weekend schedule and decided it wasn’t possible. At the same time, I could not shake the feeling that this was my opportunity and that I would be mad at myself if I skipped it. I decided with the help of my wife and a few friends to do it. I was nervous, I barely slept the night before the 1 minute talk in front of the speakers and the other participants in the contest. I was so nervous that on the way to the hotel the morning of the event while rehearsing my speech in the car I drove the total opposite direction that I should have taken to the hotel. This only added to the stress of the moment.
To make a long story short, 21+ people showed up to try to win this competition and I was blessed enough to be one of the three finalist. The feedback and support I received from the other speakers was life changing for me. I ended up not being the final winner by what I see as a small margin, but I think it put a fire in my soul to speak again. The opportunity to speak at this incredible event for the live and internet audience reminded me that when we have a talent that God intends us to use it.
So what does this mean? Real Estate is my career but I am opening myself up to receiving opportunities to speak again. Motivational speeches, sermons, youth groups, schools, business events, camps, sports events, book signings, author events, entrepreneur meetings, conferences, real estate training classes or anything else you can dream up that I would be a fit for. I am not sure what God wants in all this only that I cannot ignore these three recent whispers.
If you are interested in how to book me to speak, purchasing my books or more info please head over to www.darrellhalk.com.
The Bald Man Chronicles 