My First Presentation Changed My Life (Why You Need to Start Presenting More)
As a teenager, I was an introvert.
So, when I moved into my new high school
I made sure not to speak to anyone.
Keep to myself at all times.
Said as little as possible.
Ate alone.
My first assignment in school was a "SharkTank" competition.
I thought to myself, this was my time to shine.
My entrepreneurial side kicked in, and I designed a banger app.
I blew away my teacher when I shared the app plan with her.
She gave me 100%, and naturally, as a 15-year-old kid, I bragged about it.
But right as I was about to leave class, she called me over:
"Hey Tanzeer! By the way, you'll present your product to the whole year group tomorrow. You've got three other students you're competing with. Best of luck!"
My heart sank.
My worst nightmare had come true.
As an introvert, new to this school with no friends and no basic speaking skills,
I had to present in front of 200 students in my year group.
My heart was pounding for the next 12 hours minimum.
Fast-forward to presenting day, I made my way to the stage, half crippling and half dying inside, ready to present in front of the whole year group.
So I presented my app, made the cohort laugh, competed against the other students, and after four judges scored.
...
I won the competition!
As my reward for coming on top of the cohort?
A $20 voucher.
After the presentation, I remember starting to meet other students with similar interests, and I finally felt like I had found some friends.
I share this story with you because, almost 5 years later, I realize I won more than just a competition and $20.
I had won friends, I had won opportunities, and I had won perspectives that set me up for success later in life.
What I really won that day.
To impact this world, you've got to speak up.
You have put yourself out there.
15-year-old me would've never spoken up had my teacher not told me to.
I would've forever believed I was an introvert and couldn't be anything more.
I would still have a fixed mindset.
I realized that day that keeping to myself was never a wise thing.
Instead of spending all that time alone reading books:
I started reaching out.
I began to learn and play chess to start a conversation.
I began playing basketball during breaks, speaking and having lunch with others.
These experiences gave me all the confidence and skills I needed to start being proactive and taking ownership of my life outside of school.
I started chatting with employers, mentors, and leaders. I started my own thing, tried leading a team, and won and lost some opportunities.
Because of all these experiences, especially the ones in high school, I get to stand on the stage.
I get to reach and influence millions of people through:
Presentations & workshops all around the world.
YouTube videos with thousands of views.
You, through this newsletter.
Leave the sidelines.
If I had a few words I could tell 15-year-old Tanzeer 3 things, here's what I would say:
1.) You're stupid and cringe, but we can work on that.
2.) Put yourself out there and leave the sidelines. Brilliance doesn't breed in the comfort zone; it breeds as you transition.
3.) Join the match, give more presentations, speak to more people, join the debating or public-speaking clubs, and say yes to the opportunities that make your stomach churn.
I've been reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, which sums up all 3 points I've mentioned above.
"Visibility without value is vanity. But the opposite holds as well. All the value in the world is only useful if people know about it. You can be the best in the world at what you do, but if people don't know you exist, you won't get very far."
I couldn't agree with this statement any more.
Most of us have 10/10 ideas bottled inside of us.
No one would have heard my ideas if I hadn't had the SharkTank assignment and presentation. If no one hears my ideas, how can I expect to turn them into reality?
Brilliant ideas that aren’t communicated are as good as horrible ideas.
Imagine how many inventions, companies, and ideas people have made that could change the world, but they never shared their innovations.
Imagine if Nikola Tesla wasn't public about his work. Would we even be here today?
And it's the same way around:
Horrible ideas that are communicated well are as good as brilliant ideas.
That's why companies like Theranos did so well. It was an elaborate scam with no natural substance or anything to back it up. But because it was presented so well and because it was so compelling, investors were scammed into pouring billions into Theranos.
Not only do you need to have 10/10 ideas, but you also need to have the guts to put yourself out there, present your ideas, and share them.
Join the match.
Going from being an introvert and slowly trying to put myself out there wasn't easy.
There are three steps I realized I took to be more comfortable putting myself out there.
Shift from self-centric to people-centric
Jump into the deep end.
Document your journey.
From experience, these three steps allowed me to transition from not wanting to speak to anyone to be comfortable conversing with anyone.
It's also the only reason I have access to the opportunities, network and leverage I have today.
1.) Shift from self-centric to people-centric.
Any change always starts with a mindset shift.
If I hadn't realized the importance of connecting with others, I wouldn't have made the effort to network and make friends.
It would help if you became problem-aware. Most people have goals, dreams, and aspirations for themselves. These include a dream job, business, house, school, course, degree, or car. However, most people need to realize that they need others to succeed in any goal or pursuit they set for themselves.
This shift from focusing solely on your needs to considering how you can meet the needs of others is essential for any success. Networking becomes mutually beneficial when you start seeing your interactions as opportunities to help others achieve their goals.
Think about it: When did you last achieve any goal by yourself?
You had help along the way.
Family looked after you during this time in the form of cooking, cleaning etc.
Teachers, mentors and colleagues gave you resources, knowledge and expertise.
Friends and fans supported you and cheered you along the way.
By adopting a people-centric approach, you engage more deeply, create more meaningful connections, and often reach your goals as a natural part of helping others achieve theirs.
2.) Jump into the deep end.
Jumping right into the deep end is exactly what my teacher had done to me.
I went from writing up an assignment straight into presenting in front of 200+ students in my year group.
Anytime I need to accelerate my growth, skills or connections, I start with the deep end.
I moved to Melbourne around January 2024, a brand new city with a very different culture compared to Perth.
The problem was that I knew very few people here; I needed to expand my network and find people with whom I could connect and develop relationships.
I first looked at some events, looked for paid events, bought a ticket, and put them on my calendar.
By doing this, I attended the event, met many like-minded students and professionals, and connected with them. This proactive approach is essential when you find yourself in a new environment or aim to broaden your network.
Immersing yourself in new experiences allows you to meet diverse people. These initial contacts often lead to new opportunities, friendships, and collaborations.
The act of purchasing a ticket and committing to attending events not only ensures you follow through but also invests in your networking goals, making the experience more valuable.
3.) Document your journey.
I have recently started documenting my journey on X, LinkedIn, and this newsletter.
I wished I started earlier. Like at least 5 years ago.
A social platform where you document your journey of growth and experimentation is like a public journal. You get to see how far you've come and make friends on the way.
Recording your experiences and learnings as you venture into new social territories can be incredibly beneficial.
Documenting your journey isn't just about keeping a record for yourself—it's about reflecting on your growth, understanding what strategies work best for you, and sharing your experiences with others who might benefit.
Start a blog, keep a journal, or even post updates on social media.
This helps you track your progress and refine your approach based on past successes and failures, as well as increase your visibility among your network.
People begin to see you not just as a participant in events but as a thoughtful person actively engaging with and thinking about their experiences. This can lead to further opportunities for connections based on shared interests and mutual respect for your insights and experiences.
What's next?
Last week, I talked about ownership and how you must take ownership to take control of your life.
Putting yourself out there and learning how to connect, speak and present is a form of taking ownership.
The steps above really helped me develop the confidence I needed in order to become a speaker and mentor for over 15,000+ students.
Shift from self-centric to people-centric. You need people and others for any goal you have. So part of any goal, always make it a goal in itself to find others who believe in you and want to see you win.
Jump into the deep end. There’s no reason for any of us not to engage with the community, network and connect with others. The first event or the first presentation is the hardest, but it only gets easier here on out.
Document your journey. Show the world what you’re working on and what your thoughts are, there’s going to be at least one other human out of the 8 billion of us that will show interest into your journey.
I am in debt to my Year 9 Humanities teacher, thank you for pushing me into the deep end.
I was fortunate enough to have such an experience that made me realise the importance of being public and presenting.
That presentation changed my life, and I mean it when I say it.
Working on your presenting skills will change your life too. That’s why I’ve made a mission to share my reflections with you, as well as offer services to people that really want to take presenting to the next level. (Book a call here if that sounds like you.)
See you next week.
- Tanzeer
