In June 2021, I took a stroll around Colosseum in Rome, Italy. I was in Rome because I had speaking engagements there and, a few days later, in Turin – my first in-person events in almost a year because of the pandemic.
It was a pleasure to be able to speak with people who were actually in the same room as me! Even though it was a hybrid event, with the majority of participants still online, it was a sign that things are slowly starting to return to some kind of normal.
While at the Colosseum, I imagined all the battles that the gladiators fought there, centuries ago. (Interesting linguistic side note: The word “gladiator” comes from the Latin gladius, which means “sword”. I did not know that before I wrote this post.)
For the gladiators, those battles were a matter of life and death. If things did not go well, it was game over and lights out. There was no “next time”.
It’s not the same with public speaking. If you give enough speeches or presentations, there will be times when things go wrong. But you will live to “fight” another day. Remember that; it’s just a speech or presentation. Learn from your mistakes and get ready for the next time you enter the arena!
I shot a one-minute video in front of the Colosseum (with a little help from Russell Crowe) that captures the above sentiments. Enjoy!
