Whats Your Zipline?

A few years ago, I was with 20 of America's most effective presenters ? The Speakers Roundtable ? at the Pecos River Conference Center near Sante Fe, NM. We were working on our communication skills, not unlike the work we do in our own Excellence in Speaking Institute (ESI) classes.

At Pecos River, a zipline was a part of an outward bound-type challenge for attendees to check their own nerve. Set from a rock at the top of a mesa to a point below, the zipline dared us to ride down holding only its wooden handle.

Now, the mesa was about the height of the average 18-story building. Challenging and unnerving? You bet! But we all did it.

The best part was that we learned more about ourselves and recognized new, expanded personal limitations. It was a benchmark experience that I remember nearly as vividly as the day of the plunge.

Cut to our ESI classes, where we have our own version of the zipline challenge: define and confront any personal obstacles that are in the way of being your best.

Day Three is a very dramatic one in most all of our Institutes. Attendees leave feeling they can confront and best their former communications hurdles.

So, what's your zipline? What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them. You can use these previous successes to push beyond previous limits and travel down your own zipline.

Ty Boyd, CEO of Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems (http://www.tyboyd.com), is in the Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Speakers Hall of Fame. He has taught presentation skills to Fortune 1000 executives in more than 40 countries. His Excellence In Speaking Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005.

---

The Lies We Live By

How many times have you lied to get your way?Many... Read More

Are You Ready To Make A Strong Finish?

Talk about a strong finish! In their inspiring story of... Read More

Darkness of Winter Encourages Insights

The darkness of Winter has descended.For many the long stormy... Read More

Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life

When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't... Read More

How to Get rid of the ?Overwhelm? Monster

If you wear many hats, manage a family and/or a... Read More

14 Reasons To Get Motivated And Stay Motivated

Why should you bother to spend your valuable time to... Read More

Is Fear Killing Your Dreams?

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in... Read More

Employee Motivation - The 8 Basics

Building a team of motivated people in your business is... Read More

4 Barriers to Overcome For Growth

As we begin a new year, it's natural to reflect... Read More

What Being Vs Doing Really Means

So often we hear about "being" rather than "doing." Often... Read More

Maintaining Your Motivation

I recently spoke to a group of sales professionals at... Read More

ADHD - Its a Wonderful Life

As I usually do over the Holidays, I watched one... Read More

Staying the Course

Are you willing to stay the course? Once you have... Read More

Daily Motivation: 7 Methods

Isn't a lack of daily motivation one of the biggest... Read More

Contemplating Change And Moving Into Action

Do you ever have the sense that there has to... Read More

3 Great Ways to Beat Procrastination at Work

As more tasks become automated due to advances in technology... Read More

Its My Blankey and Im Keeping It!

"Blankey" ? as in Security Blankey. OK? All parents know... Read More

The Toughest Decision of All: Get Out or Get Going!

Many of us are influenced by the sports ethic: Never... Read More

Its Not Your Fault

Have you ever wondered what's really holding you back from... Read More

Dont Get Hysterical About The Historical

The tension was palpable in the room as I began... Read More

One Last Month to Make it Count!

Can you believe it, summer is almost over. Did you... Read More

Information Age: Knowledge is King

In our information age, having the right knowledge at the... Read More

Face Your Fears

Yes, that's me up there! Interestingly enough, I used to... Read More

Harnessing the Power of the Unknown: Move from Repeating the Past to Re-inventing the Future

The Unknown - it is scary territory for many, something... Read More

Ten Sure-Fire Rules To Put Old On Hold By At Least 25 Years

Would you like to feel and function like age 40... Read More

5 Keys to Maintaining Personal Change

I look out my window at daybreak as the sunrise... Read More

Words Have Power

How many times have you heard or read that words... Read More

How Breaking Routine And Unexpected Acts of Kindness Can Energize Your Day!

Sometimes life becomes so routine, we don't have to think... Read More

Todays Trivia

I received an email today that said I could: "Make... Read More

Your Biggest Do it Yourself Project

When I meet people and tell them what I do,... Read More

If I Had 24 Hours To Live

A few years back, the ex-recording artist, turned Pastor, turned... Read More

Trust Your Intuition!

How many times have you been faced with a decision... Read More

The First Step for Getting Better Results

How dramatically we can change our results is largely a... Read More