Becoming An Influential Voice
- Brainz Magazine
- Aug 30, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 8, 2024
Written by: Tricia Brouk, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
When I work with speakers, whether it’s on an event I’m producing or simply mentoring them, I hear them say the same thing, “Nobody cares about this idea.” Or, “What if it’s been talked about before by someone who’s got more credibility.” And most everyone shares that they don’t have the time to devote to the process. The truth is that these are all limiting beliefs preventing you from becoming an influential voice.
What I know to be true is that there are 7.8 billion people in the world, and your idea is going to resonate with at least one of those people. And when you allow the limiting belief that “nobody cares about this idea” to get in the way of you sharing your powerful story, you are literally robbing someone of having the opportunity to be changed or even saved by your powerful story. I’m going to share three ways I support speakers in moving from fear and imposter syndrome to confidence and command.
First, remember that your point of view is uniquely yours. When you share your idea through your lens, the idea will land with the person or audience who’s meant to hear it, who you are informed how you see the world. Your values and how you show up in the world inform your ideas and the way you share them. There is no way anyone else can be you, so when you share your unique idea, it does matter because it’s yours, and there is only one you.
Get clarity around your values and trust that you’re unique POV is enough. Your voice matters.
Second, there are a lot of people speaking who have fancy degrees. And there are a lot of speakers who don’t. Being credible is not limited to having a Ph.D. Credibility is about you being the expert in what you are sharing and expertly and generously sharing it. Acknowledge that your life lived, the years you have been inside of the story and how you made it to the other side gives you credibility.
Identify how many years you’ve shared, taught, and written about this idea and the passion you have around shared it with the world for impact as an influential voice. You are credible.
Finally, time is something we all have the same amount of. If you are allowing yourself to fall into the limiting belief of not having enough time, you are making excuses and playing into your mind’s limiting belief. Identify what’s important to you and make the time. If you are using the excuse that you don’t have time, then get clear that you don't want to share your powerful story. And that’s okay, just get clear. If you do determine that you are not making the time because of fear, you can move from that limiting belief into action. Start small, but start.
Schedule twenty minutes into your day every day to write. And keep the commitment to yourself. You wouldn’t cancel on a client, so don’t cancel on yourself. You are capable.
When that limiting belief shows up, thank it and then lovingly remind yourself that you are not selfish and that there is someone out there who needs to hear from you. This is how you move from fear and imposter syndrome to be confident and fully in command of your worth as a speaker. And if you desire to go deeper, HERE is Chapter One of my book, The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean For Lasting Legacy, for free. Your voice matters.
Tricia Brouk, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tricia Brouk is an internationally award-winning director. She has worked in theater, film, and television for three decades. Tricia founded The Big Talk Academy, where she certifies speakers in the art of public speaking. She was the executive producer of Speakers Who Dare and TEDxLincolnSquare, and now The Big Talk Live. She is currently being featured in a new documentary called Big Stages, which highlights the transformation of her speakers. Tricia’s commitment and devotion to inclusion are a priority as all of her shows, events, and communities are diverse. She curates and hosts the Speaker Salon in NYC, The Big Talk, an award-winning podcast on iTunes and YouTube. The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy was a 1 New Release on Amazon in December 2020. She was awarded Top Director of 2019 by the International Association of Top Professionals and Top Ten Speaker Coaches in Yahoo Finance in 2021. Her documentaries have received critical acclaim—winning Best Documentary Short at The Olympus Film Festival and Los Angeles Movie Awards. Tricia has spoken at Forbes, Pride Global, New York Public Library, I Heart My Life Live and The National Organization for Rare Disorders.
