About a year ago I went for a job, I read the game and I had a few friends who had done too and they said that the book had helped them get a confidence that had helped them in the work place and promotions. I took note of what they said but I could never really relate to it. Anyway I got selected for like an open day sort of interview where out of 300 people who applied I was one of 30 who was selected.
On the day the open day was going great, I was using the skills I had learned to get along with applicants and the big wigs but there was a big downfall, I had to speak in front of not only the 30 other applicants but the interviewing board as well. Piece of cake you may think, but thats when I discovered I couldn't speak even a few words to a big group, I froze and my confidence was shattered.

But how did I overcome that fear? Who did I want to overcome it and why didn't I just kick it under the carpet like all my other problems. Well it annoyed me, I could approach a 2 set, a 3 set and a 4 set but I couldn't do something as simple as speak to a room.
My solution? Well part of trying to build my social proof in my cities club scene was that I went to alot of Pub Quizzes. It gave me a chance to meet new people, win some money and have a laugh with friends. No going to pub quizzes didn't cure my fear of big groups but what happened next did.

I quizzed for like a year and I got pretty good, constantly coming in the top 3 but then all of a sudden all the quizzes I went to started drying up, they where being cancelled and I found myself bored shitless.

A few months went by then without and quizzes and it was annoying me so I posted a message on facebook to the owner of one of the bars I went to suggesting that a pub quiz would be a great idea for him and for the night life of the city I lived in. A day went by and the club owner replied, he wanted to hear my ideas. So long story short I became the new quiz host of a new Pub Quiz... Woopie!

I was excited, It gave me a title, meant I never had to pay to get into clubs and it meant everyone knew who I was, It's a win. But most importantly I took a massive step to dealing with a problem that plagued me.

It came to the first ever quiz, I had like 50 people in the club ready for some fun and all ready to hear me speak and ask questions but it started happening again, I couldn't speak. The club promoter asked me to start the quiz and I pulled the mic towards my face to speak but I couldn't. It was like standing by a swimming pool and being told to jump in but not, just freezing. But it was half 9, people where waiting and I was alot older, I knew I had to overcome this stupid fear so I jumped, I took the plunge.

So 4 months have gone by now, The quiz is going amazing. I've made so many new friends and I've had loads of women approach me, It was the greatest idea i've ever stumbled apon and now, I find I can talk to anyone about anything and there's no stopping me.

Well there we go, That's my story, glad I could share it. Sometimes you have to take the leap or otherwise you'll always be the one standing there, debating whether or not its the right idea.

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