The Importance Of Responsivetive Personal Narrative

To this day, I harbor vivid memories of the moments leading up to our product launch. â€Å"Get ready - you have sixty seconds, and then we’re live,† the HSN cameraman calls out as he leans in my direction, my body just inches beyond the camera’s field of view. I serve as the only company representative on location and, consequently, the only respite for any technical issues that could render our portable, inkless printers non-functional. â€Å"Alright, you’re on!† He motions to the set with a quick snap of the wrist, and I bolt. A colorful table adorned with our products spans the length of the studio. Shimmering lights frame a glittery â€Å"Craft Happy† sign in the background, its charm and elegance juxtaposed by my hasty and erratic last†¦show more content†¦Tasked with travelling to Los Angeles, California to host our first hackathon, I stood up in front of a crowd of over 200 eager software developers to deliver the hackathon’s opening speech. If only I was a public speaker at the time. As I began my presentation, confident wording quickly gave way to an amalgamation of nerves and self-doubt. Nervously, my body tensed and my legs shook as I stammered out a timid, â€Å"Thank you for coming to our Hackathon.† In truth, I don’t recall much of what I said after that. My first presentation in front of a large audience was a train-wreck, and more dishearteningly, it eroded my elation from any prior successes, leaving only feelings of failure. The following evening, a six-hour red-eye flight provided a much-needed opportunity for reflection. In that cramped, dimly lit seat, I reminisced about prior situations in which my unyielding work ethic was enough to succeed. Despite endless preparation for the hackathon, including nightly script rehearsals in the weeks prior, my efforts made little difference in the end. When I considered this, an epiphany surfaced. The kind of determination I demonstrated routinely, though valuable, was useless in correcting my poor public speaking skills. I had a penchant for gritting my teeth, putting my head down and doing the difficult, yet routine, tasks. However, up until now, I had rarely practiced stepping outside of my comfort zone. Considering this, the keys to