What a Cross Country Mom Learned at My Motivational Keynote

Every now and then, I get a really nice note with a REALLY GREAT STORY from one of my audience members.  In this case, it’s a banking client.  (I do a ton of work as a financial and banking motivational speaker.)

It made me feel like a million bucks, made me glad I’m a motivational keynote speaker, and actually made the point from my keynote.

(One of my points is that taking the time to connect, appreciate and value those around us is not only good for our careers and our organizations, but it’s personally fulfilling to both deliver and receive this sort of social and emotional support. This wonderful person made my point just by sending this very kind note.  Thanks so much!

Hi Brad,

It was great to meet you last week.  I wanted to pass along my compliments on your presentation on Friday.  It was inspirational and I’ve thought a lot about what you’ve said.  To your “biggest fear” of hearing you and then doing nothing, I wanted to share something I did that made me a little uncomfortable but was worth it.

 

My oldest daughter is a high school freshman and decided out of the blue to join the Cross Country team.  New to the sport, new to the school and certainly new to the parent politics of our athletes and the intensity of the coaches, the whole group makes me a little nervous.   But I agreed to be a Course Marshall at the home meet on Saturday.  I was stationed at an ankle turner drainage ditch turn where people might run off course to avoid it.  My job was to stand in their way, basically forcing them, the three times they passed it, to jump over the ditch and head up the grass vs. taking the easier concrete drainage ditch.  The first race was Varsity Girls and due to some illnesses, my daughter was in that group.  I’ve always been pretty vocal and have been accused of embarrassing her, but your words resonated in my head that everyone needs to hear encouragement.  So I risked embarrassing her and yelled at EVERY kid that came by, regardless of team or place.  First lap was “you’re doing great ladies, way to go” or some version of that.  Next lap (runners considerably more tired) was “you’ve got this ladies, keep going”.  The final lap was 400 Meters from the finish. They needed to jump the drainage ditch and start sprinting to the finish line, but they had just run 3 miles!  So I proceeded to tell each and every one of them “You’re almost there, final stretch, this is it, push it, finish strong!!”  I repeated this LOUD ritual 3 times for Varsity Boys, JV Girls and JV Boys.  Basically 3 hours of yelling.  The best part was anyone who got near me started doing it too. ? My youngest daughter told me I was contagious!

 

My daughter (who is incredibly shy and quiet) on the way home from the meet said, “Hey Mom, all my friends think you are very cool.”  After ensuring she wasn’t punking me, I asked, “Why is that?”  She said, “Because you cheered them on, all of them, no one does that.”  My heart soared to know that she was not only NOT horrified by me, but in her shy quiet way, proud of me for cheering them on.   And apparently her XC friends felt the same way because as you said EVERYONE wants to be cheered on!!  I’m not sure I would of risked it if I hadn’t heard your words the day before so I wanted you to know that at least in my case, I did something!

 

I am so glad you presented at IBC and I hope to run into you again in the future!  Until then, take care and keep up the great work! 

(Name Witheld)
Branch President/COO
The Eastern Colorado Bank
444 East Pikes Peak Ave Ste 300
Colorado Springs, CO 80903 

Aw Shucks!  I’m so glad to read this story and was beyond thrilled you sent it to me.  You sound like a terrific mom!   THANK YOU!