Scott Burrows

Think Outside the Moment

Scott Burrows Think Outside the Moment

Over the last few months I’ve had the opportunity to travel coast to coast speaking to an array of different organizations! A few times, my girlfriend, Kim Wagner joined me. I reconnected with Kim at our 30th high school reunion in 2013. Truth is, I was not too sure I wanted to attend being single.  Friends enticed me, so I went. On the 3rd day of that reunion Kim and I started a conversation and the conversation has not stopped. Yes, we’ve fallen in love… The morale of that story, “If you happen to be single, “GO” to your high school reunion!”

A few months ago I had a speaking event in San Antonio Texas at the Hilton along the River Walk. If you have the opportunity to visit, it is well worth it.  Kim joined me on this excursion.

After my keynote presentation to 250 people I was asked to do a breakout session that revolved around my 3-concepts, Vision, Mindset and Grit. During this breakout I made it very interactive.  I wanted to get the audience, just 75 of them involved so we could all learn from each other.  I wanted them to open up, be vulnerable and share what was on their mind after listening to my presentation.

To get started, I’d ask a question like, “What did you take away from my presentation?” That question alone opened up a 1-hour therapy session. It was amazing. During this time I tried something different. After someone shared what they wanted to share I would say, “What are you now “Fighting” for going forward, in both your personal and professional life? What is that“Vision” you want to commit too.  Then they would say it. At that time, I would ask the attendees, “Who does not know (Bill as an example), and is willing to connect with him monthly to hold him accountable for what he is now “Fighting” for? Every time, someone would raise their hand and a new connection was made, maybe a new friend. Everyone seemed to like the untraditional format.

Then, for whatever reason I saw Kim in the back of the room and asked her to join me onstage. I caught her completely off guard. Kim is shy. Today, she is a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer. She has no problem standing in front of 10 people to teach a yoga class.   But, standing in front of 75 people was way out of her league and extremely uncomfortable leaving her both very nervous and vulnerable, with nowhere to hide. So I said, “Kim, why don’t you tell the audience how we met and why you fell in love with me?”  I handed her the microphone, which kept sinking away from her face multiple times until I said “Kim, you need to hold it close to your mouth so everyone can hear you. She took a deep breath, told the audience how “scary this was”, and began talking slowly, looking down at first then finally being able to look eye to eye at everyone.  Now, when she looked back at me well….. if looks could kill.

At that moment, Kim had to “Think Outside the Moment.” I believe that she could have politely declined out of total embarrassment, however understanding the principles of what I was teaching during my presentation Vision, Mindset and Grit and knowing that there is nothing to lose, only to gain, she gathered her thoughts, smiled and began to answer the question. HerVision helped her to see clearly what she wanted to say. Her Mindset allowed her to adapt to the situation completely on the fly. Her Grit gave her the tenacity to stand tall and deliver her message regardless of how “out of her comfort zone” she was. At the end of her talk so many of those 75 people started raising their hands wanting to know more about Kim and her background. It was pretty cool to witness that transformation.

Think about how the concepts of Vision, Mindset and Grit can empower you to “Think Outside the Moment” during those times you are feeling overwhelmed, scared or vulnerable, at work and even amongst your family and friends! You might be pleasantly surprised of the outcome!

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