How VCC Helped Him Build Unshakable Camera Confidence | 21-Day Transformation Story

Brilliant. If you are in the illusions like me of what other people think, and please take this also which I have taken on board, they don't have enough time to think about you, about how you are talking. They don't care, I'm sorry to say. Uh, Haritosh Srivastav, I've also felt, uh, in my own, uh, circumstances that when people come and when I'm in a classroom or when I am doing things on my own I'm able to do, I'm able to make an impact either through my services or even my talking or even my presentation and so on. But when the cameras come in between, that become like a completely— I'm, I'm losing the orientation to get this going as successfully as I would do. Not as a message, but as an experience which I can share is, yes, start before you are ready.

Hey everyone, welcome to another Video Confidence Finisher interview where I interview the member of the Confidence Storytelling Hub who successfully completed the Video Confidence Challenge by creating 21 and more videos. And in this interview, we are going to learn about their journey, what were their breakthroughs, and what is there that you can learn as an audience. So today's guest is somebody special who is joining us from Switzerland, my dear friend Prem. So let me add Prem here. Thank you for taking out time from your busy schedule.

Thank you for having me, Haritosh Srivastav, and it's always good to see you.

Awesome. So let's get started. Let's start with your introduction. Tell the audience more about who Prem is and what Prem does.

My name is Prem Anand. As Haritosh Srivastav mentioned, this comes to you from Switzerland, from my home. I am a coach, consultant, and a creator of Serving with Soul. Serving with Soul is an operating system uh, which is going to help a lot of service industry and high-end hospitality companies to convert the human connections into a strategy for their business advantage.

Amazing.

This will be out soon, and I'm looking forward to share more out of this. And there is lot out of this our own people can benefit, and I am happy to share some of the strategies through our program, uh, through Haritosh Srivastav.

Absolutely, looking forward to. And I know you have this service attitude built in, which you really, uh, which will really help not only the community members but anyone and everyone who wants to learn more about the service industry, how to handle high you know, high-five stakeholders to, you know, the various high-stake presentations as well. So awesome. So how long have you been part of Confident Storytelling Hub?

Um, I've been part of Confident Storytelling Hub for about over a year now, and I'm pleased to be part of it. And thank you for all the wonderful things you're doing, Haritosh Srivastav.

Thank you, and I appreciate that. Now let's talk about this Video Confidence Challenge. So as part of this, we keep on doing some or other challenge because the overall mission is to impact larger people. So we keep doing this kind of challenge. So I want to ask, because you were one of the 4 runners and I think you were among the top 2 or 3, not that there was a competition, but just tried out some fun and dashboard and things like that. So I know you were a lot of time, you were among top 1, top 2, top 3. So I want to know your firsthand experience of being part of this Video Confidence Challenge.

Uh, yes, um, I don't know if you remember, it was part of our traveling also, but, uh, um, once I signed up, I got committed to show up. And so when I had to show up, then I had to start thinking about various aspects involved in doing that video, like the content, where I am going to talk, the location, the lighting, the recording time, and of course availability of my missus who was helping me in recording and so on. But we could get this going. While I was getting this going, it also improved in certain traits of me to think about this constantly for 21 days. Especially when you have to develop a habit, they say at least if you are involved in 21 days, then it gives a certain impact on you for you to get it going. And I'm sure this is what has happened, and this has given me a place where I can now If you give me a— if you give me some sort of a video, or if I have to do some sort of a video for my own program, then it has given me a niche, it has given me an edge because of that activity which I have been involved, that I can straight away jump in it, start doing it, and get it going. So thank you for that. And I also am grateful that you came up with such innovative ideas. You kept on tweaking things. It was not the same thing which we are doing every day. You had some sort of a varieties built in it. So that kept us thinking like, what is now, what is now? And it kept us also on toes. And it all kept us— I think the most important in every activity is the participants. And the participants so enthusiastically took part in it. And they really made such a big difference because that kept that energy going, that momentum going, and we were all happy to be part of it.

Absolutely. And yes, I do remember you coming up with amazing, not only videos, you've also had some great humorous remarks on various videos which also kept the energy up because you don't want to make it only monotonous and serious. You need to have fun, and I think you really helped in that, uh, from that perspective. So thank you for that. Now, as we know, every story has a conflict and challenge. So, so does this challenge. I have talked to almost every one of the participants who completed, and they had some or other kind of challenge that they were going through. So I'm very much interested to know what were some of the challenges that you faced during this challenge and how did you overcome those?

See, as a concept of making a video, the challenge was like learning and those things where all this is— all of us are being exposed to. But for me personally, I am of someone who wants to do it well. And to do it well, you know, you wanted to get this going, that going, you know, the perfection mode, the perfection mode. What this challenge made me to shift from perfection mode to just do it mode. Yep, just do it, just, just do it. That's it, you know. So you, once you at least start doing it, then you can perfection, then you can get into and start perfecting it. So this shift had come to me through this, and this, this is the challenge I have come over with. To answer your question.

Amazing, amazing. And as they say, uh, perfect is not a noun, it's basically a verb, which means that you can't just be perfect, you have to keep perfecting and you have to keep on improving. And for that, we have to start. Like our mentor says, that version 1 is better than version none. So we all are following up. Awesome. So next question for you is What was your main aha or breakthrough moment in this journey? Something like, wow, I didn't expect this.

Haritosh Srivastav, I've also felt in my own circumstances that when people come and when I'm in a classroom or when I am doing things on my own, I'm able to do— I'm able to make an impact. Either through my services or even my talking or even my presentation and so on. But when the cameras come in between, that become like a completely— I'm, I'm losing the orientation to get this going as successfully as I would do. So the breakthrough moment was I just said to myself, it is the energy My energy is the message. I don't care how my oration is going to come. So if you observe in most, some of the videos, and one of the times when somebody also made a remark, it's not a remark, I appreciate what they have made a mention also, that it's been a little bit overacted and things like that. But no, it's the energy which has come out And this is the breakthrough moment. I was more and more interested in having that energy put out rather than getting that message really well and properly and whatever it is. So I made a conscious decision that if there is one thing which I am going to bring it out, it's the energy. And for that to happen, when that happened, overall, after it became comfortable, I could see the words started flowing also, to some extent, to some extent. I'm still working on it, it's work in progress. But this is the breakthrough moment which I had from those.

Amazing! And I love that because not everybody's objective will be same. And I think when it comes to virtual presentation, energy is a big challenge because yes, we have been into Zoom world for now half a decade and we have been to like thousands of Zoom meetings and all. How do you keep your audience engaged? I think most of, most of your audience will know the content around what you're going to talk about. So how do you keep them engaged is by being in high energy, by keeping them engaged, by making them do things. So I think this was very, yeah, I think this was very good because then you had an objective and you worked towards it, so which was amazing and it really showed up. Awesome. So if I ask you what has been the impact of completing this Video Confidence Challenge, what would you say?

Completing the video challenge because it was constantly delivered. I have a framework, sort of a framework now, and that framework, very simple framework, but I have a framework. At least before, we didn't even have that. So I have a bit of a framework to do videos, and of course, as we go, I'm making it better. And if somebody asks me to talk number 1, number 2, number 3, I can just at least come to some sort of a format. And that has been the impact of the 21-day challenge.

That's amazing. And, and yes, as I said earlier, your journey has been a testament of how you take up one thing, you really hone to it, and then you move on while keeping your energy high, while having a lot of banter around, around, and still not losing the focus. So it's not about being serious but about being sincere. So thank you, and yes, you have been a great champion, if I may say, in terms of the video confidence challenge. So what's your message? And I think next two questions are very common for every participant that I ask. What is your message for anyone who wants to go on this journey of building confidence, learning storytelling, because most of us are not born speaker, born confident, born storyteller. So we have to go on a journey. I have been on my own journey, you have been on your journey. So what is your message for somebody who wants to take on this journey?

Um, not as a message, but as an experience which I can share is, yes, start before you are ready. Because in my 21 days, I knew I was traveling, and you knew also. I was— first part of video I did here in Switzerland, then I was in France. Once I signed up, I tried to keep up with the commitment. So start before you are ready. That is my main sharing from this message. You will only feel ready when you do, do, and do.

Yes.

Unless you do, it's not the other way. Only when you do, you will become ready.

Brilliant, brilliant.

If you are in the illusions like me of what other people think— and please take this also, which I have taken on board— they don't have enough time to think about you, about how you are talking. They don't care. I'm sorry to say, but if they want to care, your message should be in a, in a, in a way that it matters. And when it will matter, only when you can articulate well, when you can frame the story, when you can connect. To connect, you have to start. To start, don't wait until you get ready, because Getting ready is only when you start. So jump in, start doing, start tatka putaka, then you will— the swimming will come.

Absolutely. I love, I love that take. Yeah, you don't have to be perfect to start, you have to start to become perfect. And yes, like I say, most of us are not born confident, but confidence is earned by doing things which scares you, which is little bit beyond your comfort zone. For many of the members, for many people, creating video is one of those challenges which not many people are comfortable. For some, speaking in public is not comfortable. For some, it may be something else. You have to take on something which you are not comfortable, which is not dangerous, but little bit beyond your comfort zone. That's when you start earning little bit of self-confidence that yes, I could do that, now I can try this one as well, and then become better and better and better. And it's a lifelong journey. We all are learning. Awesome.

The main objection what we have is what we think the others think. Yeah, they are not thinking like how you are thinking, how they are thinking.

Correct.

They are not thinking because they don't— they have no business to think also. They are thinking— there is enough things going on in their life to think about their life. But when you can make an impact, when you are good, when you are on top of the game, then they are willing to listen. Because you can make a change only when people can start listening to you.

So true, so true. That's what is called the spotlight effect. All of us think that the spotlight is on us and everybody is looking, but the fact is everybody is thinking the same, so nobody has time for every— anybody else's spotlight. So yes, when you actually get into spotlight, that's when the real difference happens. Now I want to conclude this interview by asking you one other cheeky question, but I think I do ask, which is, would you recommend people to join Confidence Storytelling Hub?

If anybody out there is looking for a committed coach and a group which can help you to uplift. As a group, I can represent and say we are here. As a committed coach, we have experienced from Haritosh Srivastav, and Haritosh Srivastav is someone who wants you to succeed. So if you— he wants you to succeed more than you want you to succeed. So if you want somebody to be of this sort of a mentor or a coach then I would invite you to come and experience it. When you come into this Haritosh Srivastav group, you must think that you are entering into a transformation zone than a training or, or something which you are going to look at or something like this. You must— in fact, if you are committed as much as Haritosh Srivastav, you will learn a lot. Why I am telling you that is because Most of my time I was not, and I've just begun to, uh, get that into me, and I'm starting to enter into learning and going and attending this regularly. Just I am giving my own two cents, which I learned how not to do. I'm sharing this with you.

Thank you so much, Prem. That really means a lot. And as I said earlier, you have— your journey has been quite an inspiration to many of the community members. They really looked up to your video. They really looked up to how you show up and how you are bringing the service-based leadership, which is very, very important in today's world. So thank you so much. Thank you for what you do, and really, really proud to have you as member of Confidence Storytelling Hub. So ladies and gentlemen, that was Premanand joining us Sri Lanka, who is also finisher of the Video Confidence Challenge. If you are looking to build your confidence, if you are looking to articulate better, if most importantly if you want to make an impact with the way you speak, with the way you conduct, consider joining Confidence Storytelling Hub. As I say every time, until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep going out of your comfort zone. This is Haritosh Srivastav. I will see you in the next video finisher interview.