In this solo episode of the Be Moved podcast, host Sally Z (Sally Koering Zimney) addresses the Movers/MoversU community about navigating setbacks—"bumps"—in speaking and content creation. She outlines three core strategies she uses and recommends to her speakers: (1) enlist external expertise or a coach to gain an objective view beyond self‑limiting beliefs; (2) deliberately embrace risk and discomfort, recognizing that growth comes from stepping into the uncomfortable; and (3) cultivate resilience and grit, treating bumps as humanizing moments that can deepen audience empathy. Sally supports each point with observations from a community poll (most people turn to coworkers/colleagues for outside help) and a vivid anecdote about a non‑professional keynote speaker who bravely faced her nerves on stage, turning her vulnerability into audience empowerment. The episode’s purpose is to normalize speaking bumps, encourage speakers to seek support, and frame challenges as opportunities for connection and personal growth.
Chapters
Hey movers, it's Sally Z with Be Moved. Let's go create some talks that will move this world. We're going to talk with amazing speakers, share tips, tricks, resources, and we are going to be moved so that our audience can be moved. This moved me. What is moving Well, let's dive right in. We are talking today about the strategies that we need to get through the bumps that happen. It is a ride. I mean, not just in the creative process of creating new content, but then when you're out there, it is just again and again and again, we take a risk. We learn something sometimes really the hard way, sometimes publicly. Sometimes in ways that we would like to forget and wish never happened. And then we come back and we do it again. I wanna share with you 3 strategies that I have used to help me get over the bumps of creation and that I want to share with you because I also make sure that my speakers are doing these 3 things too. Okay, so number 1, the number 1 tool that you need to get through the bumps is the help of some kind of coach or outside expertise. And the reason is we cannot really see ourselves clearly. Nobody, nobody can. Nobody has a real clear vision of what they need to work on, or even sometimes an accurate view of what they're great at. Most people do not have real accurate self-perception. And so having an outside expert come in, and that can look all kinds of different ways, but having somebody's outside view on it helps you see beyond your own self-limiting beliefs and your own, the limitations that you put on yourself. And I don't think it is a coincidence that many of my speakers are coaches. Themselves, people who really want to engage in the process of it. So these are people who are like, understand the benefit of a coach. And so want to bring in a coach to work with them because you know how valuable it can be to have somebody else just nudge you and encourage you and help guide you in a thoughtful, experienced way. Now, outside expertise, it was interesting. I polled my community in MoversU. And right now, what's winning in terms of what you use to help you, what sort of outside expertise you help— you help— you look for to help you, they said coworkers and colleagues. That was interesting. Sometimes when we think of outside expertise, we're watching videos or we're listening to podcasts or we're— I mean, that's a lot of what I'm throwing out into the world, and a lot of you are here because you're listening to my outside expertise on that too. So there's lots of different tools and strategies, but you do need somebody to offer some outside expertise and guidance. So outside expertise in some way. The second thing and the second strategy that we need, and this is not going to come as a surprise to anybody, is really embrace risk and sort of enter into this process knowing that it will push you. It will challenge you. That we are doing— if you think it's going to be comfortable process, then you're going to be really unpleasantly surprised because it is about stepping into discomfort and pushing yourself, because the only way is through. And then the third piece is really an attitude of resilience. That you're gonna step out and try. It's gonna feel horrible, maybe you're not gonna like it, but that doesn't mean it's the end of it. A little bit of grit, a little bit of willingness to step out anyway, and then come back and move through. I love that. Okay, so we are, we are resilient people as speakers. That is how This works. We don't avoid the bumps. We walk right through them and we welcome them because they're humanizing and they're real. And they, they can be a point of empathy with your audience. I remember seeing this talk a few years ago where I could tell it was a big conference event and a conference keynote. But this person was not a conference keynote speaker. She had a particular expertise that we wanted to hear from, but she herself was not like, this was not a thing that she did a lot of. So she stood up there and took like the 3 biggest breaths I've ever seen anybody take on stage. Just like, ah, and we knew we were watching her be brave. And it was so inspiring because instead of us like getting nervous for her, she invited us into that moment and it was so empowering. And, and, and, and we ended up cheering for her in this. It was, it was really, really cool. And so I share that with you because we think that we have to pretend like there aren't bumps in the process, that, that really good speakers don't have any bumps, that, that it's easy for people who have done this a long time. It's probably easier, but not because there aren't bumps. It's because they trust themselves to handle the bumps, to be able to walk out and know, who knows what's going to happen, but whatever happens, I can handle this. I will be okay. My audience is not going to throw me out. That we're going to be in this together and, and manage it. It's all— it's really up to us and that sort of resilient spirit that we bring to the interaction. Okay. I hope you guys have an awesome end to your week, great weekend, and we'll see you next week. Bye, friends.
