Introduction: The Start of an Unexpected Journey

Up until I was 19, teaching someone or addressing a group of people was completely outside of my experience. The prospect of teaching or presenting was terrifying to me. I was quite content to remain in the background and not stand out. But, everything changed one day. This is the story of how I found out that I had passion for teaching and how a presentation that I had a simple classroom turned out to be the spark that set on a journey that I never thought I would embark on. It’s a tale of how confronting your fears reveal a world of boundless, life-altering opportunities.

1. My First Presentation: A Nerve-Wracking Experience

The turning point came during my A/L year, when my ICT teacher assigned us a group presentation on flip-flop gates (which was as complicated and nerve-wracking as it sounds 😅). I vividly remember the anxiety I felt as I prepared. In fact, I remember staying up the entire night before the presentation, the day’s excitement meant that I slept very little and was wide awake a full 6 hours before I needed to be. Fear gripped me tightly. The very idea of standing before my classmates and explaining anything remotely technical took every part of my imagination. So much so, in fact, that I had to even postpone leaving for school that day. Yet here I was, on a Tuesday morning, staring at the clock, thinking to myself, “I cannot back out now”. There was no way around it which meant I really must face the scenario that filled me with dread.

2. The Moment I Picked Up the Marker

When it was my turn to present, I took a deep breath, proceeded to the smartboard and took the marker. I was still shaking but the nerves were packed on top of each other. The moment I began explaining the topics alongside the whiteboard, guess what, my nerves began to vanish little by little What was supposed to be a straightforward presentation transitioned into something so much deeper. No longer was my audience just my classmates, they had become my students. I was captivated by the subject matter, digging into the details, explaining every topic to utterance and I was utterly speechless by how I got lost in teaching, the trepidation and anxiousness faded away. And then my teacher and classmates surprised me—they were impressed. The feedback I received was more than I could have ever imagined. To my surprise, they were engaged, asked questions, and expressed appreciation for how I had explained the topic. At that moment, I learned a very important lesson: I am capable of teaching. Something that used to terrify me became an experience I enjoyed deeply. I realized that I was not merely giving a presentation; I was teaching and doing it successfully.

3. Fast Forward to Today: A Teacher Who Found His Passion

In my life, that was the start of something new. Since that moment, I have taught many students and even have lectures at the university level where more than 500 students attend. The timid teenager who feared speaking in front of a crowd is now a dynamic teacher who enthusiastically wants to help people learn new things. Surprisingly enough, I never intended to become a teacher, but it is something that over time I came to understand is my calling. There is no other feeling than the one I receive when a student’s face smiles when they begin to grasp a concept that was previously difficult. None of this would be true if I chose fear to be a guiding force. When I arrived at the classroom that day, marked the whiteboard, and began to teach, I uncovered a passion that I didn’t know I possessed until that moment as a student. That simple first step transformed so many aspects of my life.

4. The Lesson: Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back

Fear is not the enemy, and it shouldn’t hold you back from doing something meaningful. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed or anxious during rising moments in personally or professionally, but overcoming such challenges is a clear sign of personal growth. One thing is sure: if your life is boring, filled with a sense of dread, you have a fear problem, and a fear problem must be dealt with head-on! This is how I view losing the ability of ‘mastering the fear of speaking in public’. Had I chosen to dwell into a cocoon and simply avoid talking to strangers and presenting, I’d have never found my true passion in life (teaching). Who guides me on what should’ve been left hidden. Only stepping out of the zone could allow me to appreciate where I stand today. The first presentation was scary (to say the least), but it was also refreshing and relieving. Turning our back to fear transforms us to confident individuals with unlocked doors ready to explore unknown paths. All in all, an unexpected career shaped for me was built on a single, brave attempt to face my overwhelming angst.

5. The Importance of Taking Action, Even When You’re Not Ready

There is an underlying reason as to why most of us would prefer postponing new challenges until we feel absolutely ready to face them. But in reality, “feeling ready” is an illusion. Self-doubt and fear will always linger, and if you allow them to, they can hinder your progress. The best solution is to always take some form of action despite how unprepared you think you are. As for my example, when the opportunity arose, I was not ready to speak in public. First of all, I really did not believe that I could teach well, much less enjoy it. But I learned one thing during my first few months—I learnt that confidence actually comes with taking action. Teaching became easier with each passing class and to my surprise, I started enjoying it. Now going back to the point, if you are self-sabotaging simply because in your mind you don’t feel ready, let me tell you on the authority of experience, just get going. Be it a new job, a secondary project, or even learning something new—everything begins with that all important first step. It’s perfectly normal to be frightened or not have everything in place. The only thing that is important is to take the first step.

6. Embrace the Growth Process: Learn as You Go

It wasn’t easy adapting from that anxious teenager to a university lecturer. The path that led me there was filled with painstaking effort, countless lessons, mistakes, setbacks, and most importantly, overcoming hurdles. Growing in any area of your life requires one to be focused on the methods of effective learning. Expecting instantaneous perfection or success is unrealistic, so don’t put undue pressure on yourself to have all the answers. What matters is demonstrated dedication to personal development, no matter how small every step may be.

7. Encouragement to Those Just Starting Their Own Journey

To those struggling with fear or stepping out onto the vast uncertain plain of possibilities, my advice is as follows: It’s absolutely okay to not be perfect. You simply need to begin. While the jump may be daunting, the rewards of embarking on adventures unknown are endless. There is a whole new universe overflowing with opportunities just waiting to be discovered near the other side. The journey to success for you can start right now. There may be a lot before you, hurdles, hurdles after hurdles! The good news is that if you persist, you are bound to uncover your purpose, your passions, and avenues of growth that you never imagined existed before.

Start Where You Are, and Keep Going

Take my case as an example: Shy, a public speaking phobic in her teenage years and now a roaring passionate teacher. Everyone’s life journey is different, mine taught me everything begins with nothing. Get out there and experience the world; you bliss awaits outside the doorstep of your learning. We all wish to that a perfecto opal that is lying beneath a mountain of Crushing procrastination. The sooner you step out – the better. Plan on taking chronic breaks as that is what the modern world should be unlearning. Go out there first and face your roadblocks head on! You would surprise not just the world but most importantly yourself, everywhere you look.