Several years ago, I watched an interview with Will Smith, where he shared one of his philosophies for life. The Aladdin star said, “So if you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready.” Essentially Mr. Smith stated what I repeatedly heard throughout my childhood and expressed to Naeem for the entirety of his life – “always be prepared.”
Don’t make the mistake of leaving anything to chance. Always be prepared because you never know when the opportunity you hope for will occur. Alternatively, to paraphrase Will Smith, stay ready so that you won’t need to prepare when the break you desire avails itself.
I’m Not Ready
A few weeks ago, I had what I suspected would be a fortuitous encounter with someone of significant influence. As I walked to meet this person, I thought to myself, “Nate, if you make a favorable impression everything in your life is about to change.”
I based my internal dialogue on things I’ve heard famous people say. Renown people routinely talk about that unexpected moment or that chance encounter which changed everything for them.
I thought that the pending introduction was going to be that event for me. I was about to become one of those “famous” people until I wasn’t. As it turns out, I wasn’t ready.
No Time For An Elevator Speech
Just as I was collecting my thoughts to give my thirty-second elevator speech – you know the pitch where you say who you are, why you are worth listening to from the time it takes to ride an elevator from the bottom to the top of a building, and how you can be an asset to them – she said something wholly unexpected and demoralizing. She said, “I’ll give you three seconds.”
Yep, you read that correctly. Your eyes are not deceiving you — I was not allowed three-plus twenty-seven seconds. I was given three seconds to prove I was worthy of a conversation. Three seconds is all the time afforded to convince this person that I was not only worthy of a discussion but that I deserved my remaining twenty-seven seconds.
What’s My Name?
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit miffed. Three seconds is barely enough time to state my name. For the record, you do know that I’m not just some ordinary Kevin.
You know who I am. Y’all know who I am. No, I’m not Kevin Durant. You all know that I’m Nathaniel A. Turner, son of Tommie L. and Gladys T. Turner and father of Supaman.
Notwithstanding what I think of myself, this person had not gotten the message. As her terse tone and succinct introduction prerequisite indicated, in her mind, I was just another person who would waste her time. I understand that time is at a premium; it’s the one thing that we cannot get more of once it is gone, but my goodness her behavior seemed over the top.
Tesla Ludicrous Mode
Rather than waste time being upset or using those remaining twenty-seven seconds from my elevator speech to lament the encounter, I decided to take a different approach. Pondering Mr. Smith’s words, “So if you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready,” I fashioned a Ludicrous Mode Speech. And no the use of the word ludicrous is not a shot at the woman who offered me just three seconds to prove my worth. I’m certainly not about to waste one millisecond of my life on animus.
Instead, as a play on a feature in the Tesla Model S that allows the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds, in the future, I will offer the Ludicrous Mode Speech as my introduction instead of the Elevator Speech. Unless and until, any new person I meet asks for more insight about who I am, why I’m worth knowing, and how I can assist them, they will get the three-second pitch.
Old Dog, New Trick
My life didn’t change as I thought it would upon meeting the woman of influence, but I am noticeably different. I learned a new trick. Despite what felt like an effort to devalue me, to minimize my humanity, my self-esteem remains high. I’m better than ever. Now I am more ready than before the encounter to say succinctly who I am, why I matter, and what I can do to change the world.
Don’t worry; I’ll see the woman again. The next time, I’m confident the conversation will be different. I won’t need an Elevator nor Ludicrous Mode speech. Someone will walk over to introduce me to her, and I’m only going to say “I’m Nathaniel A. Turner. You know who I am. Y’all know who I am.”
Is your child ready for that once in a lifetime opportunity? Are you modeling what it looks like to ready or unprepared? Do you or your child have an Elevator and a Ludicrous Mode Speech?