It’s not always easy, is it?
Trusting your gut when it’s asking you to go out on a limb, take a risk and push yourself is scary and, usually, uncomfortable.
But it’s almost always worth it.
It’s like that time I saw a clown riding a unicycle…
It was on a Friday morning in November. I was walking home after quitting my job at a digital marketing agency. I had just started on Monday, but my gut was telling me this wasn’t right. (That’s how I got my first nickname: One-Week Walsh.)
I trusted it, despite the fact that we were in a recession and this job, to many, seemed like a dream opportunity. When I saw that man happily riding his unicycle in full clown gear, I knew I’d done the right thing. If he can do that, I thought, I can land on my feet.
And I did.
Or that time I got my first job by raising my hand…
I was in New York City meeting with different companies as part of my Corporate Communication Leaders program at Ohio University.
One meeting took an unexpected turn.
“We’re hiring," said the man hosting our group. “Who wants to interview right now?"
My gut told me to raise my hand. I did—and was offered the gig, which I started right after college. That job gave me my first taste of life in the big city and led me to many friends and mentors I still call on today.
So I applied to speak at TEDxColumbus 2017.
My gut has been campaigning hard for this lately, and I feel it’s no coincidence that this year’s theme is trust.
So I’ve excitedly submitted my application and am awaiting word on whether I’ve been chosen, trusting that there’s a reason my gut wants to pursue this.
It’s certainly been right before.