It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since I attended my first national 9-1-1 conference. I remember sitting in the audience, taking it all in with wide-eyed amazement. It felt like the biggest family reunion I’d ever been to, even though everything was brand newnew, and I barely knew anyone. Still, I felt welcome, invited, embraced, and like I truly belonged.
On the last day of that conference, I made a quiet promise: I promised myself that one day I would be one of the instructors on that same stage.
When I got there, I’d do everything I could to make a first-timer like me feel that same rush of purpose. I wanted them to walk out of those convention center doors and head back to their home center believing they could change the entire culture of the place.
The very next year, I kept that promise. I submitted a session to the NENA 2022 call for papers, and I ended up on that stage as a presenter.
Many conferences later, I’m still just as committed to inspiring and motivating 9-1-1 professionals to do big things in their centers. Every time someone asks how I got here, teaching back-to-back events, sometimes in the same week, constantly building new classes, and instructing at national, state, and regional conferences, I always just smile and say:
“Believe me, if I could do it, you can too.”
Some people say:
“Wow, Sam, I could never see myself doing that.”
I always want to respond: “Actually, you probably could.”
In fact, there are likely plenty of things you’ve doubted yourself about when, in reality, you should have just done the thing.
That’s what I did. One day, I simply decided to do the thing. When doubt crept in and tried to convince me there was no way I could do it, I chose to prove it wrong.
That’s the message this month.
Ignore the self-doubt, override the fear, and choose to DO THE THING ANYWAY.
It Starts With Doing the Unbelievable-Just One Time!
The very first time I appeared as a guest on a podcast, I remember thinking to myself, ‘“This is crazy! What could I possibly say that anyone would find important?’”
But I did it, and afterward, I thought, “Oh my goodness! I did that! I can’t wait to do it again.”
It all starts with doing just one thing, stepping out of your comfort zone one time. For me, that first big, unbelievable thing was writing an op-ed for my local newspaper. It took guts and audacity to put my name out there, knowing that family, friends, and coworkers might recognize it.
But I did it because I believed in what I was writing about. Despite my fear and hesitation, I followed through.
When I did, I found something remarkable: my voice and the will to use it.
That op-ed became the fuel for the next big, courageous thing I would do, and then the next, and the next. It became a mindset of, “If I could do this, then I can do that too.”
The next big thing I did was speak before a live virtual audience of 9-1-1 professionals on a topic that weighed heavily on my heart.
I was more afraid than I had ever been. I imagined everything that could go wrong, from unexpected technical difficulties to freezing mid-sentence to completely forgetting my thoughts as I tried to express them. I couldn’t see the full picture yet.
I didn’t realize this opportunity would lead me to discover a courage and strength in myself that I didn’t even know existed. I couldn’t see beyond step one.
All I saw were the steadily climbing numbers of attendees on my screen. I took a deep breath in, let it ease its way out, and then calmly began my presentation. Sometimes you will not know every step that will follow, and you might not have the full picture in your head. That is okay. Just start with that one thing. If you have the will, your heart will find the way. Start there and never look back.
What Is Your Superpower-Make it Work for You!
Everyone has a superpower, but superpowers, just like capes, are not all created the same. Maybe your power is your voice. Maybe someone else’s is their talent for the written word.
It could be your ability to tell a story, your skill at connecting different groups of people, or simply the way you make others feel. Whatever it is, make it work for you. Let it be the tool you use to build the destiny and legacy you aspire to.
Before I ever found my voice, I discovered the power I could wield behind a pen or a computer. I realized I could speak truth into people’s hearts, motivate them to change themselves or the culture in their centers, and inspire them to find their own superpower. I recognized that I had the ability to spark fires of passion in others.
A year ago, when I was presented with the opportunity to accept the role of Chair of APCO International’s Editorial Committee, I thought, “Why me?”
Surely there were better options.
I weighed the decision carefully until it dawned on me that I had a chance to use my superpower, bringing people together and inspiring movement, to be the most positive, uplifting, and motivating Chair I could be.
I said yes.
I felt the fear, but I did the thing anyway.
A year later, I am so glad I chose to bet on myself and on my superpower. When you consider that so much of our lives and destinies are shaped by the choices we make, the question becomes: what choices will truly make all the difference in the direction our lives take?
My life so far is entirely a result of what I’ve made of it, not just through the major decisions but through the small ones too. It’s the choice to say “yes” to something that might be challenging or uncomfortable, something that could stretch me beyond my limits.
It’s the decision between continuing with what I’ve always done and being content with that, or choosing to step into something greater, to dare to be great, as my friend Ricardo Martinez would say.
Think about your life.
What choices have you been avoiding that might actually be waiting on you to finally say, “Okay, let’s do this”?
Even if you’re nervous, scared, doubtful, or intimidated, do it anyway.
“Do it nervous. Do it scared. Do it doubtful. Do it intimidated. Because it still counts.”
Think About the Impact on Others-Who’s Watching You?
As I said in the beginning, I encounter people all the time who ask me how I got to this place in my life: teaching, instructing, and writing pieces that impact lives and influence people’s journeys and careers.
They tell me that they too want to share their story on a stage one day and be a guiding light for others. Choosing to do it anyway and betting on yourself is not just about you. It’s about the people watching you and learning from your courage. For every brave topic or truth I have written about, spoken on, or shared insights on, and for every bold decision I have made in my life, I found out later that someone had been watching. I inspired them to be brave too, or at least to be honest with themselves. Someone out there needs to hear your story.
Someone needs you to be that voice for them. Someone is waiting for another person to rise to the challenge and show them that it is possible and that they can meet the challenge too. That stubborn, resilient little voice of negativity will always try to rise up when it gets a chance, but there is power in refusing to listen to it every time you do.
Stop waiting around for a better story to find its way into your life. Tell the story you have now.
Stop wasting the passion, gifts, and talents you already have.
Use them fiercely, wisely, loudly, and boldly in whatever way you can.
Stop wondering, ‘Why me?’ or ‘What do I have to offer?’ and start saying yes to the opportunities that give you a seat at the table and a voice in this industry.
Do not assume that the latest call for papers is meant for everyone else but you.
Write the blog. Start that podcast. Build the presentation. Share your wisdom. Not every time you put yourself out there will result in a yes or an acceptance.
But it will mean that the next time you do it, it will come easier.
Just remember, someone else is watching you. You could be the inspiration they need to take the next courageous step in their life.
