Do it Afraid: 3 things I learnt from my Instagram live debut — and why you should totally try it too
With the world currently dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19), many are turning to Instagram live videos as the new source of entertainment.
The platform is the current rave of the moment, a place for major music battles, masterclasses, workout sessions to comedy and reality shows.
Everyone from your biggest music artists to your neighbour is either joining one or hosting theirs.
This is exactly why I almost said no when I got approached to do one last month. I didn’t want to join the bandwagon, at least that’s what i told myself.
The truth is that I was a little nervous about putting myself out there like that. Okay, I was scared. Against my ‘better’ judgement, I said yes and I learnt some pretty great lessons.
Here are three things I learnt from my Instagram live debut — and why you should try it too:
I was reminded of how much i know
Doing my research for the session made me realise how good I have become at storytelling and content creation.
Sometimes, we do not realise how good we have gotten at something because we are simply focused on doing the work.
Taking a step back from doing and trying to share that knowledge helps you realise that you know your onions or that you have more work to do.
I got to learn too
There is a psychological phenomenon called the Protege Effect, also known as the learning-by-teaching effect. Basically, the more you teach others, the more you learn and become better at your craft.
As Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca, puts it, “While we teach, we learn.” This exactly what happened that day. The more I shared, the more I learnt.
Hearing the words come out of my mouth seared the words into my brain. It also exposed one of my weak spots which is public speaking.
Knowing something is one thing, but sharing it is different. While I knew what I was talking about, speaking on the fly to friends and strangers taught me that I still have some work to do in this area.
I got ‘gingered to more ‘scary’ stuff
A comfort zone is a great place to be. You feel safe, warm, and you never want to leave. The problem is that you stay the same. To grow and get better, you have to step outside of your comfort zone.
According to neuroscientist Philippe Goldin, “Exposure is hands down the most successful way to deal with phobias, anxiety disorders, and everyday fears of any sort. Simply repeatedly exposing ourselves to the thing we’re afraid of — ideally in a positive way — gradually brings down the physiologic fear response until it’s gone, or at least manageable.”
Doing an IG live helped me feel less afraid and more importantly it made me want to try new things, other ‘scary things.’
With these few points of mine, I hope i have been able to convince you and not confuse you that an IG live or something as scary or uncomfortable is exactly what you need to do.
