Mark Samuel - Sharing Stories with Authentic Vulnerability

Mark Samuel is a writer, speaker, and CEO of IMPAQ, an award-winning international consulting firm. He has developed a unique system for businesses that links Execution, Culture and Deliverables together. The goal of this system is to create cross-functional accountability to successfully implement global changes that increase profitability, build trust and increase efficiency. As an award-winning speaker, Mark has addressed national conferences of ASTD, AQP, ODN, ASHHRA and ISPI. He has impacted audiences all over the world through his thought-provoking and humorous presentations.

Key Takeaways 

• Learn about how Mark built up his confidence and speaking skills.
• It is important to talk from experience. This, in large part, has helped Mark become a stronger speaker. 
• Mark's practices what he has coined "authentic vulnerability." This is being able to be open with your audience and share your weaknesses and imperfections.
• Shifting from speaking unpaid to creating a business has a lot to do with an inner transformation. It's when you start honoring your voice and your value. 
• Mark believes our ultimate accountability is to ourselves and we should ask ourselves "how do I become the best being I can be?"
• Your audience is your coach. They can give you feedback on your speeches and help you improve.

Memorable Quotes

• "We don't have to be perfect to be excellent; in fact, we don't even want to be." - Mark Samuel 
• "In order to be paid to do what you love, there are some mindset shifts necessary." - Charles Clark
• "[Great speakers] say something of value that opens me up to a new way of thinking." - Mark Samuel
• "[Speakers] are artists. What you write, what you say, it's your canvas. It's your masterpiece. It doesn't have boundaries. You paint the way you want to paint. You say what needs to be said." - Charles Clark

Episode Resources & Links

Mark Samuel

Website: https://bstate.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markssamuel/

Instagram: @markssamuel_

Twitter: MarkSSamuel

Charles Clark

Website: https://thecharlesclark.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesclarkusa/

Instagram + Facebook: @thecharlesclark

To get access to all our episodes, visit our podcast page!

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Transcript

00:00:02 Charles Clark

Welcome to the journey paid speaking gigs podcast.

00:00:04 Charles Clark

Here we bring on guests in the speaking world to uncover how to find your voice as a speaker, get paid speaking engagements and develop your speaking skills.

00:00:12 Charles Clark

I'm your host Charles Clark.

00:00:14 Charles Clark

Mental health and resilient speaker and today I'm having a conversation with motivational speaker Mark Samuel.

00:00:20 Charles Clark

If you like what you hear today, check out the journey to paid speaking gigs Academy on mywebsite.charlesclark.com/apply where you're gonna learn everything that you need to know about how to create a successful speaking business. It's time to rise and thrive.

00:00:37 Charles Clark

Bart, welcome to the show.

00:00:40 Mark Samuel

Thank you Charles and.

00:00:41 Mark Samuel

By the way, I just love that.

00:00:42 Mark Samuel

Intro music that was cool.

00:00:45 Mark Samuel

Yeah, I'm a music guy, so it's like all about how do we build the energy with the music when you listen to it.

00:00:46 Speaker 1

All that.

00:00:51 Charles Clark

Yeah, it's all.

00:00:52 Charles Clark

It's all about a vibe, right?

00:00:55 Charles Clark

So you know, before we get this thing started, let the thrive.

00:00:58 Charles Clark

Tribe know who is Mark?

00:01:01 Mark Samuel

Well, that's almost I.

00:01:03 Mark Samuel

I almost find that as a funny question.

00:01:05 Mark Samuel

Uh, my my my next book is going to be the spiritual path of a nonbeliever and that really describes who I am and who I've been.

00:01:15 Mark Samuel

It's like I look at myself as an evolutionary process of going from.

00:01:20 Mark Samuel

Wanting to be a, you know, baseball.

00:01:24 Mark Samuel

Dude and you know player to being a musician to then being a high school teacher teaching math to then working with people and organizations.

00:01:34 Mark Samuel

And then you know helping organizations make change.

00:01:39 Mark Samuel

And then it's transformation and.

00:01:42 Mark Samuel

It's just been a.

00:01:42 Mark Samuel

Whole process and quite honestly a surprising 1.

00:01:45 Mark Samuel

Like I never wanted to write a book.

00:01:48 Mark Samuel

In fact, I don't like it.

00:01:50 Mark Samuel

At all and.

00:01:50 Mark Samuel

Now I've working on my 6th or 7th book and and I was the first time I gave a speech.

00:01:59 Mark Samuel

I was awful like I was terrible like it.

00:02:04 Mark Samuel

Not even close to being good, and I'm not over exaggerating.

00:02:08 Mark Samuel

It was awful and I just thought, well, I'm never going to do speaking again.

00:02:11 Mark Samuel

I'm good at teaching.

00:02:12 Mark Samuel

I'm good at facilitating.

00:02:14 Mark Samuel

I can't speak, and that's fine, you know.

00:02:16 Mark Samuel

And then I had this.

00:02:18 Mark Samuel

The CEO of Toastmasters in one of my longer programs and I told him.

00:02:23 Mark Samuel

I said I.

00:02:23 Mark Samuel

I you gotta help me I I have.

00:02:25 Mark Samuel

No speaking skill.

00:02:26 Mark Samuel

And he goes.

00:02:27 Mark Samuel

You're you're nuts.

00:02:28 Mark Samuel

I've seen you speak, you're.

00:02:29 Mark Samuel

Doing it right now and I go well, you gotta help me get from point A to point B, 'cause right now it ain't working with my audience is so it.

00:02:37 Mark Samuel

I've been it.

00:02:37 Mark Samuel

You know to me I've been a bunch of surprises, you know, and people say, well, what's your purpose?

00:02:41 Mark Samuel

My purpose has continued to change and evolve over my lifespan.

00:02:46 Mark Samuel

And the.

00:02:47 Mark Samuel

The other thing too, that I'm so proud of now is on my on my next book, my daughter. One of my daughters who's 31 or 32. Now is. She's the one that's helping me to write it, so she's a really good writer and we're working together. And it's.

00:03:03 Mark Samuel

Well, the dream comes true in a way because we're just partnering so well and she's got good sensibilities.

00:03:10 Mark Samuel

And but I can't write as well as she does.

00:03:13 Mark Samuel

I'm just good at getting the content out.

00:03:15 Mark Samuel

She turns it into a nice package that.

00:03:18 Charles Clark

Yeah, that that that that's that's something special right there?

00:03:18 Mark Samuel

Relates to people.

00:03:21 Charles Clark

I mean, aside from the completion of the project, what is?

00:03:24 Charles Clark

It like to.

00:03:25 Charles Clark

To keep it in the family and to to build your relationship with your daughter in that way.

00:03:31 Mark Samuel

Well, that's that's actually a kind of a funny question because I am very hands off with my daughter.

00:03:38 Mark Samuel

It's like I take no credit for what she does well and at the same time it's like whatever you do is going to be good with me.

00:03:45 Mark Samuel

It's like I'm not.

00:03:46 Mark Samuel

I've I've I've crossed that boundary a couple of times and it's never worked out very well.

00:03:51 Mark Samuel

Yeah, so so I'm really, you know I.

00:03:55 Mark Samuel

Never had an expectation that we would work together and I never thought of her as.

00:04:01 Mark Samuel

You know, certainly writing a book with me, but it just sort of has evolved and just showed up.

00:04:07 Mark Samuel

She started writing, helping us with articles and blogs and things like that and then.

00:04:11 Mark Samuel

It's like why don't you work with me on the book?

00:04:14 Mark Samuel

You know, it seems like we work well together.

00:04:14 Charles Clark

Yeah, yeah.

00:04:16 Mark Samuel

Says you know, I love to do that and she's just so good.

00:04:19 Mark Samuel

And the publishers.

00:04:21 Mark Samuel

Giving her tons of feedback later know just how good she is 'cause again.

00:04:25 Mark Samuel

I get the content out.

00:04:27 Mark Samuel

I could be fairly clear and you know about that, but but she makes it so you you can you know like.

00:04:34 Mark Samuel

For me, I'm.

00:04:35 Mark Samuel

I'm the one who cracks the egg.

00:04:36 Mark Samuel

She's the one that turns it.

00:04:37 Mark Samuel

Into an omelet you don't want to, you don't want.

00:04:38

Come on, what's right.

00:04:39 Mark Samuel

To eat my.

00:04:40 Mark Samuel

Cracked egg yeah cake.

00:04:42 Mark Samuel

Sounds like hook it up.

00:04:44 Mark Samuel

Look at that.

00:04:45 Mark Samuel

That's right, that's right.

00:04:47 Charles Clark

So, so like when did you know that I know you talked about man, I wasn't good at speaking, but when did you know that hey, actually, my voice matters and I can actually get paid to do this.

00:05:00 Mark Samuel

Oh, that's a great question too.

00:05:02 Mark Samuel

It's a.

00:05:06 Mark Samuel

I in a.

00:05:06 Mark Samuel

Way I thought my voice mattered before I learned how to speak.

00:05:10 Mark Samuel

I knew that what I was coming up with and what.

00:05:12 Mark Samuel

I was developing.

00:05:14 Mark Samuel

Was fairly leading edge for the world.

00:05:17 Mark Samuel

I was in.

00:05:18 Mark Samuel

The team built teamwork, team building, change management and those kinds of things.

00:05:23 Mark Samuel

'cause again, my way of doing is I've combined what I would call spiritual tenants into change management and and either people on the spiritual side or they're just strictly on the change management side, but they don't combine them very well or in a well, that's in a way that speaks to both audiences.

00:05:44 Mark Samuel

And and I'm pretty good at doing that, so I knew I had something to offer.

00:05:49 Mark Samuel

I just didn't always have the confidence nor the methodology to know.

00:05:54 Mark Samuel

How do I translate this into a speech.

00:05:56 Mark Samuel

Because I'm, I'm naturally a very good teacher like I'm really good.

00:06:01 Mark Samuel

I could teach almost anything because I'm a slow learner.

00:06:06 Mark Samuel

And that's a slow learner.

00:06:07 Mark Samuel

I know how to.

00:06:08 Mark Samuel

Put piece everything together so it's in a logical order to learn and and and motivate, but to speak it meant that I had to be motivational and inspirational and say it without a lot of interaction and stuff like that.

00:06:12 Charles Clark

Yeah, yeah, I'm not the same, yeah.

00:06:24 Mark Samuel

And it was like Oh my God, I'm lost in this.

00:06:26 Mark Samuel

It's like, you know I.

00:06:28 Charles Clark

Anything interesting?

00:06:28 Mark Samuel

I was supposed to go.

00:06:29 Mark Samuel

Even I was supposed to give an hour speech and I was done in 20 minutes.

00:06:34 Mark Samuel

That's how bad it was.

00:06:36 Mark Samuel

I was like, oh.

00:06:37 Charles Clark

Yeah I got I.

00:06:38 Mark Samuel

Kill me already.

00:06:38 Charles Clark

Got I got a little bit.

00:06:39 Speaker 1

I am.

00:06:41 Mark Samuel

And that never happens.

00:06:42 Mark Samuel

I'm always developing more content than I can deliver, so it's like I can have an 8 hour day and want 9 or 10 hours, so I'm never.

00:06:50 Mark Samuel

I'm never searching for content, it's just that I scheduled the speech and I hit my talking points and I just put *** **** and up 20 minutes.

00:07:05 Charles Clark

So what what do you kind of see is like?

00:07:06 Charles Clark

I know you kind of hinted on it a little bit, but what do you see is like your superpower when you're on that stage, the thing that you you have that makes you so unique amongst the other speakers.

00:07:17 Mark Samuel

Yeah, I think it's, uh, I.

00:07:18 Mark Samuel

Think it's a couple of things, or three things maybe so.

00:07:21 Mark Samuel

Let me just give you.

00:07:22 Mark Samuel

A little part of the journey.

00:07:23 Mark Samuel

So the first thing that I got from a Mr McCann, who was the head of Toastmasters is he gave me like.

00:07:32 Mark Samuel

Here's the structure of the speech.

00:07:34 Mark Samuel

Here's how you want to position it and.

00:07:37 Mark Samuel

Give me a few books on it and it was like OK, now I get what I'm trying to accomplish in a speech and it gave me the structure soon after I had the structure and I got comfortable with it.

00:07:49 Mark Samuel

I threw out the structure.

00:07:50 Mark Samuel

So now I can get up in front of a group and just start speaking.

00:07:54 Mark Samuel

Now many people can't do that like they need to have it as a structured speech and I'm not even saying that I'm the best speech giver.

00:08:01 Mark Samuel

But many people have it as a, you know, structured, very laid out, even scripted to some degree.

00:08:09 Mark Samuel

I don't do that.

00:08:09 Mark Samuel

I have my talking.

00:08:11 Mark Samuel

I have my stories and then I put it together and when you ask about what makes what I do well now is now I'm talking from experience, so I've got so much experience and I'm pretty good at organizing and being outcome driven, so I'm not just talking for the sake of it.

00:08:28 Mark Samuel

I'm moving towards a point and linking thing.

00:08:31 Mark Samuel

Things that it allows me to adlib well on stage and work with the audience as I'm going reading the group and the energy as I go.

00:08:41 Mark Samuel

So to me, that's is one of the keys for me, but the second key is what I refer to as authentic vulnerability.

00:08:50 Mark Samuel

So how do I become?

00:08:51 Mark Samuel

Vulnerable with the group to be willing to share what my weaknesses are.

00:08:55 Mark Samuel

What I'm not good at 'cause I really believe in in the human spirit and that we don't have to be perfect to be excellent.

00:09:03 Mark Samuel

In fact, we don't even want.

00:09:04 Mark Samuel

To be so.

00:09:05 Mark Samuel

It's how do I?

00:09:06 Mark Samuel

How do I demonstrate my level of authenticity and genuine?

00:09:10 Mark Samuel

And this at.

00:09:11 Mark Samuel

The same time as my vulnerability that now makes me relatable to my audience, whoever that audience is, unless they're a stuffy group that needs it all done in perfection, in which case I don't want to speak to you anyway, you know you won't want me to speak to you, 'cause I'm not a fit, so I'm really good at just bringing everything.

00:09:24 Charles Clark

Yeah, yeah.

00:09:31 Mark Samuel

So it's authentic, human, genuine, vulnerable place and with that I I I can hit home, runs in my speaking.

00:09:40 Charles Clark

Yeah, I, I think you you said something that a lot of people in the game who have been in the game for a while.

00:09:47 Charles Clark

They have and, and that's like from a place of from head knowledge to heart knowledge right where now I don't have to just what I'm what I'm about to say right here now, but I I know what I feel it.

00:09:59 Charles Clark

I live it.

00:09:59 Charles Clark

I do it, therefore I can say it easy.

00:10:02 Charles Clark

Right, and so to get to that place, it takes time.

00:10:05 Charles Clark

You know I'm still young in the game and I'm I'm always trying to develop those stories.

00:10:10 Charles Clark

I'm not at that place that you are in right now where I can just start.

00:10:13 Charles Clark

This is the story I got.

00:10:14 Charles Clark

20 of them.

00:10:15 Charles Clark

Now you know, but it's it's building that that Arsenal right?

00:10:18 Charles Clark

And and then, but I think the thing that you really are saying is it's a place of of heart knowledge.

00:10:24 Charles Clark

And that's why you can have that flow.

00:10:25 Charles Clark

That's what I call.

00:10:27 Charles Clark

You know that bringing that soul to the state.

00:10:28 Charles Clark

Age so I I want to ask yeah.

00:10:30 Mark Samuel

Well, you just.

00:10:31 Mark Samuel

Wait, wait, you can't just get you're not going to go off on that one dude.

00:10:35 Mark Samuel

Ah, So what?

00:10:38 Mark Samuel

You just said.

00:10:39 Mark Samuel

Charles was extremely articulate and really, really to the point.

00:10:44 Mark Samuel

I in fact I think.

00:10:44 Mark Samuel

You said it.

00:10:45 Mark Samuel

Better than I did.

00:10:46 Mark Samuel

No one from that.

00:10:47 Mark Samuel

You know that mental to the heart.

00:10:48 Mark Samuel

Place UM is really where it's at and the only thing I might add to the heart place is the attunement place.

00:10:56 Mark Samuel

So, do you know your stuff so well that you don't have to be in the conversation of what you're saying?

00:11:02 Mark Samuel

You can actually have an appointment to spirit to see what are you getting downloaded at the time to move in this direction or that.

00:11:09 Mark Samuel

Direction, 'cause sometimes it's not.

00:11:10 Mark Samuel

What I plan.

00:11:11 Mark Samuel

In fact, I don't even want to go there, but I listen, I go OK, I I'm not here for me.

00:11:16 Mark Samuel

I'm here for you.

00:11:18 Charles Clark

Yeah, and and that takes that thing that takes the the presence.

00:11:20 Charles Clark

Right I I have to yeah, in order to be available for that I I have to be present.

00:11:22 Speaker 1

Is this?

00:11:25 Charles Clark

Not not what my comment, but with the audience.

00:11:28 Charles Clark

Everything you know, it is just the connection.

00:11:30 Charles Clark

Between it all.

00:11:32 Mark Samuel

That's right, and that you called it you.

00:11:33 Mark Samuel

You spelled it out really well when you said the sports, the soul space, you know, and that's what we're really moving to, is that soul space?

00:11:40 Mark Samuel

I don't know exactly.

00:11:40 Mark Samuel

How you said it?

00:11:41 Mark Samuel

I mean, you are so articulate and you're saying it's?

00:11:44 Mark Samuel

So well, I.

00:11:45 Mark Samuel

You know, I wish.

00:11:46 Mark Samuel

I had your clarity when I was as.

00:11:48 Mark Samuel

Young, as you were it.

00:11:49 Mark Samuel

Would be maybe?

00:11:49 Charles Clark

Appreciate it.

00:11:50 Mark Samuel

Maybe I'd be now a.

00:11:51 Mark Samuel

Rock star or something?

00:11:53

I don't know.

00:11:55 Charles Clark

Let's chat about this mark I I want to.

00:11:57 Charles Clark

Know like for.

00:11:58 Charles Clark

You you know to get to that place of getting paid speaking gigs.

00:12:01 Charles Clark

It's a whole another level, right?

00:12:03 Charles Clark

Like many people they can speak for free, but to get paid to do what you love, there's some mindset shifts that has to take place.

00:12:10 Charles Clark

So I want to ask you, what were?

00:12:12 Charles Clark

What were some of those mindset shifts that?

00:12:13 Charles Clark

You had to have.

00:12:14 Charles Clark

In your life, in order to get paid big gigs.

00:12:18 Mark Samuel

Well, the one thing I would say is that those unpaid speaking gigs is what got me started like that.

00:12:24 Mark Samuel

I did a lot of unpaid speaking gigs like and that gave me the embodiment that I can do this and then feel that sense of worthiness, but at some at some point like you said, there's a a shift and the transformation.

00:12:38 Mark Samuel

I think is an inner transformation, not an outer transformation.

00:12:42 Mark Samuel

It's when do I value what I have to say?

00:12:45 Mark Samuel

When do I value my input without it being an egoic value?

00:12:50 Mark Samuel

Just a practical value of really honoring my voice, as well as sharing with others, not pretending to know.

00:12:57 Mark Samuel

It all but.

00:12:58 Mark Samuel

Also not discounting the fact that I might be able to support and serve other people through my voice, and when I discovered that you know I can work with a group of 30 people.

00:13:11 Mark Samuel

In an organization, but I can speak to a group of 500 or 1000. It's a different impact.

00:13:17 Charles Clark

Yeah, yeah.

00:13:17 Mark Samuel

Like man, that and and I like being inspirational and I like giving people practical ideas that they can leave and make their lives better.

00:13:25 Mark Samuel

At once.

00:13:26 Mark Samuel

I made that my purpose.

00:13:29 Mark Samuel

Then it became easier to value like.

00:13:32 Mark Samuel

I never thought.

00:13:33 Mark Samuel

Of myself as a great speaker, but I've always valued my purpose of being able to deliver something that people can use, so I take it out of the personal and I make it into what's my service, what's my what?

00:13:46 Mark Samuel

What's my greatest value to others?

00:13:49 Charles Clark

Dad admissions.

00:13:49 Mark Samuel

And that is what I.

00:13:50 Mark Samuel

I'm I'm more accountable for my for my service than I am to feeling good, feeling comfortable, feeling worthy that that takes us that takes a backseat to no.

00:14:02 Mark Samuel

I'm here to be of service, whether I feel worthy or not, and and then it became.

00:14:08 Mark Samuel

I've got to start charging and so I made it.

00:14:10 Mark Samuel

A small charge, you know $1000 then 3000, then 5000. Then I wrote a book.

00:14:17 Mark Samuel

And writing the book launched me to 10,000 to 15,000. Yeah, it's been a stepwise progression and I think my my the most pay I've gotten is, I think around 2020 2000.

00:14:31 Mark Samuel

But I don't.

00:14:32 Mark Samuel

I I'm hoping to land at.

00:14:34 Mark Samuel

50,000 at some point, but I've got to be open.

00:14:35 Charles Clark

Right?

00:14:37 Mark Samuel

To my worthiness and my value and all of that to do that.

00:14:41 Mark Samuel

But yeah, the books helped to do that honestly.

00:14:45 Mark Samuel

It's a, it's a.

00:14:46 Mark Samuel

It's a doorway in so and we all got something to say.

00:14:50 Charles Clark

Come on, I I think what you're saying here and and this is something I'm actually going to do.

00:14:55 Charles Clark

A speech on is I have.

00:14:56 Charles Clark

I have a speech with the Raiders coming up.

00:14:57 Charles Clark

Next week and.

00:14:58 Charles Clark

I'm really just talking about how oh man, it it's it's such a a blessing, a wonderful opportunity to be able to come.

00:14:59 Mark Samuel

Oh, that's awesome.

00:15:06 Charles Clark

Into you know different organizations and be a part of the team.

00:15:09 Charles Clark

I I love it.

00:15:10 Charles Clark

I love it.

00:15:10 Charles Clark

Absolutely love it.

00:15:11 Charles Clark

And you know, one of the things that I.

00:15:13 Charles Clark

Was I was I was thinking about was that.

00:15:13 Speaker 1

It's for you.

00:15:15 Charles Clark

But you know, for every level is a different process like what got you here won't get you to that next.

00:15:22 Charles Clark

Level, and I think we got.

00:15:24

Try it.

00:15:24 Charles Clark

We got to learn to understand like man I I can't do everything on my own and so like that's when we talk about like that's why we have like the journey paid speaking gigs program and we and we're helping other speakers move from that place of being.

00:15:35 Charles Clark

That free speaker to being it becoming part time or full time because it's just a different process.

00:15:40 Charles Clark

It's a different beast, but you know along that journey you begin to see those commonalities and and, but it's nothing like going on that journey when.

00:15:47 Charles Clark

You when you.

00:15:48 Charles Clark

Have someone I know you talk about Mark you talk about a lot about accountability, right?

00:15:53 Charles Clark

I I want to ask you like to you what's what's accountability look like when it comes to becoming a better speaker.

00:16:03 Mark Samuel

Oh, I love that question.

00:16:05 Mark Samuel

No one asked me that question Charles.

00:16:07 Mark Samuel

Great question.

00:16:08 Mark Samuel

You you want to.

00:16:09 Mark Samuel

Interview people for a living dude.

00:16:11 Mark Samuel

You're really good at.

00:16:12 Mark Samuel

It, I appreciate it.

00:16:15 Mark Samuel

Well, I'll tell you what it means to me is our ultimate accountability is to ourselves and that accountability means means.

00:16:24 Mark Samuel

How do I become the best being I can be?

00:16:29 Mark Samuel

And we not based on the limitations of my belief system about myself, not based on the history of how people treated me in my past, not based on what I think is a restrictive factor that I don't have the ability to do, or not.

00:16:45 Mark Samuel

The ability to do it is about truly exploring with.

00:16:49 Mark Samuel

All possibilities in mind.

00:16:51 Mark Samuel

How can I become the best that I can be?

00:16:54 Mark Samuel

Yeah, and without it being a judgment without it being, you're not good enough as you are.

00:16:59 Mark Samuel

No, actually it's like I'm good enough.

00:17:01 Mark Samuel

As I am.

00:17:02 Mark Samuel

But I haven't yet reached my potential good enough as I am haven't reached my potential like like a Michael Jordan, you know, like a, you know you name.

00:17:04 Charles Clark

Exactly, yeah yeah.

00:17:11 Mark Samuel

All the top athletes name all this Stevie Wonder.

00:17:14 Mark Samuel

Elton John I.

00:17:15 Mark Samuel

Don't care who it is, their cost, they're the best at who they are already and they're always looking to be.

00:17:22 Mark Samuel

A shade better Paul McCartney still talks about that today.

00:17:26 Mark Samuel

I mean it.

00:17:27 Mark Samuel

It's like, yeah, that's the exciting part and I have to say I wasn't always there when I started it became I wasn't good enough.

00:17:35 Mark Samuel

Therefore I need to get better.

00:17:36 Mark Samuel

I'm not good enough, so I need to get better.

00:17:38 Mark Samuel

I'm not worthy enough, so I need to get.

00:17:39 Mark Samuel

Better or I need to become better at this.

00:17:42 Mark Samuel

But ultimately, that's not the game.

00:17:45 Mark Samuel

That's, uh, that it it helps.

00:17:47 Mark Samuel

We all need to go through that.

00:17:48 Mark Samuel

Maybe or hopefully not.

00:17:50 Mark Samuel

But now I'm at the place I'm.

00:17:52 Mark Samuel

Good enough as I am and.

00:17:53 Mark Samuel

I love the idea of being even better.

00:17:55 Mark Samuel

I love the idea of seeing what's possible, because honestly I was never meant to be a writer like I hated it.

00:18:01 Mark Samuel

I mean, there was like shoot me first.

00:18:03 Mark Samuel

Like there was no way I was going to become a writer, but there was no way I get my message out without writing about it.

00:18:08 Mark Samuel

'cause even though his speech a speech goes to 1000 people, writing goes to you know 100,000. You know whatever it is. So I knew I needed to write so again purpose driven but but.

00:18:20 Mark Samuel

You've got it to me.

00:18:22 Mark Samuel

It's about purpose driven and one of our purposes is how great can I become.

00:18:26 Charles Clark

That's I, I think that's that's so spot on, because that's the first place it has to take.

00:18:31 Charles Clark

Place if you want to get other people to hold you accountable, right?

00:18:35 Charles Clark

If you want to go to that next, that next level within and, here's a thing like the.

00:18:42 Charles Clark

The growth of of you understanding that that accountability is is amazing.

00:18:47 Charles Clark

But when you have other people holding you accountable, you just go to a completely another atmosphere.

00:18:54 Mark Samuel

And well, yes, because they give you the feedback, yeah.

00:18:58 Mark Samuel

You know and.

00:18:58 Mark Samuel

That's where where the possibility is, is 'cause.

00:19:01 Mark Samuel

You know, like Michael, not Michael.

00:19:03 Mark Samuel

But Magic Johnson said, why do you have cut?

00:19:05 Mark Samuel

You're already one of the best ballplayers.

00:19:07 Mark Samuel

Why do you have a coach?

00:19:09 Mark Samuel

He says, 'cause I can't watch myself play facts.

00:19:12 Mark Samuel

It wasn't great.

00:19:13 Mark Samuel

Well your audience.

00:19:15 Mark Samuel

Is your coach.

00:19:16 Mark Samuel

Yeah, so they're gonna give you feedback and you're gonna get the feedback instantly if you're attuned.

00:19:21 Mark Samuel

And watching their energy that hey, they may have loved the whole speech before there was this one section that fell.

00:19:26 Mark Samuel

Flat and and now.

00:19:28 Mark Samuel

It's a question of.

00:19:29 Mark Samuel

How open am I am to the precision of speaking to really feel it energetically to be in it, etc.

00:19:36 Charles Clark

Yeah, this is good good so I want to ask you, mark like what's who is 1 speaker you respect in the game and what would be that question you would ask him if you could.

00:19:46 Charles Clark

Ask him anything or her.

00:19:49 Mark Samuel

Me boy, that's a great question.

00:19:53 Mark Samuel

There's so many good speakers that that.

00:19:56 Mark Samuel

I mean when I think of great speakers, I think of Obama is a great speaker.

00:20:01 Mark Samuel

I think of Clinton and Bill Clinton as a great speaker.

00:20:03 Mark Samuel

I've seen him speak I, I think of of of God.

00:20:09 Mark Samuel

Just trying to remember.

00:20:11 Mark Samuel

The name is.

00:20:12 Mark Samuel

I mean, but even lesser known people are gay.

00:20:14 Mark Samuel

Hendricks who wrote the Big Leap, great speaker and and he's all these people are great a because.

00:20:23 Mark Samuel

They're saying something of value that.

00:20:27 Mark Samuel

It that opens me up to a new way.

00:20:28 Mark Samuel

Of thinking.

00:20:30 Mark Samuel

Yeah, you know, even Fareed Zakaria, great speaker, who's the guy on on on CNN that I just?

00:20:38 Mark Samuel

I adore this guy.

00:20:41 Mark Samuel

You'll know him.

00:20:42 Mark Samuel

He's been, he's done the prison project.

00:20:44 Mark Samuel

He's on old van UM starts with a V.

00:20:47 Mark Samuel

Do you know who I'm talking?

00:20:48 Mark Samuel

Oh my God.

00:20:48 Charles Clark

I don't really watch TV, so I'm sorry.

00:20:49 Mark Samuel

Everyone gonna know.

00:20:51 Mark Samuel

Oh my God, he's so.

00:20:53 Mark Samuel

Good, uh, but he he he's got a such a major voice.

00:20:57 Mark Samuel

Now the first person that ever turned me on to speaking at all.

00:21:01 Mark Samuel

The person who I adored growing up, he was my role model growing up with Martin Luther King Junior.

00:21:07 Mark Samuel

I mean.

00:21:08 Speaker 1

He brought me.

00:21:09 Mark Samuel

To tears, he brought me to he it was like.

00:21:11 Charles Clark

Yeah I would.

00:21:11 Mark Samuel

He spoke to my heart.

00:21:12 Charles Clark

I would have.

00:21:13 Charles Clark

To say he's.

00:21:13 Speaker 1

I mean.

00:21:13 Charles Clark

Definitely the best.

00:21:15 Charles Clark

I think the best, the way the best.

00:21:18 Charles Clark

Yeah yeah, like fax this period the way he delivers and takes you on this journey like the dream speech.

00:21:26 Charles Clark

Best speech in the world.

00:21:28 Mark Samuel

Yeah, and I don't know if you knew this, but he had a planned.

00:21:32 Mark Samuel

Speech yeah, yeah.

00:21:33 Mark Samuel

Yeah, that he was delivering that.

00:21:35 Mark Samuel

They told him to stop.

00:21:36 Mark Samuel

That and and you could see wasn't even getting to the audience with that planned speech.

00:21:41 Mark Samuel

He threw out the planned speech and spoke from his heart about the dream.

00:21:44 Speaker 1

Right?

00:21:45 Mark Samuel

Oh my God, I get chills still today.

00:21:49 Mark Samuel

And and have to listen to it over and over 'cause it just speaks so clearly it.

00:21:52 Charles Clark

It was good, right?

00:21:54 Charles Clark

Like it was, it was a lie and I think speaking like as we were artists to a degree, right?

00:22:02 Charles Clark

Like we we are artists absolutely.

00:22:04 Charles Clark

And it's and.

00:22:05 Charles Clark

And when you write and when you what you say it's it's your canvas and it's your issue of masterpiece and and it it doesn't have like boundaries.

00:22:11 Mark Samuel

That's right, that's right.

00:22:15 Charles Clark

It you you paint the way you want to paint, you say what needs to be said the way it needs to be.

00:22:19 Charles Clark

Said you, you know your audience and you know their pain and and so when you.

00:22:24 Charles Clark

Open your mouth, man, it is just what isn't.

00:22:26

That's right.

00:22:27 Charles Clark

Just be so yeah.

00:22:28 Mark Samuel

Well, it's Charles.

00:22:30 Mark Samuel

I just want the whole audience to note this.

00:22:32 Mark Samuel

You just said something absolutely critical.

00:22:34 Mark Samuel

I don't want to.

00:22:34 Mark Samuel

Bypass it, yeah?

00:22:36 Mark Samuel

When you speak to the pain of your audience and you really speak from a vulnerable place, not a know it all place, but a vulnerable place, a human place, a spirit place, and you allows.

00:22:51 Mark Samuel

In a sense, you to be the vehicle to which spirit comes through you.

00:22:57 Mark Samuel

Like Martin Luther King Junior, did I?

00:23:01 Mark Samuel

I mean, that's that's when you reach millions, yeah?

00:23:02 Charles Clark

Fine yeah yeah yeah man I I can I can go all day with this conversation with you.

00:23:11 Charles Clark

Well, I I want to ask you before we go.

00:23:12 Charles Clark

Mark work in the tribe.

00:23:14 Charles Clark

Find you.

00:23:16 Mark Samuel

Oh well, the best way to find me I guess would be, uhm, you can always catch me on my website whichisactuallybestate.com B as in breakthrough state as in the state of breakthrough be state.com. And I believe you can.

00:23:36 Mark Samuel

Follow me, I'm you know I'm an older guy so I'm not really all that skilled at this, but you can follow me on LinkedIn.

00:23:43 Mark Samuel

Then at that Mark, I think it's Mark Samuel or Mark S.

00:23:48 Mark Samuel

Samuel Twitter and Instagram or Mark S.

00:23:53 Mark Samuel

Yeah, you know those are my.

00:23:54 Charles Clark

I got extended.

00:23:57 Mark Samuel

Yeah, so I think I think that's where you can find me.

00:24:00 Mark Samuel

And you know I'm always open to to conversation.

00:24:04 Mark Samuel

You can always e-mail me at Mark at be state.

00:24:07 Mark Samuel

Com like I'm really open like I'm I'm so into look at my my day.

00:24:12 Mark Samuel

You know I'm gonna do this for a few more years or as long as you know God gives me the ability to do it but it's all about people of your generation.

00:24:21 Mark Samuel

You're the change agents.

00:24:22 Mark Samuel

You're the leaders.

00:24:23 Mark Samuel

If there's a way I can support anyone through a conversation or.

00:24:27 Mark Samuel

Through an experience, whatever I'm really open to doing it, so that's why I even give out my e-mail at marketbestate.com 'cause I love.

00:24:35 Mark Samuel

I love supporting who I think are going to take us into the future, which are people like you, Charles.

00:24:40 Mark Samuel

You you've got it man.

00:24:42 Mark Samuel

I mean I love talking with you.

00:24:45 Mark Samuel

You're so beyond your years in terms of of your understanding and your consciousness.

00:24:50 Mark Samuel

Love it, thank you.

00:24:52 Charles Clark

It's a tribe thing I.

00:24:54 Charles Clark

Appreciate you, mark.

00:24:56 Charles Clark

I hope you enjoy today's episode.

00:24:58 Charles Clark

Click the follow button to be notified for more episodes.

00:25:01 Charles Clark

And if you're interested in learning how to overcome the struggle of stage fright right that life story in speech or how to become that paid speaker enrollment is now open to the journey to paid speaking gigs.

00:25:13 Charles Clark

Edit 2 Dutch Charles Clark com forward slash apply it's time that you speak even if your voice shakes.

00:25:20 Charles Clark

I'll catch you guys on the next.

00:25:21 Mark Samuel

Episode peace.