Slam
Has anyone ever turned their back to you? : Have you ever been judged? Have you ever been "slammed"? In fact I know I'm being judged right now because you never turn your back to the audience. So here's the question, how do you respond to people who judge you? How do you [turn and smile] turn things around so that people get to see the real you?
Madaam Contest Chair, Fellow Toastmasters, and anyone like me who has ever been "slammed." I'm an expert on judgment because I sold children's books door to door for 4 summers when I was in college. I've been rejected by all kinds of people mean people, nice people, naked people [facial]. : Door to door, I was the lowest of the low, the worst of the worst, let me put it to you this way - I bugged telemarketers when they were eating dinner.:
It was July 26, 2001 my 19th birthday, and I remember exactly what it felt like to be judged. [left,] KNOCK KNOCK, "Not Interested," SLAM. KNOCK KNOCK, "Don't want it," SLAM. KNOCK KNOCK, "You're ugly," Now wait just a minute! : Before I even had a chance to talk I was SLAMMED. So I responded with impatience, arrogance, bitterness and after that it wasn't funny anymore.
[step right] KNOCK KNOCK, "Get off my porch, punk!" [spitflick] [facial] He thought I was worthless, SLAM. KNOCK KNOCK, "Dude, this is your summer job, get a real job you loser." [scan] He thought I was pathetic, SLAM. In a split second that kid thought I was some kind of a dork-usually it takes people hours to figure that out. : "I don't deserve this," so as misguided as it was, I began to judge people back; I started to slam.
Lenny Jacobs answered the door in a wheelchair and I thought to myself "this guy doesn't have kids, doesn't care about kids; he's just some cripple slowing me down." I thought he was useless, SLAM. Rather than judging me back Lenny showed me compassion. "You're selling kids books huh? Come on in and talk to my assistant Lupe for a minute, I have to grab something."
The weirdest thing happened, I was talking to this woman and I started crying, "this guy yelled at me, this kid made fun of me, and it's my birthday." Lupe looked at me, her eyes were so soft, and I'll never forget what this woman said - "No hablo Ingles." :
[caress]
Lenny came back with a children's book he had written called "Wally the Whale." Lenny was 67 years old, his wife had died some years earlier and after he lost his legs in Vietnam he became quite wealthy by writing children's books. When I showed him the books I was selling he seemed to radiate [flower]. He loved them so much that he bought 32 Volumes, 24 CDs, and a cookbook. : [arms out] He then bought an entire set for the neighbors and one of everything for a needy family. Lenny spent $4221. When I asked him why he helped me…
"Rory, I heard what you told Lupe. Being disabled, I've been judged most of my adult life. In fact, many of the people who judge me live under the banner of freedom I lost my legs trying to preserve [flag], but it doesn't do any good to judge people back." If anyone didn't deserve to be judged, it was Lenny. He turned me around by showing me that compassion triumphs over judgment. Lenny and I became great friends and regardless of how people treated me I started treating them with patience, exuberance, and kindness.
We stayed in touch for a really long time but about a year ago Lenny...[flag] passed. But his lesson is still with me, that compassion triumphs over judgment. Because the reality of the world today is that I'm going to be judged for this SLAM, I'm going to be called that SLAM, I'm going to be treated like this SLAM, and the truth is that if we judge then we too will be judged, but if we show compassion, then compassion will be shown to us. Next time you're judged I invite you to show Compassion because that's when people, get to see the real you. That's how we turn things around.
722/ 150 = 4 minutes 48 seconds + 7 laughs
The message of this story is that Compassion always triumphs over judgment. James 2:13. Matthew 7:2-6. 1 Peter 3: 8-9. Zechariah 7:8-10.
I wish you the best. As a gift to you I've attached my written world championship speech. You're the first person that I've ever sent it to. I hope you enjoy it!
Kind Regards,
Rory Vaden
Take the stairs - Success means doing things others don't want to do.
Rory Vaden MBA
Co-Founder/Professional Speaker
Success Starts Now!
Phone: 303.204.6563
Email: rory@roryvaden.com
Website: www.ssnseminars.com
If you want to show your Thanks, please refer me to a friend!
