1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,680 Carol Cox: It's okay if your personal brand feels a bit 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,640 messy. That's a natural part of an authentic 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,200 evolution of who you are, 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,640 which is what we dive into today on this 5 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:15,800 episode of the Speaking Your Brand podcast. 6 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:17,960 More and more women are making an impact by 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,760 starting businesses, running for office and 8 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:22,600 speaking up for what matters. 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,640 With my background as a TV political analyst, 10 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,200 entrepreneur, and speaker, 11 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,280 I interview and coach purpose driven women to 12 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,880 shape their brands, grow their companies, 13 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,680 and become recognized as influencers in their 14 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,840 field. This is speaking your brand, 15 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,320 your place to learn how to persuasively 16 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,840 communicate your message to your audience. 17 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,720 Hi there. This is your host, 18 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,320 Carol Cox. Thank you for indulging me in my 19 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:50,920 two month break from this podcast. 20 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:52,800 It was exactly what I needed. 21 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,280 And during that time, Diane Diaz, 22 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,240 our lead speaking coach, and I had an 23 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,510 opportunity to record some podcast episodes 24 00:01:00,510 --> 00:01:03,830 in an actual film studio on the campus of 25 00:01:03,830 --> 00:01:06,030 Full Sail University, where we teach business 26 00:01:06,030 --> 00:01:07,230 and marketing classes. 27 00:01:07,430 --> 00:01:09,670 You can listen to this episode audio only, 28 00:01:09,670 --> 00:01:11,430 but I think you're going to get the most out 29 00:01:11,430 --> 00:01:13,310 of it if you watch the video. 30 00:01:13,590 --> 00:01:15,990 The video has extra clips in it. 31 00:01:16,030 --> 00:01:17,950 When we're talking about different things, it 32 00:01:17,950 --> 00:01:20,270 really is an amazing edit and I would love to 33 00:01:20,310 --> 00:01:22,270 hear your feedback on it. 34 00:01:22,390 --> 00:01:24,950 You can find the video on the show notes page 35 00:01:24,950 --> 00:01:28,190 at Speaking Your Brand 424. 36 00:01:28,190 --> 00:01:30,310 So the episode number Speaking Your Brand 37 00:01:31,270 --> 00:01:33,470 424. In the show notes, 38 00:01:33,470 --> 00:01:36,150 you can also find the direct link to the 39 00:01:36,150 --> 00:01:37,950 YouTube video itself. 40 00:01:38,310 --> 00:01:41,790 Now let's get on with the show. 41 00:01:39,510 --> 00:01:43,310 Hi there and welcome to Speaking Your Brand. 42 00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:44,790 I'm your host, Carol Cox, 43 00:01:44,790 --> 00:01:46,310 joined by our lead speaking coach, 44 00:01:46,310 --> 00:01:47,150 Diane Diaz. 45 00:01:47,310 --> 00:01:47,990 Diane Diaz: Hi, everybody. 46 00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:50,430 Carol Cox: Today we are filming in one of the studios on 47 00:01:50,430 --> 00:01:52,270 the campus of Full Sail University, 48 00:01:52,310 --> 00:01:54,950 where Diane and I have been teaching for 16 49 00:01:54,950 --> 00:01:57,980 years in the digital marketing program. 50 00:01:57,980 --> 00:02:00,860 We certainly have evolved over those years. 51 00:02:00,980 --> 00:02:03,220 Everything from how has the internet has 52 00:02:03,220 --> 00:02:04,980 evolved, as has AI. 53 00:02:04,980 --> 00:02:07,780 And we want to talk today about reinvention 54 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:09,220 versus evolution. 55 00:02:09,340 --> 00:02:11,300 I feel like a lot of times we are told that 56 00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:12,900 we should reinvent ourselves, 57 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:14,820 that we should become someone new if we want 58 00:02:14,820 --> 00:02:17,300 to take on different aspects of our career or 59 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:18,940 projects that we're working on. 60 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:21,940 But I'm not sure reinvention is the right 61 00:02:21,940 --> 00:02:23,820 word, because I'm not even sure it's possible 62 00:02:23,820 --> 00:02:26,740 to truly reinvent who you are. 63 00:02:26,940 --> 00:02:28,900 I think it's more of an evolution. 64 00:02:28,980 --> 00:02:31,540 So, Diane, thinking about your career that 65 00:02:31,540 --> 00:02:32,980 you've had in marketing and branding, 66 00:02:32,980 --> 00:02:34,540 including at the university, 67 00:02:34,660 --> 00:02:37,100 how have you seen this idea of evolution play 68 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:37,500 out? 69 00:02:38,740 --> 00:02:41,380 Diane Diaz: I agree with you that it is not really a 70 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:45,620 reinvention, because I think who we are today 71 00:02:45,620 --> 00:02:48,140 is largely, obviously based on who we used to 72 00:02:48,140 --> 00:02:50,180 be and things we've learned over the course 73 00:02:50,180 --> 00:02:51,620 of time over our careers, 74 00:02:51,620 --> 00:02:53,380 personal experiences. 75 00:02:53,740 --> 00:02:56,210 And so I really feel like it's really just a 76 00:02:57,010 --> 00:02:59,970 maybe coming into who you are and an 77 00:02:59,970 --> 00:03:02,170 identification of all that makes you who you 78 00:03:02,170 --> 00:03:04,810 are based on all those experiences that 79 00:03:04,810 --> 00:03:05,450 you've had. 80 00:03:05,890 --> 00:03:08,330 Carol Cox: I wonder if part of it is also an acceptance 81 00:03:08,450 --> 00:03:10,890 of all these different aspects of ourselves. 82 00:03:10,930 --> 00:03:13,130 I remember way back when I started speaking 83 00:03:13,130 --> 00:03:15,450 your brand in 2015, 2016. 84 00:03:15,610 --> 00:03:18,690 I was told by very well-meaning people that I 85 00:03:18,690 --> 00:03:20,290 should not talk about my background in 86 00:03:20,290 --> 00:03:22,770 politics, that it could potentially turn off 87 00:03:22,770 --> 00:03:24,770 people if they weren't similarly politically 88 00:03:24,770 --> 00:03:26,850 aligned. And I should just kind of ignore 89 00:03:26,850 --> 00:03:28,410 that aspect of my career. 90 00:03:28,890 --> 00:03:30,490 And I thought at the time, well, that doesn't 91 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:32,930 really make sense because it is a core part 92 00:03:32,970 --> 00:03:34,610 of who I am, who I am, 93 00:03:34,650 --> 00:03:36,930 who I always have been as part of my values, 94 00:03:37,090 --> 00:03:39,410 the work that I do, the work that I like to 95 00:03:39,410 --> 00:03:41,730 do with women, to help them use their voice. 96 00:03:42,050 --> 00:03:43,570 But I'm sure that there's a lot of women out 97 00:03:43,570 --> 00:03:46,250 there that feel like maybe aspects of their 98 00:03:46,250 --> 00:03:48,130 career or things that they've done that they 99 00:03:48,130 --> 00:03:50,530 have not embraced because they're afraid that 100 00:03:50,530 --> 00:03:52,570 either it feels messy or like it doesn't feel 101 00:03:52,570 --> 00:03:55,560 like it is as part of their overall cohesive 102 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:56,080 brand. 103 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,840 Diane Diaz: Yeah. That's true. I hear that from clients 104 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,520 sometimes, or even just in conversations with 105 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,640 women. And I think it's a it's a valid 106 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,240 concern. But what I would say to that is that 107 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,200 when we are trying to push down some aspect 108 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:10,480 of ourselves, like for you, 109 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:12,920 the, the political portion of your career, 110 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,040 then you cannot be who you truly are and be 111 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,320 your full self in anything that you do. 112 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,240 Right. And so I think that then colors how 113 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,640 you do what you do. But when when we just 114 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,640 bring everything about ourselves and 115 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,200 certainly whatever setting you're in, 116 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:28,960 whether it's a networking event or a personal 117 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,040 event, you're going to change how you convey 118 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,840 that. But when you bring your whole self and 119 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:36,160 all that makes you who you are, the politics, 120 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,440 even religion for some people, 121 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,400 hobbies, personal interests. 122 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:41,960 When you bring all of those things to the 123 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,880 work that you do and to your messaging, 124 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:46,200 that is truly what your personal brand is. 125 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,360 Right. And that's how we can feel more 126 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:49,920 comfortable living in our personal brand. It 127 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,840 doesn't feel like a disconnect between who 128 00:04:52,070 --> 00:04:53,750 were saying we are and who we actually are, 129 00:04:53,910 --> 00:04:55,310 which we don't want that disconnect. 130 00:04:55,430 --> 00:04:57,590 Carol Cox: Well, I know that you are an iron man. 131 00:04:57,710 --> 00:04:59,110 You completed an Iron Man. 132 00:04:59,110 --> 00:05:00,390 This was in 2013. 133 00:05:00,430 --> 00:05:02,510 Yes, yes. And so and that was a big part of 134 00:05:02,510 --> 00:05:04,430 your identity. And when we started teaching 135 00:05:04,430 --> 00:05:06,470 here at the university in 2009, 136 00:05:06,550 --> 00:05:09,150 I was so inspired and impressed by these 137 00:05:09,150 --> 00:05:10,790 triathlons that you were doing. 138 00:05:11,070 --> 00:05:12,630 And so I started doing more running, and I 139 00:05:12,630 --> 00:05:14,110 was like, I got to keep up with Diane and her 140 00:05:14,110 --> 00:05:16,070 fitness. And then when you did the Ironman, 141 00:05:16,070 --> 00:05:17,750 I was like, wow, I was blown away. 142 00:05:17,790 --> 00:05:20,150 I mean, it was just such an accomplishment. 143 00:05:20,230 --> 00:05:21,830 And I remember you telling me last year 144 00:05:21,830 --> 00:05:23,790 you're like, well, that feels like it was so 145 00:05:23,790 --> 00:05:25,910 long ago. Can I really still talk about that? 146 00:05:25,910 --> 00:05:28,550 Or can I still include it in the talks that I 147 00:05:28,590 --> 00:05:31,030 do? And I said yes, because that number one 148 00:05:31,030 --> 00:05:32,790 shows so much about who you are and your 149 00:05:32,790 --> 00:05:34,910 personality and what matters to you. 150 00:05:34,910 --> 00:05:36,750 And yes, even though it may have been ten 151 00:05:36,750 --> 00:05:39,350 years ago now, it's still something that 152 00:05:39,350 --> 00:05:41,550 shapes, I believe, who who you still are 153 00:05:41,550 --> 00:05:41,950 today. 154 00:05:42,270 --> 00:05:43,710 Diane Diaz: Yeah, that's a good point. And it does. I 155 00:05:43,710 --> 00:05:45,590 mean, it does from my side. 156 00:05:45,590 --> 00:05:47,670 It does feel like a little bit of like a 157 00:05:47,670 --> 00:05:49,790 statute of limitations has run out on that. 158 00:05:49,890 --> 00:05:51,890 But I think you make a valid point, 159 00:05:51,890 --> 00:05:54,690 because everything that we've done, 160 00:05:54,690 --> 00:05:56,490 even things that we've done when we were a 161 00:05:56,490 --> 00:05:59,090 child, come into our personal brand. 162 00:05:59,130 --> 00:06:02,130 And so, yes, that does inform how I look at 163 00:06:02,130 --> 00:06:03,890 the world. Right? Because I do, 164 00:06:03,930 --> 00:06:06,090 even though I don't do triathlons anymore, I 165 00:06:06,090 --> 00:06:09,050 do operate sort of in this world of doing 166 00:06:09,050 --> 00:06:11,290 things that are healthy for me and help keep 167 00:06:11,290 --> 00:06:13,250 me fit, which is a big part of what my 168 00:06:13,250 --> 00:06:14,810 personal brand is about. So even though that 169 00:06:14,810 --> 00:06:17,370 has changed what it is that I do to do that, 170 00:06:17,650 --> 00:06:19,330 it is still my personal brand. But even 171 00:06:19,330 --> 00:06:21,410 things from childhood that might have been 172 00:06:21,450 --> 00:06:23,050 interests that we had, 173 00:06:23,050 --> 00:06:25,170 hobbies that we had, those things still 174 00:06:25,170 --> 00:06:28,970 factor in because who we are today is based 175 00:06:28,970 --> 00:06:32,330 on experiences we had as children growing up. 176 00:06:32,330 --> 00:06:33,490 As young adults. 177 00:06:33,530 --> 00:06:35,090 You know that all of that informs our 178 00:06:35,090 --> 00:06:38,370 personal brand. So I do still share anecdotes 179 00:06:38,370 --> 00:06:41,490 about that experience and the lessons from it 180 00:06:41,490 --> 00:06:43,290 that it taught me, which had enormous 181 00:06:43,290 --> 00:06:46,010 lessons. I share those in my talks or with 182 00:06:46,010 --> 00:06:48,360 clients because I think that not That not 183 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:49,840 only do they inform what my personal brand 184 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,160 is, but they're good lessons for clients to 185 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,200 sort of take away and apply in the work that 186 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:56,840 they're doing. So I try to still incorporate 187 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:57,560 that message. 188 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,200 Carol Cox: Well as a tease. For those of you listening 189 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,520 in another episode, we talk about stories 190 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,720 that we have learned about ourselves from 191 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,600 when we were younger. That very much informs 192 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:08,800 how we showed up as adults, 193 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,360 so stay tuned for that one. 194 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,680 But let's get back to the idea of reinvention 195 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,240 versus evolution. 196 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,560 And I think that one of the things that why I 197 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:18,680 find the Iron Man so fascinating is because 198 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:20,840 you were willing to challenge yourself in a 199 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,440 big way. It's not easy to do that. 200 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,200 It takes a lot of work. You have to be 201 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,440 uncomfortable, like physically uncomfortable. 202 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,160 But as you said, it's so much more as a 203 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,440 mental game, even more than physical. 204 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,800 And I think that we stop growing or evolving 205 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,200 when we stop challenging ourselves. 206 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,200 And there may be times in our life or our 207 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:39,720 career where like, okay, I have enough going 208 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:41,680 on, like I can't add more to my plate and I 209 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,800 have to just work with what I already have 210 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:45,840 mastered and feel comfortable with. 211 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:47,230 But I feel like for myself, 212 00:07:47,230 --> 00:07:48,670 I get to a point where I'm like, 213 00:07:48,670 --> 00:07:51,110 okay, I've mastered this thing. I understand 214 00:07:51,110 --> 00:07:52,710 how to do it. I feel really good and 215 00:07:52,710 --> 00:07:55,230 comfortable and I enjoy doing it now. 216 00:07:55,350 --> 00:07:57,390 What's next? Like I'm looking onto the 217 00:07:57,390 --> 00:08:00,150 horizon and sometimes I need a push, 218 00:08:00,150 --> 00:08:02,030 like an external push from somewhere else to 219 00:08:02,030 --> 00:08:03,990 push me into that, to get me out of my 220 00:08:03,990 --> 00:08:06,270 comfort zone. And sometimes I can kind of 221 00:08:06,310 --> 00:08:07,510 force myself to do it. 222 00:08:07,510 --> 00:08:09,910 So have you had a time in your life where 223 00:08:09,910 --> 00:08:11,110 that has happened for you? 224 00:08:11,310 --> 00:08:13,790 Diane Diaz: Oh my goodness, yes. So before teaching at 225 00:08:13,790 --> 00:08:16,110 Full Sail, I worked in land development for a 226 00:08:16,110 --> 00:08:18,150 big corporation that was a national land 227 00:08:18,150 --> 00:08:19,950 developer, and I was there for almost ten 228 00:08:19,950 --> 00:08:22,350 years. And then the housing market collapsed. 229 00:08:22,470 --> 00:08:24,550 Now, just to back up a little bit, 230 00:08:24,550 --> 00:08:26,230 I was already ready to leave that job. 231 00:08:26,630 --> 00:08:28,310 I felt like I had sort of outgrown it and was 232 00:08:28,310 --> 00:08:29,710 ready to move on to something else, but I 233 00:08:29,710 --> 00:08:31,550 don't think I would have had it had I not 234 00:08:31,550 --> 00:08:34,590 been laid off. And so I think the push of 235 00:08:34,630 --> 00:08:37,710 getting laid off from that is what got me 236 00:08:37,710 --> 00:08:40,830 here and teaching, which I absolutely love. 237 00:08:41,030 --> 00:08:43,350 And I felt I actually tell people when I tell 238 00:08:43,350 --> 00:08:44,670 that story, I was like, I was lucky enough to 239 00:08:44,670 --> 00:08:46,780 enough to get laid off because I am so glad 240 00:08:46,780 --> 00:08:49,300 that I did. I would not have left that job 241 00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:50,540 had it not been for that. 242 00:08:50,540 --> 00:08:52,860 So that that's sort of that evolution. 243 00:08:52,860 --> 00:08:54,660 It wasn't a reinvention. I didn't reinvent 244 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:55,780 myself into an educator. 245 00:08:55,780 --> 00:08:58,060 I took all my experience that I had from the 246 00:08:58,060 --> 00:09:00,460 past ten years and before, 247 00:09:00,980 --> 00:09:02,900 and wrapped that into bringing that to the 248 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:05,140 classroom, the virtual classroom, 249 00:09:05,140 --> 00:09:08,740 as it were, and using that to help inform how 250 00:09:08,740 --> 00:09:10,300 I teach about branding to students. 251 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:12,180 So even those experiences, 252 00:09:12,540 --> 00:09:14,980 it wasn't a reinvention. It was sort of an 253 00:09:14,980 --> 00:09:17,420 evolution of who I am as a person and as a 254 00:09:17,420 --> 00:09:18,100 professional. 255 00:09:18,380 --> 00:09:20,020 Carol Cox: That's a great example, because that teaching 256 00:09:20,060 --> 00:09:21,620 thread has been there ever since you were a 257 00:09:21,620 --> 00:09:23,380 little girl teaching your stuffed animals. I 258 00:09:23,380 --> 00:09:25,540 know you talk about that up through until 259 00:09:25,540 --> 00:09:27,500 what you do today. And then I think about my 260 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:28,700 background in technology, 261 00:09:28,700 --> 00:09:30,660 in software development, which I did many, 262 00:09:30,660 --> 00:09:32,620 many moons ago. My first companies were tech 263 00:09:32,620 --> 00:09:35,140 companies, and I really dropped that entire 264 00:09:35,140 --> 00:09:37,620 aspect of what I did professionally because I 265 00:09:37,620 --> 00:09:39,780 wanted to move into doing speaking your brand 266 00:09:39,780 --> 00:09:42,020 and working with people, and less with typing 267 00:09:42,020 --> 00:09:43,650 code on the computer screen. 268 00:09:43,650 --> 00:09:46,370 But then when I really kind of came out with 269 00:09:46,370 --> 00:09:47,930 ChatGPT. A couple of years ago, 270 00:09:48,410 --> 00:09:50,370 I was immediately enthralled and could see 271 00:09:50,370 --> 00:09:51,610 all the possibilities. 272 00:09:51,770 --> 00:09:52,930 That could be done with it. 273 00:09:52,930 --> 00:09:54,930 So I kind of like went back into my past and 274 00:09:54,930 --> 00:09:57,490 pulled this. Like thread of technology and 275 00:09:57,490 --> 00:09:59,730 then brought that back into the present, 276 00:09:59,810 --> 00:10:01,490 which again, I think. Is more of this idea of 277 00:10:01,490 --> 00:10:02,850 evolution. I didn't reinvent, 278 00:10:02,850 --> 00:10:04,690 I didn't all of a sudden become. A tech 279 00:10:04,690 --> 00:10:06,170 person. It was just that, 280 00:10:06,170 --> 00:10:07,570 okay, I have this interest now, 281 00:10:07,570 --> 00:10:09,010 let me bring it back. More into the 282 00:10:09,010 --> 00:10:09,690 forefront. 283 00:10:09,810 --> 00:10:12,090 Diane Diaz: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's true 284 00:10:12,090 --> 00:10:13,450 too. If you look at just the. 285 00:10:13,490 --> 00:10:15,010 Story that you brought up about me doing the 286 00:10:15,010 --> 00:10:19,050 Iron Man, I grew up as a very uncoordinated, 287 00:10:19,050 --> 00:10:21,810 not. Athletic child, and I had no athletic 288 00:10:21,810 --> 00:10:24,250 bone in my body. And so you might say, 289 00:10:24,250 --> 00:10:25,690 well, that was. Reinvention. But it really 290 00:10:25,690 --> 00:10:27,490 wasn't, because it was me. Like you said, 291 00:10:27,730 --> 00:10:29,210 you get bored and you're like, you want a new 292 00:10:29,210 --> 00:10:30,290 challenge. And then I, 293 00:10:30,330 --> 00:10:32,410 little by little, started doing little, like 294 00:10:32,450 --> 00:10:34,330 five K's and different things. And it sort of 295 00:10:34,370 --> 00:10:35,810 ramped up from there. 296 00:10:35,810 --> 00:10:38,410 And it becomes that way of showing yourself 297 00:10:38,410 --> 00:10:41,600 that you can take something from your past 298 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:42,880 and sort of rework it. 299 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:44,640 And it isn't a reinvention, 300 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,160 but it is evolving into understanding how to 301 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,680 attack new challenges, like taking what you 302 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:52,760 did in coding and applying that to the work 303 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,920 that you do with clients. It's different, 304 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:56,840 but it's it's different, but it's the same. 305 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,320 Carol Cox: Right, right. Well, and thinking about I, 306 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,320 I remember when ChatGPT came out and I, 307 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,920 and I was all over it and adding it to the 308 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:05,600 classes that I teach here and figure out how 309 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,280 to use it in speaking in your brand. 310 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:08,960 And I remember telling you about it. 311 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,320 And what was your response? 312 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:12,960 Diane Diaz: You had me come to your house, you showed me 313 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,280 all this stuff, and I was like, 314 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:15,560 well, I don't know what any of this is, but 315 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:16,400 let's do it. 316 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,280 Carol Cox: And I appreciate that because I think that is 317 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:20,600 a key part of evolution, 318 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,600 is being willing to say yes, 319 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,640 be adaptable, be open, 320 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,040 and not be so rigid. 321 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:27,240 I feel like for myself, 322 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,120 when I was in my 20s and 30s, 323 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,080 I had a very clear idea of like how the world 324 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,960 looked and worked to me and like how I wanted 325 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:36,000 it to look and work. 326 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,480 And it's almost like, okay, I was going to 327 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,950 make sure I fit everything into that that 328 00:11:39,950 --> 00:11:42,390 viewpoint. And sure, it works a little bit, 329 00:11:42,430 --> 00:11:44,550 but maybe it doesn't work as well as we 330 00:11:44,550 --> 00:11:45,790 thought it did looking back. 331 00:11:45,790 --> 00:11:47,390 But I think that especially when we get to 332 00:11:47,390 --> 00:11:49,110 this point in our careers, 333 00:11:49,110 --> 00:11:51,150 having this ability to be adaptable and 334 00:11:51,150 --> 00:11:54,470 flexible and say yes, even to things that 335 00:11:54,470 --> 00:11:56,350 seem totally different than what we've done 336 00:11:56,350 --> 00:11:58,110 before, or things that seem really 337 00:11:58,230 --> 00:11:59,430 uncomfortable or new. 338 00:11:59,750 --> 00:12:02,230 Diane Diaz: Now, that's a really good point, because if I 339 00:12:02,230 --> 00:12:04,910 look back on my younger self and my younger 340 00:12:05,030 --> 00:12:08,270 days in my career and trying so hard to make 341 00:12:08,270 --> 00:12:11,150 things happen, and now I look at myself now 342 00:12:11,150 --> 00:12:12,550 and I kind of just go with the flow. But 343 00:12:12,550 --> 00:12:15,230 things happen better and more aligned with 344 00:12:15,230 --> 00:12:16,870 who I am and what I want. 345 00:12:16,870 --> 00:12:19,550 So I think the pushing so hard sometimes you 346 00:12:19,550 --> 00:12:21,190 actually set yourself up for a lot more 347 00:12:21,190 --> 00:12:24,030 resistance than if you just go where the 348 00:12:24,030 --> 00:12:26,750 opportunities are and say yes to things like, 349 00:12:26,750 --> 00:12:29,430 for example, me doing a comedy set at the 350 00:12:29,430 --> 00:12:31,430 beginning of the year. That isn't something 351 00:12:31,430 --> 00:12:33,590 that I would have just signed up for, 352 00:12:33,670 --> 00:12:36,310 but it sort of evolved from the fact that I 353 00:12:36,310 --> 00:12:38,380 am a speaker. I am I am a speaking coach. 354 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:40,740 And then here came this opportunity to do 355 00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:43,100 speaking in a different way. But I also love 356 00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:45,780 comedy. I almost exclusively watch and listen 357 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:46,940 to comedy things. 358 00:12:47,180 --> 00:12:49,700 So having the opportunity to do my own five 359 00:12:49,700 --> 00:12:51,100 minute comedy set, it's like, 360 00:12:51,100 --> 00:12:52,220 oh, that's kind of interesting and a 361 00:12:52,220 --> 00:12:53,940 different way of looking at speaking. And 362 00:12:53,940 --> 00:12:55,860 then of course, I get lessons from it that I 363 00:12:55,860 --> 00:12:58,980 bring to clients. But so you can take all 364 00:12:58,980 --> 00:13:01,460 those things and go where the opportunities 365 00:13:01,460 --> 00:13:03,460 are and look for ways to say yes to things 366 00:13:03,460 --> 00:13:05,020 that you even if you don't know. I didn't 367 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,820 know how to do that, but I said yes. 368 00:13:06,820 --> 00:13:08,540 And then I figured it out because we're all 369 00:13:08,540 --> 00:13:09,740 smart enough, we can figure it out. 370 00:13:09,740 --> 00:13:11,820 Carol Cox: That's a great example. Another inspiration 371 00:13:11,820 --> 00:13:14,380 to think about what is something that you 372 00:13:14,380 --> 00:13:15,860 hadn't done before, but you have an interest 373 00:13:15,860 --> 00:13:16,980 in and you said, okay, 374 00:13:16,980 --> 00:13:19,100 I don't know how good I'm going to be at 375 00:13:19,100 --> 00:13:20,540 this, but it doesn't really matter. I don't 376 00:13:20,540 --> 00:13:21,660 have to be perfect. 377 00:13:21,900 --> 00:13:24,460 I just have to be good enough to enjoy it. 378 00:13:24,460 --> 00:13:26,100 And I think, again, like back when I was 379 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:28,540 younger, it wasn't so much that I wanted 380 00:13:28,540 --> 00:13:30,740 everything to be perfect, but I had very, 381 00:13:30,740 --> 00:13:33,500 very high expectations of what I wanted to 382 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:34,780 produce for myself. 383 00:13:35,020 --> 00:13:37,970 Not for anyone else, but in my own mind. 384 00:13:38,050 --> 00:13:40,010 And I feel like definitely I have lessened 385 00:13:40,170 --> 00:13:41,850 that and think about, well, 386 00:13:41,850 --> 00:13:43,850 what am I enjoying in this process and can 387 00:13:43,890 --> 00:13:44,690 that be good enough? 388 00:13:44,930 --> 00:13:46,930 Diane Diaz: No, that's a great point because obviously 389 00:13:47,050 --> 00:13:49,490 nobody was paying me to win triathlons and I 390 00:13:49,490 --> 00:13:51,770 was very slow, so that's fine. 391 00:13:51,770 --> 00:13:53,690 But I loved it. And then when I didn't love 392 00:13:53,690 --> 00:13:55,850 it anymore, I stopped doing it. Same with the 393 00:13:55,850 --> 00:13:57,610 comedy set. It was it's not my job. 394 00:13:57,930 --> 00:14:00,050 I did it for fun and I'm not going to go out 395 00:14:00,050 --> 00:14:01,450 and I'm a daytime person, 396 00:14:01,450 --> 00:14:03,130 not a nighttime person. So I'm not looking to 397 00:14:03,130 --> 00:14:05,330 do comedy sets and comedy clubs at night. 398 00:14:05,530 --> 00:14:07,690 But it was fun and it gave me lessons and a 399 00:14:07,690 --> 00:14:10,810 new challenge and something to try with my 400 00:14:10,810 --> 00:14:12,050 skills that I already have, but in a 401 00:14:12,050 --> 00:14:12,650 different way. 402 00:14:13,370 --> 00:14:15,170 Carol Cox: Maybe you need to create a lunchtime comedy 403 00:14:15,170 --> 00:14:15,450 group. 404 00:14:15,570 --> 00:14:18,570 Diane Diaz: I need to I need to open a lunchtime comedy 405 00:14:18,570 --> 00:14:20,250 club where there would be nobody there. 406 00:14:21,650 --> 00:14:22,450 Carol Cox: Other people like you. 407 00:14:22,890 --> 00:14:23,250 Diane Diaz: Track. 408 00:14:23,570 --> 00:14:26,850 Carol Cox: Track. All right, so for those of you 409 00:14:26,850 --> 00:14:29,330 listening, really think about this idea of 410 00:14:29,330 --> 00:14:31,490 reinvention versus evolution. 411 00:14:31,490 --> 00:14:33,210 You're probably not going to wholesale 412 00:14:33,210 --> 00:14:34,320 reinvent yourself. 413 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:35,440 No one really does. 414 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,200 But think about have you stopped challenging 415 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,360 yourself? Are you a little bit bored or 416 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,320 stagnant with things that you've been doing? 417 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:43,760 What are some things that you've been 418 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,040 neglecting doing or you've had just like a 419 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,280 little bit of glimmer like, 420 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:49,600 huh? Like a comedy set or an Iron Man 421 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,360 triathlon, or public speaking or launching a 422 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,360 podcast or doing a Ted talk. 423 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:56,840 And maybe you can take the next steps getting 424 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:58,240 you closer there. 425 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,680 But thanks so much for watching speaking your 426 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,520 Brand. Thank you, Diane, for being here. 427 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:03,320 Diane Diaz: My pleasure. 428 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,320 Carol Cox: And until next time, thanks for watching.