A couple of years ago, we led our Client Attraction Summit.
I (Jesse) had spent many hours the week before the event, praying for avalanches of abundance to flow to the entire Thrive Community. So when I stepped on stage on Friday morning, even though I had only gotten 4 hours of sleep, I was on fire.
By Sunday morning, our attendees are literally glowing. It’s about 11:00am. The song Good Feeling by Flo Rida is blasting from the speakers and I am in my element, dancing solo on stage with a group of about 200 Coaches and Holistic Practitioners dancing with me.
I try a slightly crazy move... and suddenly I feel the back of my pants go RIPPPPPP!!!! The confident smile on my face turns to shock.
I slide my hand over the back of my pants and yep... my black boxer briefs are now visible.
But the music is loud, so nobody heard the rip. And there’s no one behind me, so no one can see it...
So I’ll just keep dancing... And as long as I never turn my back to the group, I’ll be fine.
I end the dancing with a 1, 2, 3, YES!
And everyone takes a seat. I think about putting the group into a partner share so that I can run up to my room to change...
But I am more committed to staying on time and delivering on the Q&A session and so I decide to change my pants later.
As I answer the questions, I remind myself often to face the group at ALL times.
Then a woman shares something very courageous and also very dark about her past. The light-hearted exhilaration in the room turns into a dark, foreboding cloud.
I ask the group if they want me to keep going with content or to switch directions and help this woman have a breakthrough in this area that had been holding her hostage for the last 18 years (and would continue to keep her from attracting clients).
They vote for the breakthrough.
So I bring her on stage and step into my "Breakthrough Coaching Zone."
When I enter this Zone, I lose all self-consciousness and show up fully in service to the woman on stage as well as the entire group.
I start by asking her to reveal something that she had not shared publicly in years: her arms had scars on them from the incident 18 years ago.
She reluctantly takes off her long sleeve shirt to reveal her beautifully scarred arms. The group greets her with love and applause.
I guide her to a place of self-love and forgiveness and invite her to dance slowly as she holds herself in an embrace of self-love.
I can tell that she is still incredibly self-conscious. So I step to the side and invite some women who are moved by her story to come up on stage and literally hold her as they massage her with unconditional love.
She starts sobbing uncontrollably as she feels the love and tenderness of these angelic women. The healing has begun.
After several minutes of healing, one of our team members, Erin Delaney, walks on stage and whispers in my ear, "Your pants are torn at the butt.”
I whisper back, “I know.” And, then it dawns on me. I was no longer facing the group. The whole right side of the room had seen my butt.
Luckily, I am in my Breakthrough Coaching Zone, where I feel like Superman. So instead of getting embarrassed, I ask, "God/Universe, how do you want to use me now?"
Then it comes to me.
It is time for the group of angelic women to step back and make space for this woman to take back her power.
But I know that for her to truly embrace her body without self-consciousness, she is going to need me to lead by example.
So, I face the group and said: “Yesterday, I was talking with a woman who shared with me how well my pants fit. Well, I realize now, that perhaps my pants fit a little too well... When I was dancing earlier, my pants ripped really bad. But, it’s perfect, because if I am going to ask you to be as vulnerable as to share your arms with all of us, I better be willing to be just as vulnerable. So, here goes...”
I turn around, stick my butt out, and wiggle my hips for about two seconds.
The group gasps and then bursts out in laughter.
Immediately, I call for the music and make space for our heroine to step to the front of the stage.
With a huge smile, she dances...Beautiful scars and all.
Her self-consciousness takes a back seat to confidence and her beauty touches everyone in the room.
After a few moments they break into a spontaneous standing ovation as we all acknowledge her courage and beauty.
She walks off the stage, glowing. I am confident her life will be forever changed.
Next I bring Sharla back on stage and acknowledge her for her brilliance, beauty, and also for being the one in our partnership who does not have a slit in the back of her pants (or dress) as the case may be.
The moment I get to the back of the room, I turn into Clark Kent and feel a bit self-conscious... Erin quickly escorts me back to my room, where luckily I had brought an extra pair of slacks... just in case.
My boys are up in my hotel room, and when I show them the huge hole in the back of my pants, they are very impressed.
Now you may be wondering, really??? All that happens at a Client Attraction Summit? Isn’t the Summit supposed to be a business event about how to get more clients? Isn’t it supposed to be serious and a bit boring?
Yes, it is a business event about how to get more clients. But if I allowed the Summit to get boring, there is NO WAY I would have led this same event over 70 times.
In fact, I’ve been to my share of events that were so boring that the thought of stabbing myself with a pencil seemed like a good end to the boredom... I have vowed to do everything in our power to not make our events boring.
As for being a business event that helps you get clients... Yes it is!
Allowing yourself to be a vehicle of service to your clients (no matter how “good” or “bad” it makes you look) is one of the best things you can do to attract clients.
In fact, in spite of this “incredibly embarrassing (or sexy) moment,” it was our highest revenue generating event ever.
Was it the fact that I showed the group my butt? I don’t think so. I think that the huge success came from the fact that the group knew I was willing to do anything and everything in my power to facilitate a life-changing weekend for the whole group.
And life-changing it was...
Already, there have been many posts in our private Facebook group from people raving about the weekend and some from people who are already getting clients, including this one:
“Less than 24 hours since officially joining this community and already scheduled 3 new clients!!! It's amazing the magic that comes when you commit to your dreams and say YES!”
So my question for you is:
When have you put your own self-consciousness to the side to serve your clients? And what happened as a result?
