Pivot Point International

As I’m preparing for the CEA Conference this weekend, I can already feel the nerves starting to kick in.

Not because I don’t know the material.

Not because I haven’t presented before.

But because every audience is different, every session is a new opportunity to make an impact, and I genuinely want people to leave feeling like their time was well spent.

Years ago, my mentor and friend Jason Russell () shared something with me that has stayed ever since:

“If you still get nervous, you still care. When you stop getting nervous… maybe you’ve stopped caring.”

That simple perspective completely changed how I think about presenting.

Instead of viewing those butterflies as a sign that I’m not ready, I’ve learned to see them as a reminder that what I’m about to do matters.

Whether you’re teaching a classroom, leading a team meeting, presenting on stage, facilitating a workshop, or sharing a demonstration, you’re not alone if you still feel nervous beforehand.

The goal isn’t to eliminate the nerves.

The goal is to remember why they’re there in the first place.

I’ll be carrying that reminder with me as I step onto the stage this weekend, and I hope it encourages someone else preparing for their next presentation too.

💬 Do you still get nervous before you present or teach? What’s helped you manage those moments?

🤝 Share this with another educator as a reminder we’re all in this together.