“One of the worst things you can do is kill somebody’s TA-DA!”
I’ll never forget these words spoken by the amazing Amanda Gore. Amanda was a keynote speaker at a conference I was managing back in 2009. I have listened to hundreds of guest speakers over the years and Amanda’s speech really stuck with me.
Amanda’s an attitude specialist who encourages people to ‘live out loud’ and speaks about ‘creating happiness’.
She buzzed around the stage, flashing a toy wand that made a ‘brrrriinnnngg’ sound when she waved it in the air. She gave me one of these pretty pink plastic wands and I still have it today. She said to me something along the lines of ‘keep it nearby and when someone is projecting negativity, being grumpy or putting a dampener on your day, flash the wand in their face – it’ll change the dynamic and ‘brrrriiinngg’ it’ll change the energy’. A little peculiar but nevertheless, every time I flash the wand mid-argument with my significant other, it breaks the tension and we can’t help but relax and have giggle. I love that little wand.
Much of her presentation, or at the least the parts that I remember clearly, was centred around lifting others up and not letting negative energy interfere with our personal happiness. I really resonated with her presentation – not because I personally have been put down or discouraged in my life but because I have seen it happen to friends and family members and I’ve seen how hurtful and damaging it can be to crush someone’s TA-DA.
When someone is celebrating an achievement no matter how big or small, the worst thing you can do is squash their enthusiasm. Think of a child that’s so excited about an accomplishment. As adults we are not inclined to celebrate our own achievements for fear of being considered stuck up. That doesn’t mean we don’t still have that little kid inside us dying to be congratulated. If someone has accomplished something, if they are proud, encourage them, let them enjoy their TA-DA moment.
Today, I ask you to look actively for opportunities to acknowledge someone’s achievement and encourage them, regardless of how minor or inconsequential that achievement may be to you. Give someone a pat on the back or tell them they’ve done a great job – motivate them and make them feel like a winner. It’ll feel so satisfying to know that you’ve helped to make that person feel good about themselves ?
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