For years, I envisioned the TED stage. I could feel it in my body before it ever happened—the red dot beneath my feet, the gravity of speaking into a room charged with attention.
But it didn’t come easily.
In 2023, I finally gave that TED Talk. Not because I suddenly felt ready, but because I chose to stop waiting. I stepped into the tension, the fear, the self-doubt—and I did it anyway.
It wasn’t perfect.
But it was real.
And that changed everything.
The Real Meaning of “Playing Big”
Let’s be honest: most people confuse “playing big” with being flashy, flawless, or famous.
That’s not what it is.
Playing big is about choosing visibility over comfort.
It’s about leading even when your voice shakes.
It’s about saying what needs to be said—even if it’s not smooth, rehearsed, or universally applauded.
Following that TED Talk, I received an invitation to give another talk. I received a request to do something completely new and challenging this time.
Deliver a powerful, meaningful talk in just ten minutes.
Now, here’s the irony: I’ve written books. Many. Prolifically. Writing is second nature to me. My mind naturally expands, connects, and explores. I can speak for hours, dive deep, and still have more to say.
So this challenge? It wasn’t about content. It was about clarity.
It was about compression without dilution. Impact without excess. Voice without volume.
And in doing it, I realized something essential about how we show up—and why many of us still hold back.
What Made This Talk Different
Here’s what shifted the game for me:
- I let go of the proving, and chose presence.
I stopped trying to win the room. I focused on being in the room with the people, the energy, and the discomfort. - I approached the talk like a strategist, but spoke from the gut.
Every word had a job. But I didn’t perform. I connected. Even when it didn’t come out perfectly. - I said what most people avoid.
I didn’t just talk about AI and the future. I named the hidden fears, the human cost, the factual questions leaders are scared to ask. - I embraced the friction.
Not everything landed smoothly. And that’s precisely how I knew it mattered. Because growth often feels like resistance before it becomes momentum. - I didn’t aim for polish—I aimed for truth.
I didn’t try to be louder or more likable. I aimed to be clearer. More honest. More awake.
Visibility Isn’t Just a Brand Strategy. It’s a Decision.
You can be ready on paper and still play small.
You can deliver a solid talk and still feel you left your authentic voice behind.
So ask yourself:
- What part of your truth are you still afraid to say out loud?
- What do you believe so sincerely that you’re scared it might shake the room?
- What version of yourself are you still editing before the world can see it?
Because here’s what I’ve learned:
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need a bold decision.
- To stop hiding.
- To speak before you feel polished.
- To lead without waiting to be crowned.
It All Began With the Books
Here’s the full-circle moment I want to share.
It all began with writing.
Long before I stood on stages, I trained my voice on the page. Writing books didn’t just help me publish ideas—it helped me meet myself. Sentence by sentence, I uncovered clarity, conviction, and rhythm.
And eventually, that written voice became a spoken one.
That’s why, if you’re reading this and wondering where to begin, begin with the page.
Not because you have to become an author. But because writing teaches you how to think, how to feel, how to listen to your truth before the world weighs in.
To Every Woman Holding Back
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to be seen, here it is.
If you’ve been asking for a sign to stop silencing the part of you that knows, this is it.
You weren’t made to stay quiet. You weren’t made to edit your power down to fit the room.
Silence never builds empires.
Voice does.
Conviction does.
Showing up—not perfectly, but honestly—does.
So let the next step be a step forward.
Maybe that means taking the stage.
Maybe that means writing the first page.
Either way, stop waiting for the world to ask for your voice.
Start with giving yourself permission to become the woman you are!
