Introducing My Approach to Triumph Over Stuttering
Let’s get to work. First, I want to give you a very brief introduction to the approach I developed to triumph over stuttering. The strategies are both physical and cognitive in nature, and complement each other to create a unified approach. Future blog posts will go into much greater depth. As you read them, it’s up to you to decide whether this approach resonates with you and the adversity you face.
Here’s an introduction to my story. As a kid, I went to the most prestigious stuttering therapy programs in the Midwest, but couldn’t relate to their approaches – they seemed unrealistic and difficult to apply in the heat of speaking. These were terribly frustrating times for me.
Decades passed and while I improved my speech a bit, I was far from being a confident speaker. The frustration grew into bouts of depression, as I compromised my life and career over and over for fear of stuttering.
In my mid-50’s, I opened my own investment firm, a business in which confidence and trust are everything. I soon realized that I was unlikely to get many new clients with such erratic speech. My back was against the wall – my business might fail if I didn’t become an effective speaker. I had to do something, but I didn’t know what.
I began to analyze great speakers, such as broadcasters and public speakers. In addition, I examined why I didn’t stutter when singing (which is quite common). With constant practice and discipline, I gradually changed the way I spoke.
But it wasn’t enough. I could usually execute my new speaking strategies successfully, except when my mind got in the way – which was way too often!
I soon realized that I would have to go well beyond the physical aspects of stuttering. I would have to change how I think. I scrutinized my thinking and sought to replace my destructive thoughts with new, more constructive ones. The things I learned about myself were fascinating, and frankly, a bit scary. Later I learned this methodology is similar to cognitive therapy, a fairly mainstream approach.
Now, let’s turn to you. Look at your adversity. Do you have destructive habits? Do you have destructive thoughts? Examine your habits, scrutinize your thoughts. Start thinking about what needs to change and how you can make that happen. In future blogs, I will bring you through the details of my experience and strategies, and offer ways in which you can adapt these ideas to your own situation.
In the next post, we will get into the meat of the matter. I will discuss why trying to overcome an adversity in adulthood is so challenging.
Let's do this together, Larry