Just merely 10 years back, I was stammering. I couldn’t even finish a sentence properly. That’s right; I was a stammerer. My sound was unclear. Nobody could understand me. However, today, things have changed drastically. I am a coach, trainer, and international public speaker. But it did not start out that way. I was very shy. I do not need to be politically correct. I was suffering.
I was stammering; I was afraid and I was hiding myself away in a corner. Even when I would attend events, I remember always looking for a particular corner where nobody would so that I could continue hiding. That was me 10 years ago.
The Moment I Broke Free
In 2017, I was working a corporate job. And I remember feeling stuck, anxious, and like I was wasting away my life. That is until one day, I asked myself, “Who do you want to be? What’s your legacy that you want to create? What’s your potential that life is honoring you with?” I was pondering these questions with myself.
I was alone. Why? Because I was suffering inside. People made fun of my social anxiousness by laughing and mocking me. I was so lost. And then the questions I began asking myself revealed the world in front of me.
And I learned that the world is always offering you potentiality and probability. That’s when I rediscovered myself. I realized that all of my suffering and sadness stemmed from my not being true to who I was.
At the time, I was working for HSBC (the world’s second-largest bank), Ericcson (the world’s number one telecommunications company), and many other world-class companies. And yet, despite this, I was still struggling to find my path. I didn’t want to stay locked or trapped in the corporate cage.
That’s when I decided that enough was enough. In 2017, I let go of my career. It felt like I was jumping from 10,000 feet without a parachute. Yes, it was a crazy thing to do. But when I jumped, my wings began to expand.
Continued Growth and Development
I came to the U.S. to equip myself with a certification from John C. Maxwell. It was a public speaking training. I became immersed in that world. Then, I went to Harvard University for leadership coaching strategies and attended many other programs (Including Certified Flourishing Coach).
And that’s how I went from stammerer to speaker.
These experiences allowed me to rediscover my potential and who I could be. So often, we judge ourselves based on the lives of others. For example, I’m an immigrant to Canada. Before I came to this country, I had a voice in the back of my mind that was telling me, “Hey, you don’t have a Canadian qualification, you don’t look like a Canadian, you don’t sound like a Canadian.”
But I was able to put those limiting thoughts to the side when I realized I don’t need any of those things. Instead, what I need is to simply be who I am.
Learning to Trust the Process
Steve Jobs has a great quote that can help you in the same way it helped me. He said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
I often look back on my own life to the struggles that I went through. I revisit how, from 2001 to 2017, I was unhappy with my stammering. However, today, I can’t believe how happy I am and how wonderful my life has turned out.
I freed myself and experienced so much by traveling to places such as Canada, the U.S., and Europe to rediscover myself. I have gone from a remote village in Bangladesh to an international trainer, speaker, and public speaking coach. And if I can do it, guess what? You can do it much better than me!
Final Thoughts
Life is a strange thing. You never know where you may end up. But one of the most powerful things that I’ve learned in my life is that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your current struggles are. If you believe in and accept yourself, you can grow, thrive, and flourish. And I want to see those outcomes happen for you. That’s why I’m excited to invite you to the Exceptional Speaker Training (EST) Academy.
This is a deep dive into the skills and principles of exceptional communication. You’ll learn how to become an exceptional speaker and communicator so that you can thrive in both your personal and professional life. So, if you’re ready to see your communication skills flourish, register now to attend EST.
About the Author
Coach Kamrul Hasan is a DISC Certified Behavioral Consultant and an alumnus of Harvard University’s “Leadership Coaching Strategies” program. He has also pursued Leadership Development training with prestigious institutions such as The World Bank, IIM Calcutta, and the Commonwealth in the UK. In addition to that, he has completed Master Coach Certification from ITD World and the Flourishing Life Coaching Certification from Canada.
Kamrul’s passion for empowering others is rooted in his extensive experience in personal growth methodologies, including certifications in the Silva Life System, Silva Intuition System, Transcendental Meditation (TM) , SCI (Science of Creative Intelligence) and Diploma in Consciousness Based Education from MERU ( Maharishi European Research University ). He is also a certified speaker, trainer, and coach under John C. Maxwell, a globally recognized leadership authority.
With a career spanning over 24 years, including 17 years in multinational corporations like HSBC, Ericsson, and BRAC Bank, Kamrul has developed a deep understanding of Business Development and Relationship Management. Over the last 7 years, he has expanded into consulting, training, Speaking and coaching, focusing on helping individuals and organizations unlock their potential and achieve lasting success.
As the Founder & CEO of CKH Network, Kamrul combines entrepreneurial vision with a genuine commitment to personal and professional development. In his role as National Director for Bangladesh and a Facilitator for the Flourishing Coaching Certification Program, he continues to inspire and guide others toward realizing their fullest potential.