Anthony
‘Everyone has the same 24 hours. It’s what you do with your time that matters’
Anthony's story
In 2006, I went on a school trip to Paris. While I was away I caught multiple infections and ended up on a life-support machine. I was given 10 per cent chance to live my white blood cell count went to zero and I had to be resuscitated more 12 times.
Public speaking was my number one fear. But I got a few chances to share my story and got addicted to the energy in the room from those talks. I jumped into unknown and got a bit of a buzz from it, I wanted to continue. If I looked back at my younger self and was to say, ‘When you grow up, you’ll be speaking to thousands of people’, I wouldn’t have believed it.
I believe everybody has their own unique superpower. When I was in hospital, it took a team of over 100 people to help me get my life back. Every single person played an important role – I think it’s the same in business.
When I started my first corporate role, I didn’t think I’d be good enough. But, when it gets tricky, I don’t stop and say ‘let me try something else’. You have to keep going and fight through those barriers. It slowly becomes easier.
Everybody has the same 24 hours. It’s all about what you do with your time that matters.
I like to get into a conversation with someone and see how I can benefit them, or what joy I can bring to that person. I like to see a glow in someone turn into a flame. When people are really excited about what they do, they have an amazing energy.
Everyone brings a different perspective to the table; people have gone through different struggles. They’re bringing different thoughts and solutions to problems. When you’ve got a mix of these thoughts together, you can tackle anything.
When you give someone the space to be themselves, they flow better. When someone feels they have to be a certain way, it creates restrictions. Allowing someone to be their authentic self allows them to be more imaginative – more creative. That’s a better way of working.
I’d like to stay in motivational speaking for ever. I’ve found my passion. I like the freedom, meeting people all over the world – it fascinates me. The world is such a big place, full of amazing things.
Anthony is a motivational speaker.
