All different types of situations can motivate people to put their foot down and change their life’s direction. For Janice Tomich, that situation was a bad case of pneumonia and a not-so-understanding manager. Read on to hear Janice’s inspiring story about finding the courage to cut her safety net and reclaim her life…
Q: Tell us about yourself. What’s your dream and how are you working towards it?
JT: I am Janice Tomich, born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Trueborn Vancouverites are hard to find, which is probably why I am one of Vancouver’s loudest cheerleaders. It is a beautiful city nestled amongst ocean and mountains. I am also a word junkie who is mesmerized by the power of words. I am infatuated with the delivery of words and their message. Yes, I’m a geek!
My company – Calculated Presentations – helps clients create powerful presentations. My tagline is, “Eliminating death by PowerPoint one presentation at a time”. With no offense to PowerPoint, it is an incredible tool but needs a deft hand.
I love well-constructed presentations and squirm in my seat when ill-advised presentations bomb. A well-crafted, practiced presentation, given by a presenter who is passionate about his or her message has little chance to fail. My dream (in my work life) is to help people present with power and have their messages heard. I write a weekly (if life doesn’t throw too many curves) blog on my Web site and you will find me on Twitter, tweeting often about presentation techniques.
In my personal life, my dream is unconditional access to education for all students. I come from a lineage of dyslexics and understand the struggle and the hard won victories. Our family has been fortunate to have more victories than defeats. I am an incessant advocate of a comprehensive education for everyone.
Q: Describe a gray time in your life. How did it stand between you and your dreams? How did you overcome it?
JT: In my previous occupation I was a dental lab technician. I stayed in the same office, pursuing the same career far too long, lulled by security and an income stream. Fortunately I contracted pneumonia, which caused me to suffer from chronic asthma. I could not control it with medication and was taking far too much/too many meds. Also fortunately, management was neither supportive nor patient. We all know the rant bellowed through the voice of Howard Beale, “We won’t take it anymore”. I had that moment and chucked my stable employment. I had the light bulb moment, knowing that if I didn’t, my worth was zero.
Q: What fears have you faced as you chase your dreams?
JT: Returning to academia as a mature student was a fear that I faced when my career dissolved. How did I do it? I just closed my eyes and jumped in. What was the worst that could happen? Would anyone know or care if I did not graduate?
I also was intimidated by what the young students in my cohort would think of me. I was one of the “elders”. And wow did the younger students teach me mountains of information and about myself. I am indebted to them.
The result of overcoming my fear was earning a degree in my early fifties. I also learned that when you overcome a fear, obstacles just keep getting easier.
Q: What inspires you to keep pushing forward when the going gets tough?
JT: Of all the questions you have asked, this has been the most difficult for me to answer. My family is a rod of stability and encouragement. From a personal perspective, my drive to succeed and contribute in a positive way is difficult for me to quantify. I have always loved to learn and my friends would tell you I am a giant factoid and learning sponge. Maybe the fear of stagnation and not growing as a person is what pushes me forward. I’m not quite sure. But whatever it is, it burns inside of me and I keep pushing forward.
From the perspective of a presentation coach, I see women as under-represented in speaking arenas. I speculate that lack of confidence may be the reason. My goal is to put a little chink in this skewed statistic and encourage more women to embrace public speaking; to invite them to share their wise words and vision for the future. This is not to say that men can’t brush up on their presentation technique too.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to someone else who is struggling to move beyond the gray and follow a dream, what would it be?
JT: These wise words carry me when times are rough: What is it you would do if you were not afraid? These words force me to think about what fear actually is.
To learn more about Janice’s passion for presenting, check out her Web site and blog at www.janicetomich.com.
Are you actively pursuing or living a dream? If so, I’d love to hear from you! Please e-mail me at: Erika (dot) Liodice (at sign) hotmail (dot) com.
