97. David Wood: Mastering The Art of Having Tough Conversations

“These conversations that we’re scared of shift reality. They create a new reality.”

As a kid, David Wood didn’t have the courage to speak up to the bullies or to ask out the girls he liked. He didn’t have the skills necessary to have those tough conversations - so he didn’t, and he lost out as a result. 

But all that changed back in 1996 when David attended Landmark Forum. At this event, David grabbed the opportunity to ‘clear up his past’. He made a list of people he needed to speak with [including his childhood bully] and called them. This experience showed David that tough conversations can be transformative. In the process of sharing his truth, David improved relationships, rewrote memories, and transformed his view of the world. 

So if you have always feared having uncomfortable but necessary conversations with others, you’re in safe hands! 

David is a highly sought after coach, who works with high-performing entrepreneurs, executives, teams, and prison inmates to help them create amazing results and deep connection. He’s the author of "Get Paid For Who You Are" [Jack Canfield wrote the foreword]. He was also nominated for the Transformational Leadership Council alongside thought leaders such as Don Miguel Ruiz, John Gray, and Marianne Williamson.

David became #1 on Google for ‘life coaching’, to-date, he’s served an audience of 150,000 coaches, and he’s racked up thousands of hours of coaching across 12 countries. 

So whether you want to talk with your over-demanding boss or say “I love you” for the first time, David’s advice will make it easier. Tune in now. 

“Naming the fear can make it less scary.” 

When you speak up artfully during tough conversations, you can open doors and create new possibilities. It’s why David is passionate about empowering people to lean into the discomfort and speak out anyway. 

Here’s a taste of what we discuss in this episode:

• Why David waited until his 20s to tell his mom he loved her - and why it was a terrifying moment
• How the tough gets smoother the more conversations you have
• The 4-step blueprint for having difficult conversations without causing a trainwreck 
• 3 tests that help you figure out if you need to have a particular conversation
• The discussion that could have got David prosecuted
• And more…  

It can feel easier to hold your tongue and not say anything. When you fear rejection or embarrassment, saying nothing feels less painful - in the short-term anyway. 

Don’t let the fear of confrontation hold you back. Instead, listen to David’s episode and get yourself the tools you need to speak out with ease. 

“I don’t want to feel bad about the fact that I didn’t go for something. So I am willing to lean into my discomfort and to feel terrified to do something because I feel like on the other side I’m going to feel better about myself.” 

How to contact 

• Email David - podcast@playforreal.life
• Check out David’s work at https://playforreal.life/
• ‘Like’ David on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionbox
• Follow the story on Instagram - IG: _playforreal
• Tweet David at - _playforreal

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