Before I became a financial coach. Before I was a mechanical engineer. I was working as a mechanical maintenance planner.

 

Pretty crazy considering I don’t have a mechanical bone in my body!

 

My main role was to organise the weekly plan for the fitters and boilermakers.

 

 

These are the types of activities I would plan for the trades. 

 

I had to order the parts. Organise the equipment (such as cranes and scaffolding). Coordinate contractors. Plan the work. Then make sure the parts were here before finalising the task in the schedule.

 

My boss thought it would be a good idea if I got my forklift licence. This way I could organise the heavy parts in the laydown yard for each project. 

 

 

Operating heavy machinery is one of the things that scares me.

 

But how hard could it be?

 

I breezed through the theory component of the forklift training. I looked around and saw a few others struggling.

 

But when it came to the practical component…

 

The tables turned.

 

I watched all the other participants breeze through the practical component. They seemed to operate the forklift with ease. They looked like pros.

 

As my turn approached. I got nervous. This was my worst nightmare. Learning to operate heavy machinery in front of an audience.

 

If you’ve never operated a forklift before it’s quite different from operating a car.

 

Forklifts have rear-wheel steering. Meaning the steering wheels are in the back. This makes forklifts manoeuvrable in tight spaces. But it also requires you to adjust to how you steer.

 

We had to navigate the forklift through a course for the practical component of the training.

 

 

It seemed simple on paper.

 

The others made it look easy.

 

But when it was my turn to sit in the forklift chair. My heart was pounding. I could feel the terror pulsating through my veins.

 

I was all up in my head.

 

I kept over-steering and crashing into cones.

 

I could feel the pressure build. The pressure of the instructor and live audience got to me.

 

The instructor tried to remain calm and patient with me. But I kept stuffing up. His agitation rose with every error I would make. And as he got more frustrated, my steering got worse!

 

I felt like Austin Powers in that scene…

 

 

 

I felt rattled.  

 

I felt like such a fool. 

 

I had to go home and try and compose myself.

 

After my lunch break I came back to the training centre for one last shot at redemption.

 

By some miracle I managed to complete the course and pass the test.

 

But this experience scarred me.

 

Although I was successful in getting my licence. I felt too embarrassed to operate the forklift at work. I hated other people watching me. So I would wait until there was no one around. Then I would  go and practise my forklift skills…

Reflecting back on the experience, it wasn’t the forklift that scared me. 

 

It was looking like a fool in front of others that scared the sh*t out of me.

 

And it’s this fear that will hold you back from living the life you want.

 

 

 

Stay foolish,

Marshy