Your Greatest Fears Are Never As Bad As They Seem
11. Jul, 2010 
4 Comments
By Greg Fullerton
Ever had a dream that you were in nothing but your underwear in public?
Well, that was a reality for me once.
As a trainer for Franklin Quest, I was once teaching in Detroit for GM. I was staying at the St. Regis hotel on Halloween night.
At the time I weighed 340 pounds.
I didn’t like to eat before I taught, so I would never eat until I got back to my hotel room. I’d teach for eight hours, and by the time I finished I’d be starving.
So I’d go to my room and order room service. I was always curious to see how many sets of silverware they’d bring because of how much food I would order.
I would close the bathroom door, and just as they were leaving I’d knock on the bathroom door and say, “Honey, the food is here” just so they wouldn’t think it was just me eating all the stuff I’d order.
I had a ritual where I’d strip down to my underwear and dress socks and eat on the bed while watching TV.
After I finished I’d put the tray outside in the hall. But I didn’t want it to be in front of my door, so I’d stretch my foot out to shove it as far down the hall as possible.
So this time in Detroit, as I was trying to keep the door open while moving my tray down the hall with my foot, I heard the worst sound I’d ever heard in my life.
CLICK!
The door had shut on me. I jerked around and started shaking the knob, but to no avail.
I was locked out of my room, standing in the hall in nothing but my underpants and dress socks. (And let me tell you, when you weigh 340, you’ve got some big damn underpants.)
I was panicked. It was a horrific feeling.
What’s funny to me is remembering distinctly how awkward it felt not knowing what to do with my hands. Jerry Seinfeld does a routine that I identify with because of this experience:
“…I like to wear a belt when I’m naked. I feel it gives me something. I’d like to get pockets to hang off the belt. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate thing? Picture that. To be naked and still be able to put your hands in your pockets. I think that would really help a lot.”
But I digress. As I’m standing there wondering what the heck I’m going to do, I hear the second worst sound of my life.
DING!
The elevator stopped on my floor just down the hall and the door opened. I remember thinking, “Oh, please let it be Ray Charles!”
Sure enough, a man turned the corner and started walking toward me. As soon as he saw me he let out a Homer Simpson yelp. (And here’s my response.)
I said, “Sir, can you do me a huge favor and call the front desk and have them come up and open my door?”
He just chuckled and said “Sure.” Of course, he didn’t think to invite me into his room as he made the call, so I was left standing there as I went to his room.
It seemed like I was waiting forever.
Keep in mind that this was Halloween night. If you’ve never been to Detroit on Halloween, you’re missing quite the experience. They burn the town down. I mean, it gets crazy.
So as I was standing there waiting, a big group of Halloween partyers comes down the hall. They’re all dressed up and drunk. And they stood there talking to me until the bellhop let me into my room.
It was the funniest thing. They never said a word about me being in my underpants. I was mortified, and as far as they were concerned it was just business as usual.
Every time after that, I always held the door open with a dresser before pushing my tray down the hall.
I learned a couple things that day.
Seems like every time we try new things, it feels like we’re standing in public in nothing but underwear and dress socks. We feel exposed and vulnerable. We’re so afraid of what people might think about us or that we’ll look stupid.
But guess what. Whenever you feel stranded, someone will always come by to help. And most people don’t even notice and don’t even care when you screw up.
Network marketing can be extremely difficult for people who aren’t used to sharing opportunities with their friends and family. You’re afraid they’re going to think less of you. You’re afraid of saying something stupid.
But take it from guy who was once 340 pounds and standing out in a hotel hallway in nothing but underpants and dress socks: It will never be as bad as it seems in your head.
And even if it is, it will always make for a great story afterward.
Thanks for sharing this story Greg. I find it extremely motivational to learn that someone as successful as you has these same kind of bad luck things happen. I too have locked myself out of my hotel room, and my house. Fortunately I was in a bit more than my underwear but I totally relate to your story and in how foolish a person feels when doing something like this. We feel we should have known better, or seen it coming. We are always hardest on ourselves, and it can really set us back if we are treating ourselves like we are just a big screw up. Now I know that I CAN be as successful as I want to be, if you could do it, why can’t I. Now I have the confidence to go MAX the world !!
Greg, I’ve listened to your presentations around 8 to 10 times now since joining Max. You have got to be one of the best speakers on the planet. You must however sit down some day and write us a book, so we can go back over you material again and again. Your writing skills are right on track with your speaking skills and a book by you would be cherished by hundreds of thousands of people. Always a pleasure to hear from you. aloha from Maui
I agree you are one of the best speakers I have listened too. And this story is very inspirational and yes I do feel like a knuckle head when things like that happen to me.
Thank you for being a great motivational speaker. From Quartz Hill, CA
Thank you so much for sharing this story. It makes me think how hard we can be on ourselve when things like this happen, but you’re righ, it’s not as bad as it seems after a couple of days. One of the best thins our creator did was one day after another. I’m sooooo happy to be part of this Great Family!!!