How not to be intimidated

I have learned over the years that first and foremost, we are all just human. Regardless of who we are, what status or position we hold, celebrity or everyday person, we are all the same. That is not to say we are clones of one another or that we should be. We all have different talents, experiences and lives that make us unique.

But just because someone is "famous" doesn't mean that they are any better or more special than you. They simply have a talent that has been recognized by many and has become elevated to a different level.

I learned this lesson one day by sticking my foot in my mouth, up to my knee if you will. When I was younger, I worked in the bar/band scene for a few years. One evening I was out with some friends and was engaged in a conversation with some people I knew and one that I didn't. I was introduced to this person, Steve. He seemed like a nice enough guy, just your average joe. We were talking about a concert that I had been to that evening and during the conversation I expressed an opinion in regards to the line up of artists and how I thought it was unbalanced. Not much was said about it at the time, didn't really seem like anything earth shattering either.

Well after a few minutes I excused myself, only to be approached by one of my friends there who asked me if I realized who I was speaking to. I rattled off the names of the people at the table, including Steve, not really giving it much thought. My friend said to me, "Steve (long pause), Stevie (another long pause), Stevie Ray..." at that moment I realized that I had been sitting there talking to Stevie Ray Vaughn. The guy who I had just seen in concert that night and had made the comment about. You can imagine how small I felt at that moment. But I decided at that moment to take the opportunity to learn something about life.

I went back to the table, laughing (mostly at myself) and apologized - sort of. I told everyone sitting there that I stood behind what I said, but that I was sorry for not realizing sooner who it was I was talking to. Fortunately for me, Stevie Ray turned out to be a very gracious person, and said he respected my opinion. For me that was a turning point. I realized that no matter the person, as long as you are honest and are speaking from the heart, then you can not be intimidated just because they are "famous".

So regardless of someones position, whether it be a "famous" person or someone you encounter on a daily basis, realize that they are just like you, human first, just with a different talent. And they are doing what they know best to do with that talent. It's nothing to be intimidated by.