Speaking at YOUTH'10 Conferences – I'm clueless!

When Michael Teoh told me that he was surprised I wasn’t invited to give a talk at the YOUTH’10 Conferences in conjunction with the YOUTH’10 Festival reputably Malaysia’s Largest Youth Festival, I told him… Hey, why the surprise?

Truth is, me being myself, I haven’t really done any “leading” at all when it comes to, say, “heading” any single movement. I’ve always been counting my blessings for being able to meet real leaders of my time, and of course myself for recognizing their potential, sifting them apart from hundreds of others who may not necessarily have the best of agendas- that would be the real success I would admit to. I would then position myself as their partner, working on the systems in the background while they go forth and spur movements which they are very passionate about. I also believe the partners, or leaders as most would call them, would have also realized that without a solid, self-sustaining system or community of believers behind their charismatic excellence, they would have been burnt out long ago. I believe that’s where appreciation comes in, and with that, the ability to talk to one another on the same level even though I belong to the “back-end”, so to speak.

So it is with pleasure that I announce my real contribution to the leadership of our current generation’s multifaceted community is not actually by starting one of my own, but by rightly locating existing leaders who I believe in and share their passion with, and support them unselfishly. The true significance of choosing this path instead of leading my own movement is so that I can play true to the many interests that I have which leads to the ultimate goal I would like to achieve; to inspire, motivate and activate via empowerment three main areas in life of the young corporates and youths, which are in finance/corporate, unity and education.

Without going on and on about my personal story, here’s what’s happening: Young Corporate Malaysians which I co-founded together with Wan Mohd Firdaus and Iliyas Jamil along with the rest of the conveners became partners to YOUTH’10, which I described here. Little did I know that Michael Teoh, being a very avid supporter of what I do, gave me an opportunity to talk

about how this all started, and what is the motivation that drove me on since my UKEC days. In a platform filled with almost 35,000 youths looking at you. Scared much?

Nevertheless I wasn’t about to let this opportunity go, despite not being a public speaker (maybe I should join the Toastmaster to improve!) or an entertainer. If I make a fool out of myself, so be it. If I happen to impress, I thank God for the miracle hehe. Whatever it is, do help support me cause I’ll appreciate every single confidence boost I can get, especially since I’m daunted by the other speakers in the Conference who happen to be famous celebrities or people who’ve done really amazing things! Read their profile here. Then compare them with this blogger that only know how to attend blogger meets and tweetups and movie premiers and events hehe. FAR CRY WEH!

And it doesn’t help that my name sounds so cartoonish among the other cool names in the line up. Why Chris Spinzer Tock, WHY?!?!