Ron Balagot's Story

Ron Balagot, a resident of Burnaby (Greater Vancouver), BC, Canada, is the author of 3 life-changing ebooks: Public Speaking Fear Conquered: Your Fearless Presenter Within UNLEASHED! (endorsed by international personal development experts), Unleash The Courageous Child Within (endorsed by best-selling author and internationally acclaimed self-esteem expert, Dr. Joe Rubino), and Confidence & Courage Tips...To Help You Realize Your Dreams (endorsed by #1 best-selling author of The DNA of Success, Jack Zufelt).

He is also the author of a number of articles that have been published by various online newsletter publishers and website owners (since early 2005).

In fact, one of his popular articles, Run Freely (A Lesson About Courage)—written under the pen name, Gabriel Daniels—was published and archived online by the Fortune 500 company, Colgate-Palmolive.

Furthermore, he is the publisher/editor/writer of the Public Speaking Tips Newsletter. A free online newsletter (or
E-Newsletter) dedicated to helping people conquer their public speaking fears and improve their presentation skills.

So, how exactly did Ron end up where he is today?

And why is he so passionate, most especially, about teaching presentation skills? And giving emphasis to the importance of the “inner game” of presenting?

Well, if you'd take a closer look at his life, you'd discover that his passion for performing/presenting goes back as far as childhood.

As a boy, Ron discovered he had the ability to impact people with his singing (and even dancing) talents.

He loved performing in front of others whenever the opportunity arose. And when he performed (whether it be singing or dancing), he didn't just perform, he performed with every fiber of his being.

Truth is, he received many requests to sing in front of the classroom in his elementary years.

And when he got a little older, he would sometimes hear comments like: “Ron, you know what's great about the way you sing, and what makes you different from the other singers who sang here tonight? Well, when the others sing, they just sing. But when you sing, you sing with your whole being.”

Of course, he's also had his share of rejections.

One he will never forget was a time when he felt just like Susan Boyle when she appeared on the show, Britain's Got Talent.

When Ron was introduced to sing on stage one evening (in a Karaoke restaurant with open mic sessions), he heard a sudden burst of laughter from a group of people in the audience.

Then he heard a guy from that same group saying something like: “Oh, come on. Take a look at this.” (with that tone of voice as if to say “You gotta be kidding me. How can this short guy possibly have a voice worth listening to?”)

(Now, if you knew Ron, you'd know that he was of short stature. In fact, during his elementary years, he was teased a lot in school by the other kids as “shorty” or “shrimp.”)

But he simply ignored them.

As soon as he held that mic in his hand and the music started, he sang his heart out like nothing else mattered.

Just like he'd always done before.

Now, the surprising thing is, as soon as he hit that last note, the audience members who laughed at him when he was introduced...who prejudged him before he had a chance to sing...were the first ones to get up from their seats to give him a thunderous applause.

And that's only one of the many rejections (or negative experiences) he's had to face as he pursued his different goals in life.

(Truth is, he's been laughed at and criticized as he shared his hopes and dreams with others. He did poorly in high school...receiving mostly D's as grades...and mainly because he lacked direction and focus. And he's even been held at knifepoint and robbed in broad daylight while living in a dangerous area in the Philippines...at a time when he was pursuing certain goals.)

Now, you may be interested to know that Ron has played many roles throughout his life (mostly of a creative or artistic nature).

He's been everything from a talent developer to a vocal coach...to a music producer (having been highly involved with 3 CD projects)...to a choir leader...to a performing and recording artist (having also done a music video that was aired several times in the Philippines)...to an arranger...to an event coordinator...to a songwriter (lyricist and composer)...and more.

(Realize, though, that many of these roles were on a volunteer basis with the church he belongs to. In other words, you will not find the mentioned CDs in stores. Nevertheless, with God's help, his musical talents and works have touched countless lives worldwide.)

Basically, what led him to the personal development arena years ago was his love for empowering others...his love for teaching techniques/principles that could help inspire others to go for their dreams.

Since his exposure to self-help books at the age of 17 (starting with the book, The Magic of Thinking Big, authored by Dr. David J. Schwartz), he has never looked back.

After reading that empowering book, he went on to read countless self-improvement books/materials...and used the strategies and principles he learned to perform at peak levels in many situations.

(In fact, by the time he was exposed to Anthony Robbins' books, he was seriously considering the possibility of pursuing a personal development career one day.)

More importantly, he used what he discovered to overcome tremendous trials and rejections (including the disapproval and discouragement of relatives and friends) on his way to achieving most of his highest goals (which has resulted in positively impacting many people globally).

(In fact, one of the main reasons he wants to help others is because he wants people to have their share of success, triumph, or achievement—to have their share of the spotlight of life. He wants to give others the chance to play “starring” roles, rather than just be spectators or cheering squad members of other people's successes/achievements.)

At this point in his life, aside from his goal of sharing what he knows (about certain success principles) with as many people as possible...so they, too, will be empowered with the tools/strategies to go for their dreams...he's on a mission to help others unleash their fearless presenter within.

And what led him to this mission is not only because he's tired of hearing all the lies/myths out there about public speaking or public speaking fears (to learn more about what some of these lies/myths are, make sure to read Ron's 3rd ebook, Public Speaking Fear Conquered: Your Fearless Presenter Within UNLEASHED!), but because he wants to #1. Help people enjoy or love (not hate) presenting/performing again (the way they did when they were little kids)...#2. Help people present naturally and fearlessly...or without nervousness (again, the way they did when they were around 2-3 years old)...to a small or large group...#3. Help people present at peak levels “consistently” (and not just once in a while).

He's on a mission to help people who are either victims of bad advice or are most likely to become victims of bad advice.

After years of being exposed to books/materials on the subject and observing other presenters, Ron came across many things that bothered him.

One of these things is that people are often led to believe that all someone has to do is speak/present as often as possible and he/she will eventually become a powerful presenter.

In other words, “practice makes perfect.”

Well, he discovered this is not entirely true a lot of the times.

After witnessing a couple of times how rigid and boring (and nervous) a company executive was as he delivered some speeches, especially when that executive has been a member of a public speaking group for more than 10 years, Ron was convinced that that particular belief was not completely true.

In other words, he learned that the presenter with the most speaking experience is not necessarily the most effective or impactful.

Put another way, the number of speeches a person has given has nothing to do with how great a presenter that person will ultimately become.

It's not quantity (of application) that truly matters...but quality.

It doesn't matter if a person has been speaking for 10 years or more. If that person is only reinforcing “bad” habits, he/she shouldn't expect much progress. More experience or more speeches does not always mean better results.

More than anything, though, Ron discovered somewhere along his journey that a person's level of presentation skills mastery has a lot to do with his/her “inner game” of presenting.

In fact, Ron is convinced that it is the very foundation of powerful presentation skills.

Without a solid inner game, a solid foundation, a person will never reach his/her true potential as a speaker/presenter.

And he/she will never give the kinds of presentations he/she is capable of giving.

A foundation built on sand will simply not last...will not stand the test of time.

(To learn more about what this inner game of presenting is about, make sure to read Ron's 3rd ebook...which is available for free from this website.)

Basically, he doesn't believe that it's enough to teach about “outer” game factors (or what he calls “surface” stuff).

The importance of the foundation—the “inner” game—should also be taught.

A strong outer game will simply not make up for a weak inner game.

Again, Ron is convinced that unless people get their “inner game” in order (the very foundation of their presentation skills)...and stop listening to bad advice...they'll never get out of their painful condition.

The condition of always dreading their next presentation. And the condition of always being nervous during a presentation.

They'll never get to the level of presenting they are truly capable of.

And if they never reach those higher levels of presenting, it will mean many lost leadership opportunities, lost deals, lost promotions, etc.

Poor or mediocre presentation skills simply won't do...especially in a career/profession (or even in a non-career related role) that requires someone to present effectively to a group.

Basically, Ron strongly believes that anyone is capable of fearless presenting. (Most people have simply forgotten, and they just need to be reminded. And, at times, they have to be guided properly with the right techniques or strategies, so that they can, once again, unleash the fearless presenter that already lies within them.)

And the secret to fearless presenting...to getting rid of public speaking fears...lies in the realm of the “inner game.”

As part of his mission, Ron wants people to know (and which he strongly emphasizes in his 3rd ebook) is that there's hope.

There's an alternative.

People have a choice.

People are not stuck with just being nervous presenters forever (as many experts would like them to believe).

In other words, people should not allow others (including so-called experts) to take away what is rightfully theirs...their ability and freedom to present naturally and fearlessly (the ability they had when they were little kids).

People have a right to know the truth...the truth they've always known deep down inside.

The truth that will set them free.

Free from always feeling fearful/nervous when presenting to a group.

Free from always being terrified whenever there's an upcoming presentation or speech to be given.

Free from many sleepless nights.

Again, people have a choice.

People can either decide to speak well in front of a group while being afraid or nervous.

Or, they can speak well in front of a group while being fearless or completely calm (no nervousness whatsoever).

Ron encourages people to choose the latter.

Simply because it's what's natural (and, of course, more desirable...due to less mental and physical discomfort).

In fact, Ron's work is based on a solid fact that psychologists have known for years. And that is: Human babies are born with only 2 fears. The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises.

And that's why he does not believe, and will never believe, that it's “normal” to be nervous when speaking to groups of people.

Consider the following related quotes:

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn.
-- Marianne Williamson

Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.
-- Dr. Karl Menninger

Now, these truths, along with other powerful discoveries (including the power of modeling, which he wrote about in his 2nd ebook, Unleash The Courageous Child Within, which allows people to take shortcuts to desired results/outcomes) inspired Ron to create his unique and proven From Nervous To Fearless Presenting System™.

He saw a great need for it, based on his knowledge of the weak/ineffective systems currently out there.

Basically, the system, which is highly focused on the “inner game,” is designed to help people get rid of their public speaking fears and help them consistently present at “peak” levels.

It teaches effective techniques that eliminate nervous symptoms not only during actual presentations, but even before presentations (whether it be days, weeks, or months away...a couple of hours away...or even minutes away). So people can sleep more soundly at night (especially after finding out that they have to give a presentation sometime in the near or distant future).

Furthermore, because Ron comes from a performing arts or entertainment background (with informal and formal training in voice and stage performance...in fact, he holds a Vocal Program Diploma from the renowned Grove School Of Music), he brings that particular perspective to the table...making the system even more powerful.

Which means, presenters who use this system will never bore their audience (which is one of the biggest no-nos or sins of public speaking...even in a corporate setting).

Instead, audience members will...in addition to being educated and empowered...be captivated, engaged, and entertained.

With this one-of-a-kind system, Ron hopes to change many lives.