“That’s it!” When I saw the title of this book, I had one of those “aha” moments. The answer to why some contestants never move beyond a certain level in pageantry is found in those eight simple words- what got you here, won’t get you there. Not only do I see it in so many contestants’ pageant lives; but at one time, it was present in my life as well.
You see, prior to getting married and having children, I had won every pageant I had competed in. So when I decided to compete in the Mrs. Ohio America pageant for the first time, I thought, “No problem. I’ve done this so many times before. I know what to do and in a couple months, I’ll be on the beaches of Hawaii competing for Mrs. America.”
Flash forward to the Mrs. Ohio pageant. After the tenth name was called, all feeling left my body. Completely numb, I remembered thinking to myself, “They missed my name. I didn’t hear my name. This can’t be happening. There must be a mistake.” I was devastated. My three little girls were screaming “go mommy”, my family had traveled 1000 miles to watch me, my friends were in the audience and I didn’t even make the first cut.
Some people would have given up after that, but it dawned on me: If I really wanted to win the title of Mrs. Ohio, then my current knowledge base and four previous titles were not going to be enough. To make the next vertical jump, I was going to have to make some changes.
Change is never easy. It involves time, money and ego. But when I humbled myself and became teachable to reputable people who really cared about my success, things started to happen. I didn’t change who I was as a person. Instead, I polished my outer appearance and communicated to the judges what made me unique.
With the exception of the national Mrs. America pageant, for the next 5 years, I always placed in the top 5 in every pageant I competed in. Each time I competed, I would make a change here and there until finally the formula was complete and I was crowned Mrs. Ohio America. The key is I enjoyed the entire process. I loved challenging myself and learning new things.
Perhaps you’re stuck at a particular level of competition right now. Maybe you’ve won local titles but haven’t won a state title. Or you win state titles, but that national title just dangles like a carrot in front of you. Maybe you just want to hear your name called for any title.
If that’s where you are, realize if you really want to move forward, it will involve making some changes. That might mean you’ll need to invest more time into your pageant preparation, or maybe a larger monetary investment into your wardrobe and training, or more importantly a shift in your attitude.
Wherever you are in your pageant journey, I would love to be a part of your team. Remember to enjoy the process and have fun with the people who surround you.
Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.
DEADLINE TO ENTER THE
WTP RELAY FOR LIFE PAGEANT IS MAY 5, 2011
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Do you need practice for your summer pageant?
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Are you looking for a pageant with no swimsuit or talent requirement?
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Do you like the idea that 20% of all the money raised from this pageant is going to the American
Here's your opportunity.
- Every contestant will go home with a crown and prizes valued beyond the registration fee.
Click here for full details about this opportunity and share it with your friends.
INTERVIEW CARD
The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.
Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.
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Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .
