OUR 'COMMON LANGUAGE'?
Today, I reflected on the friends, brothers, and sisters I have had the opportunity to accompany on their journeys of personal development and leadership potential over the past 10 years. These individuals attended training, coaching, and sharing sessions within my community.
They come from different countries, speak different languages, have different occupations, and come from diverse family backgrounds. Yet, when they speak the same language—it seems as though those differences disappear.
I often use English—the language most participants are familiar with—in training, coaching, and sharing sessions. I recall an event I held in England in 2017, where one participant, a woman in her 40s who felt like a dear sister, attended my sessions regularly. She rarely spoke, and her eyes often made me feel as though she was observing me closely—perhaps even evaluating me. Sometimes, this triggered a thought: Am I sharing something unconvincing?
For nearly 20 years of my own childhood, I was reserved and often avoided people out of fear of being judged. Then, when I left my village, I learned to speak up, to share, and to embrace one of my favorite principles: true confidence comes from being yourself, being sincere, and focusing on values. So, despite the occasional ripple of anxiety when I saw her expression, I shifted my focus to our shared values.
By my fifth event, she was still attending. During one of the training activities, I approached her and invited her to share her thoughts with me. I asked, What brings you to my training?
She was silent for a moment before finally saying, I've always wondered—what gives you the courage to do this? You train people in a language that is not your native tongue, you don’t speak English fluently, you’re young, and you come from a developing country—Vietnam. I keep wondering, what drives you?
Hearing her sincerity, I recognized a familiar voice—one I had once heard within myself. But beyond her words, I sensed a deeper desire, something that had been weighing on her.
I looked at her and replied, Thank you. You, and everyone here, are the reason. Believing that I can offer something of value to people is more important to me than the small voice of fear telling me I’m not perfect. I also have a teacher who encourages me—to take action even when I’m afraid, to keep improving every day. I’ve noticed you’ve attended many of my events. What keeps you coming back? And what advice do you have for me to improve?
She smiled and said, Sometimes I don’t fully understand what you’re saying. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable. But the positive energy, the genuine desire to help others, and the people who gather here—these things keep me coming back. Even though English is not your native language, we all share a common language: the language of personal development. And that connects me with everyone here.
Later, I met her again at another program. This time, she was the one who stood up to share her thoughts with the audience—something she had wanted to do for a long time but had been afraid of being judged for speaking in a language that was not her native tongue. But that day, she chose to use our common language—personal development.
When we speak the language of growth and self-improvement, we live life to its fullest potential and create something meaningful. We dare to dream, to take action, to embrace challenges, to love, to give, and to live with integrity. In doing so, we eliminate distance, dissolve judgment, and resonate with one another to create lasting impact.
