Now Just A Little Further Down The
Rabbit Hole
About
Michael Devous is a seasoned professional in the entertainment industry, renowned for his exceptional stage performances and unrivaled production expertise, spanning more than three decades. His remarkable journey has been marked by unyielding resilience and an extraordinary ability to embrace fear as a powerful ally.
As a distinguished speaker, Michael’s unparalleled eloquence and commanding stage presence captivate audiences from diverse backgrounds. Leveraging his rich experiences, he masterfully guides leaders and visionaries to cultivate a fearless mindset, empowering them to transcend obstacles and craft the life they envision on their road to success. Michael’s positioning statement, “I show leaders and visionaries how to cultivate a fearless mindset to overcome obstacles and create the life you want on your road to success,” epitomizes his dedication to empowering others.
Central to Michael’s speaking engagements lies his acclaimed subject matter, “Making Fear Your Friend.” In this thought-provoking discourse, he artfully deconstructs societal norms surrounding fear, illuminating its potential as a catalyst for greatness. Through captivating storytelling and compelling insights, he challenges audiences to reimagine a life where fear is no longer perceived as an impediment but rather embraced as a tool and fuel for their journey toward success.
Michael’s message resonates with professionals from all walks of life, inspiring them to transcend their perceived limitations and break free from the shackles of fear. With unwavering authenticity, he shares his own triumphs and setbacks, showcasing the transformative power of embracing fear as a guiding force in the pursuit of greatness.
In a world where fear often hinders progress, Michael’s vision offers a refreshing paradigm shift. As an esteemed speaker, he imparts the wisdom necessary to navigate life’s challenges, positioning fear not as an obstacle but as an essential component of personal growth and success.
In the realm of corporate events and thought leadership summits, Michael Devous stands as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment. His message resonates deeply with professionals seeking to conquer their fears and embrace a future where fear is their ally, propelling them toward a life filled with endless possibilities.
Now, drawing from his vast expertise, he ventures into a new realm with ‘The Fearless Road – The Entrepreneur’s Journey,’ an eagerly awaited podcast set to premiere in the fall of 2023.
Through ‘The Fearless Road,’ Michael aims to empower, uplift, and inspire aspiring entrepreneurs, emboldening them to surpass their own expectations and achieve greatness.
Audiences can join Michael on a captivating odyssey down ‘The Fearless Road’ and brace yourself for a life-altering transformation. This groundbreaking podcast is not merely a conduit to success; it is a profound exploration of courage, authenticity, and the pursuit of passions. With each episode, Michael and his dedicated team embark on a quest to uncover the secrets to triumph and support the unwavering determination required to chase dreams fearlessly.
My Story
Last year(summer of 2022), after being laid off for the 3rd time in as many years from a high-level and well-paying position, I began the process, again, of redefining who and what I was going to be. No longer satisfied with the direction I was headed or the work I was doing, I needed to find something more rewarding, fulfilling, impactful, and something that utilized all my skills, experiences, knowledge, and creative spirit.
Floating under all of this were 5 years of being plagued by this constant feeling, idea, and thought, that there was really no point in waking up and doing this all over again each day. “How do people do it?” I thought. Just rinse and repeat every day. The same shower, the same breakfast, the same Friday night watching a movie, the same dinner with friends, and on, and on, and on it repeats until you die? YOu get the picture.
I couldn’t fathom working for another job, for another company, doing their work, making them money, and living their dream. I would be fine if I just didn’t wake up tomorrow.
As you can imagine my friends had begun to call one another voicing their concerns. Even calling my Dad and stepmom. Things were teetering on bad to worse. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t brave or strong or willing enough to commit suicide. I lost one lover to suicide already. But I sure as hell wasn’t really living.
I began to question my purpose for being here. My reason for waking up each day and just doing the next thing expected of me. I met with friends to ask questions, and therapists to find out if I was depressed. Family to seek out advice. And I set some goals, some intentions for 2023. I asked the universe for 4 things:
1. More opportunities to return to the stage and use my voice and my craft. (I was happiest there once when I was performing.
2. To work remotely; to be free of the corporate work environment, building their brand, their plan, and their vision.
3. To create my own business where I made good money, using all the skills, experiences, and knowledge I had gained over the years and put that into a business.
4. And finally, my fourth “intention” was to use all of this to give back. To find a way to provide leadership, and mentorship, to inspire and motivate others.
Almost immediately the universe answered with signs I was on the right path.
1. I got invited to speak during the Dallas International Film Festival, presenting films, and hosting a couple of Q&As after films.
2. I was introduced to The Speaker Lab podcast where I began to see the possibility that I may be able to become a speaker. I listened to it every day. Consuming as many episodes as I could like binge-watching Netflix!
3. I was invited to host a live virtual game show for the PCMA “Convening Leaders” annual convention.
4. And fourth… During production, I was delayed in Dallas, due to flight cancelations when a dear friend presented me with an opportunity to meet a successful entrepreneur who was writing a book about how to take what you know and turn it into a business.
All these signs, these serendipitous events, were pointing towards something important. One afternoon at lunch with my childhood friends Marcie and Lyn, I was stressing about “how was I going to get people to see me as this professional consultant, speaker, and coach. I don’t have my own material, my own videos, or a website. I had been doing this for clients and companies for years but not for myself. When my friend Lyn, quite causally (while lifting her wine glass) said, “Bobo, why don’t you just do it for yourself? Produce yourself.” It was so obvious but it never occurred to me that I could be my own client.
The first major question I saw everywhere when I began researching and heading down this path – “What is Your Why?”
The Speaker Lab kept saying “you have to define and know this.”
My marketing gurus said “you have to define and commit to this.”
My therapist said “you have to find out what this is.”
I shared this with my inner circle all of whom kept saying:
“Well Michael, you will land on your feet. You always do.”
“You have reinvented yourself a hundred times, why should this be any different?”
“You’ve never been afraid of a challenge. You just go after what you want and 9 times out of 10 you get it!”
“You always amaze me with how you just pick yourself up every time and start over. How you manage to recreate your life and learn something new is truly remarkable.”
I began to ask myself this very question. “What is my why?” why do I continue to go on? Why do I always get back up and start over? Why do persist?
And I reflected on my life. How many times had I done this? How many times had I physically picked myself up and moved forward? One painful step at a time?
So I looked back on my life. At all the events that shaped me. That played a part in my making.
I survived a lot before I ever got to college. Molestation as a child. Bullying and weekly beatings for years from 9 to 14. And drugged and raped at 16.
In college, I was told I would never be a professional dancer and to quit now. I was too old. I should change majors. At 23 My chosen performing arts university pulled me from my curriculum with the statement, “we just don’t think you’re a good candidate to go pro”.
At 27 beaten by a group of guys and thown down a flight of concrete stairs.
29 my lover committed suicide
33 – diagnosed with HIV and following this, spiraled into a depression and drug addiction to crystal meth and almost dying twice from an overdose.
How after everything I had been through in my life did I still have the capacity to keep pushing forward? To attempt to do so much and change my life again. Why was I able to overcome these life events and make something myself, in spite of myself? Shouldn’t I have been afraid? Beaten down? Literally? So many times? How was I able to do this?
Was this my why?
And I think I found it. My Aha moment.
2:30 am January 26th 2023. I woke up! Just on the edge of a dream, grasping at understanding the answer. But through the fog of dreams and sleep, somehow, I knew.
I had developed a relationship with fear and failure. I had been speaking and dealing with my fears and failures for years. Pivoting each time. Changing my course and my behavior after each encounter. Adjusting my mindset and my personality after every mistake. Fear and pain were companions along the journey. Somehow, I had made fear my friend. I had become so familiar with it. After each setback, tragedy, painful moment, beat down, or failure. I had had so many of these encounters throughout my life, that I had become intimately familiar with fear and failure. They were my companions along the road of my life. They had been there so many times how could my life be anything other than what it was without them? I must have developed a different understanding of my fears and failures.
It was time to explore this further.
My Understanding:
I now offer a different perspective on fear and how it can be a signpost for personal growth and moving toward what truly matters to us. When we view fear as an enemy or an adversary it can often hold us back from taking risks and pursuing our dreams, but by recognizing that fear can be a friend or an indicator that something is important to us, we can use it as a motivator to push ourselves toward our goals. By reflecting on the many obstacles, we have overcome from the very first time we tried to walk as a baby, the simplest lesson of riding a bike, to being betrayed, bullied, or even broken, we acknowledge that we have survived these things. We have overcome these obstacles. We have made something more of ourselves after every single one of them. As a result of all these moments, all of these opportunities to grow and change, I believe we can shift our understanding of their value in our lives. If we can only recognize that we have all the training, experience, and skills to deal with life’s lessons. To face life’s obstacles. To manage our fears and failures differently. And to finally shift our perception of fear and failure as meaningful and purposeful assets. As allies, not adversaries. As a friend. Not foe.
My Message:
This is what I want to share with the world. This has become my message. My Purpose and my Why!
It’s important to remember that taking the easy road may feel comfortable in the moment, but it won’t lead to the same sense of fulfillment and purpose as facing our fears and pursuing what truly matters to us. So, let’s take those brave small steps toward our fears and move towards becoming more fearless!
My hope is to inspire, motivate and encourage thousands of others to take a different approach to their fear. My goal is to create an army of fear-less warriors.
Your best and most authentic self is waiting for you to seize it and step fully into who you were meant to be. And it’s just on the other side of fear.
My mission is to help you make Fear your Friend.
Thank you for reading my story. Join me and let’s journey to the other side of fear.
Together we can become fear-less!
