So I’m sitting in room at SXSW with a couple hundred people waiting for a program on design to begin.  But speaker doesn’t show.  No one can find her.  With the program uncomfortably delayed, a SXSW official approaches the mike and invites anyone from the audience to step up and speak on the topic of their choice.  Initially the audience went silent.  Then a guy named Dane Sanders stood up and took the stage.  He won the crowd when he humbly introduced himself as finally becoming “a SXSW speaker.”

He spoke about the experience of SXSW and the need for deeper human-to-human contact.  He went on to engage the audience in discussion surrounding solutions for human connection in an environment like SXSW interactive.

But what he talked about is almost irrelevant.  What’s most relevant is the fact that Dane Sanders stood up at a moment’s notice to offer an idea.  This was a room packed with some of the world’s bleeding edge creatives.  These are people with the most remarkable stories and experiences.  It was a million dollar moment to make a mark.  But only one person took the mike.

Despite listening to geniuses and disruptors it was this session that made me think the most.  You never know when you’ll have your moment.  When that opportunity comes for you what will you stand or remain seated?  Are you ready?

Learn more about Dane on his site or follow him @DaneSanders