I use to see public speaking as just that, talking in public to a lot of people. That was my view on this very scary subject. I could almost feel the people's eyes staring at me. I could sense their desire for me to fail so they could pull out the rotten fruit and throw rotten tomatoes or apples at me and "boo" me off stage. I think this is how most people envision public speaking. Even before speaking, they run the thoughts through their minds of how horrible the experience will be.
So what changed? Why did my vision of public speaking change? Why do I get excited now instead of scared stiff? How can that happen you ask? Easily. I quit listening to the 99% of everything I read about public speaking either from books, the Internet, classes, toastmasters, Dale Carnegie courses, etc...
In order for you to become the speaker you wish, your thoughts must change. Let me explain. Public speaking is public speaking. The dynamics are pretty much the same. About the only difference is the subject matter and the presentation. You must change how you view "public speaking". For example, I don't give speeches. I give talks. What's the difference? To me, a speech is something you say to a crowd and talks are how you speak to your friends. Quite a difference. What is your emotional response if I say to you, in 5 minutes, I want you to talk to this crowd vs. I want you to talk to your friend? I bet the emotion can be described like a teeter totter. I know my reaction to those two sentences are dramatically different.
There are only two qualities you need to become a great speaker. Here they are:
- Have a subject your are so passionate about that you lose sleep over. As I like to say, "Have a why that makes you cry". What are you desperately passionate about?
- Have a deep-seeded, emotional, gut-wrenching desire to desperately share that idea with others.
That's it? Yes, that's it. Ever see a really great movie?
Ever tell your friend how great it was and that they needed to see it?
That's the same pattern you need to follow when public speaking. I know
everyone else gives you "10 steps to better public speaking" and such.
Let me ask you this, did you have great eye contact, use gestures, feel
very comfortable, speak up when talking to your friend about the movie? I
bet you did. People focus on the little things that will come
"naturally" as you develop as a speaker. You will have great eye
contact, stage presence, hand gestures when you follow the two
qualities.
See you already are a great speaker! Now just add a few more people each time and soon you will be speaking to thousands just like you speak to your best friend.
And if you think, "I can't speak like that", guess what? You already have, remember? And I bet you do it on a daily basis!
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