Wisdom Story of Preparation Tips for Speakers

I heard my name and applause from 450 people.  The moment has arrived.  I smile broadly, walk to the edge of the stage.  Pick up the gizmo that flips slides.  I walk up the four steps marked with red tape on their edges….and take a long deep breathe.  I wait at the back corner of the stage until the audience quiets down until you could hear a whisper.  PAUSE.  I take one step forward…

It's not every day that we get an opportunity to speak to a crowd, to share our wisdom.  It's exciting.  It gets your blood flowing.  Your endorphins pumped.   Most importantly, addressing people from stage is a privilege.   An opportunity to spend one hour to change a life….maybe in a big way.  Maybe in a subtle way.  Either way, we serve.

This story, though, is about the journey before that first step on the stage.  It's about the hour and a half before.

Before any big speaking engagement, I get a little jittery.  As I tell my wife, it's "in the zone."  It doesn't freeze me or bother me, really.   But it is there.  When I was a dancer a few decades ago, I experienced that same jittery feeling, so me and the jitters are well acquainted.  If those jitters don't show up, I'm probably going through the motions and my presentation will go flat. 

Before this presentation, I heard myself ask, "Will I deliver EXACTLY what they need?"  Doubt.  Hmm.  I immediately self-talk the question into an invocation, "Help me deliver EXACTLY what they need."   Yes, much better.  Doubt begins to melt into excitement.

But, I'd like a bit more energy juice.

Pre-speaking routines are a ritual for speakers.  Carefully manicured and protected.  Don't get distracted.  Stay focused.  Tune.  Hum.  Chant.  This time I take a risk of getting pulled out of my game.  I reach for my phone and send a text to a bunch of folks in the MasterMind group I belong.  I'm going on stage in an hour and half and "I sure could use encouragement and good vibes."

The outpouring that came next was beautiful!

Beautiful not just because I received wonderful cheerleading, but I received some great tips.  Oh, BE CAREFUL when people give you tips before something big!  Apply filters like CRAZY because you don't want to get distracted from your game.

In this situation, though, these people responded with EXACTLY what I needed in the moment.  Beautiful serendipitous support!  Here are six outrageously simple tips that changed everything:

1. Raise their level of awareness with a PAUSE while delivering key content
2. What emotion will you trigger in them to make your amazing content memorable?
3. How do you want to feel in the moment and how can you cultivate that?
4. Have them breathe with you
5. Speak to one person at a time, vulnerability and power are an unbeatable combination
6. Remind yourself… Isn't this FUN? I L O V E this!!

And perhaps the most important thing that happened was emotional support from these people.  My heart overflowed!!   Each one of these is a powerful reminder for all of us at any time! 

• Your authentic self is always enough.
• You are EXACTLY where you need to be doing EXACTLY what you are meant to do. The universe never makes mistakes
• Let your HEART shine along with your wisdom.
• Speak from your heart. Trust you have all you need to give them for what they need TODAY

Here's what I know with 100% certainty.  With one hour to go, by incorporating each of their tips into my presentation, I changed lives!  I KNOW in my heart that my peeps were there with me.  Right on that stage.  If you open your heart and ask for support, well, you'll NEVER be alone on stage. 

I took that one step forward on that stage…..and we CRUSHED it!

Wisdom isn't wisdom, until it's shared.