tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10689396127989160032024-02-02T11:55:00.371-08:00Public SpeakingPublic Speaking blog for the latest news and articles on public speaking, including tips on how to market yourself off-line and online, build your self esteem and boost your speaking to a new realm.PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-39432112295074936172010-05-06T20:36:00.000-07:002008-05-22T08:08:33.572-07:00From A Shy Stutterer To A Competitive Public Speaker With Toastmasters International!: And now a professional public speaker!!I used to be so shy that I couldn't say 5 words without stuttering very badly. In my high school I was probably one of the most introverted students on the campus of Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova in California.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-30.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=1369094286732235824&site=widget-30.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=1369094286732235824&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-30.slide.com/p1/1369094286732235824/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=1369094286732235824&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-30.slide.com/p2/1369094286732235824/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><br />In my life I have learned how to over come my obsticals that were in my path to happiness. <br /><br /> [<span style="font-weight:bold;">VERBALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD</span>]<br /><br />As a child I was told "I wasn't tall enough in comparison to my little brother who grew to 6'8, I wasn't light skinned enough to meet my caucasian looking grandfather, I was stupid, I wouldn't grow up to be much and a host of other totally and deeply self esteem destroying words from my parents.<br /><br />It was no wonder that by the time I reached high school I was a introverted STUTTERING book worm. <br /><br />But, that isn't what I was born to be. I believe all of us were born to greatness. If my life is an example of the obsticals that can be overcame then I totally believe we all have greatness within us.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I have learned to channel my greatness through public speaking</span>. <br /><br />Toastmasters international has put me on the path of my purpose in life!<br /><br />I joined Toastmasters about 3 years ago. I had taken some public speaking classes in college and wanted to develop into a public speaker.<br /><br />One thing lead to another and I didn't persue that path. I did read tons of books on speaking during the 20 plus years before I joined Toasmasters International.<br /><br />In looking back on my own life I had always been drawn to public speaking. Even as a kid I admired African American preachers who could move audiences. I read about the ancient greeks and their love with public oration.<br /><br />When I joined Toastmasters International I came out winning <span style="font-weight:bold;">13 speeches </span>in a row that first year and went on to compete and win up to the division level with my speech titled "Someone's Calling." This inspirational speech was about the need to find our purpose in life.<br /><br />I competed in the Toastmasters International contest a year ago with my speech titled "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda." This speech was about the need to not put off your dreams now but go for them.<br /><br />My public speaking career as I now call it has been growing in leaps and bounds. I am part of a pilot test program of public speakers who are speaking at Borders BookStores, here only in Sacramento California.<br /><br />I have read tons of books on public speaking. Over the years I have accrued tall bookshelves in my home full of books on public speaking.<br /><br />YOUR LIFE IS CALLING TO YOU<br /><br />In my personal business I have been using public speaking and Toastmasters International to build my own businesses through doing free speeches and either recruiting clients or selling my products on the side.<br /><br />In watching the movie "The Secret", and studying the metaphysical laws of the universe I fully believe what brings most people to Toastmasters International is that their life is calling to them. Just as I said in my first competitive speech.<br /><br />Your life is calling to you each and everyday. Why do you think you really joined Toastmasters International?<br /><br />If you are a member of Toastmasters International and your serious about becoming a professional public speaker let me recommend a product that helped launch me on my path. <br /><br /><a href="http://zenmack.fredgleeck.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=6YJLJZ6L" target="_top">Click Here!</a><br /><br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.slide.com/s/2I9-Zvxy4T-qidEZwNZ-pFYb_AJDocQV?referrer=hlnk"><img src="http://widget.slide.com/rdr/1/1/2/S/13000000091d4380/1/109/WNqW7mkMzz8eyL05FJMa2l1kKPbFspuL.jpg" border="0" alt="Host unlimited photos at slide.com for FREE!" title="Host unlimited photos at slide.com for FREE!" /></a><br /><br /><br />Since I have been working Fred Gleeck's program I have moved into speaking at borders book stores of all places as one of their premier speakers, and I am only just beginning.<br /><br />I plan to be speaking all over the country within the next year from using the time saving and super packed full of information and ideas within his program!<br /><br />Chris<br /><br /><br />P.S. As of today May 7th 2008, I got a call from The Sacramento Learning Exchange. They are a private seminar organization that hosts seminars for public speakers. They promote the classes and take 33 and 1/3rd percent. <br /><br />They had turned me down not long ago but thanks to the help from this program I have been accepted and am meeting them this friday to discuss teaching one of my seminars there!!!!PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-39016072025503450152008-06-10T14:07:00.000-07:002008-06-10T14:09:29.666-07:00Motivate Others Through Life Coach TrainingI have been looking at sites that offer training on being a life coach. I think this would be a logical path for many public speakers. I believe we are here to help others with our message and what better way to do it than to become a life coach.<br /><br />I found this exciting article talking about that subject:<br /><br /><br /><br />Motivate Others Through Life Coach Training by Mike Selvon<br /><br /><br />There are always amazing opportunities to triumph over failure or a tragic event. Some people allow those events to break them and defeat their sense of purpose. Others rise to the challenge and live through the incident. It is what you make of a negative life issue that will foretell how you will handle life afterwards. If you have had success triumphing over a tragedy and want to share your story, then you may want to look into life coach training, to be a motivational speaker for others.<br /><br />You should know that life coach training is not standardized. There really is not an officially recognized program that offers a degree in leadership mentoring or something of the like. You can find certificate programs that can give you guidance in the field, by teaching you how to interact with others and to provide help in the areas that a person needs help, but you have to have the need to help others and be able to provide solid, life building techniques based on your own experiences.<br /><br />There are some organizations that you can belong to if you want to join them and there are always classes in psychology, sociology and therapy that can help you gain the necessary skills that you will need to help motivate other people. Some of these organizations are: the International Coaching Council, the International Association of Coaching and the European Coaching Institute. You can also take courses online that may be able to help you with your training.<br /><br />Anyone can become a mentor, a "coach for life" or a motivational speaker. If that is your goal, then to be successful at providing effective coaching you must have some sort of positive effect on other people. You would not want to stand in front of a crowd, become flustered and unable to continue.<br /><br />Even worse is not having a positive message to influence others. You should be able to address a crowd successfully and know how to speak in public. Those are two valuable tools that a motivational speaker must have.<br /><br />Chances are probably high that you will not find a leadership mentoring program or a coach training course close to you. Use a combination of online courses through the above organizations and also think about taking some college classes in psychology, public speaking and sociology.<br /><br />They most certainly cannot hurt and will help you to become more comfortable when speaking in a group mentoring situation. Your job is to provide motivation and to lead other people through example so stick by your words and you will do fine.<br /><br />About the Author<br /><br />Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our coaching portal for more great information on coach training, and leave a comment at our life coaching training blog.PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-78528153233330616672008-06-04T15:33:00.000-07:002008-06-04T15:34:02.615-07:00Speaking Problems to AvoidSpeaking Problems to Avoid by Lynda Stucky<br /><br /><br /><br />Here is the Top Ten List that indicates you may need some help developing your speaking skills in the work place.<br /><br />1. You hear yourself on tape and you refuse to believe that it is you speaking. Believe it or not, the way you hear yourself on tape is the real you! When you hear yourself speaking from within yourself, you are hearing the vibrations of sound vibrate off of the bony structures of your head. It sounds different when you hear your voice "outside of yourself" on a tape-recorder.<br /><br />2. People mistake you for the wrong age and the wrong sex. If this is happening to you, you are probably speaking with the wrong pitch!<br /><br />3. You have to repeat yourself more than once or twice a day. You might be mumbling or speaking too softly. A foreign accent might also be interfering with the listener's understanding.<br /><br />4. Your speech has caused people to laugh. Not a good thing at all! Hope this never happens to you. You might be "hypernasal" or sound like you are speaking through your nose.<br /><br />5. Voice and speech skills can be detrimental to career advancement. This happens quite frequently since people climbing the corporate ladder are usually asked to spend more time in the public eye. Employers want a polished-looking representative of their company.<br /><br />6. You've received negative feedback somewhere. Did you ever give a speech and your written feedback was that people couldn't hear you or understand you? That's a miserable feeling if you receive this kind of feedback. Besides, you probably worked very hard at creating the perfect presentation.<br /><br />7. You refrain from public speaking because it is terrifying. An easy solution to feeling comfortable speaking in front of a group is to get in front of a group more often! The best place to do that is at a Toastmasters Club (most cities have them) where the purpose is to practice speaking in front of groups. Club members have the same goal as you!<br /><br />8. The area of the country where you live is identifiable by your speech dialect. Being identified by your regional accent isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, some regional accents have a negative image and make the speaker sound uneducated. How is the accent of your region perceived?<br /><br />9. Your voice tires during the day or you lose your voice completely. Not a good sign if you lose your voice completely. You may be harming your vocal cords by speaking too frequently, too loudly, or at the wrong pitch. Good voice care (or vocal hygiene) can make all the difference maintaining symptom-free voicing especially for heavy voice users!<br /><br />10. You emotions show through your voice. What pushes your hot buttons and how do you do talking about these issues in public? Employees in the public eye need to be careful about showing their emotions in public. Many company spokespersons need to pass this test before being put in front of a camera. An essential skill that can be developed is voice control!<br /><br />About the Author<br /><br />Lynda Stucky, President and owner of ClearlySpeaking, is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist. Her background in speech pathology offers unique skills for dealing with professional communication skills in the corporate world. She has trained and educated individuals, businesses and groups on effective speaking skills, foreign and regional accent modification, the spoken image and vocal hygiene. http://www.clearly-speaking.comPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-67681302314031264472008-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:002008-05-13T14:42:01.656-07:002 Powerful tools for power speaking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyUwdX5blYYl1Q7uK8tVXBDDulMj2ohBJ0iaQY9eypWf7mod9K6pr9dSzK_-x-a2M6ArrkWTLnZMtFaLxE-TUAh9qOj8lCZwgGX6i-4GixmAMmf0DJnynYY2V6c3_4PO-CRpRhy3QH8g/s1600-h/DSC00522.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyUwdX5blYYl1Q7uK8tVXBDDulMj2ohBJ0iaQY9eypWf7mod9K6pr9dSzK_-x-a2M6ArrkWTLnZMtFaLxE-TUAh9qOj8lCZwgGX6i-4GixmAMmf0DJnynYY2V6c3_4PO-CRpRhy3QH8g/s320/DSC00522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199978826422114498" /></a> In my public speaking I have learned a powerful technique to boost the attention span of your audience.<br /><br />In normal organization of a speech we have the introduction phase followed by the preview phase. I have learned to add what is called a hook to the introduction phase. <br /><br />I will even start my speeches with a hook. A hook is used to wake your audience up and gain their attention. You need to think of something that will make them sit up and pay attention to you.<br /><br />A popular hook is to ask them for a show of hands to a question, such as:<br /><br />"by a show of hands how many of us would like to retire rich?"<br /><br />Ok this type of question is one that almost everyone would raise their hands up for.<br /><br />So design your hooks carefully. Once you get into the habit of using them you will see people paying rapt attention to every word that you say. <br /><br />I normally finish my introduction before I use what is called a contract. <br /><br />Now the contract is where you really make your audience sit up and pay attention.<br /><br />I no longer use the preview and have replaced it with the contract. <br /><br />If you will recall a traditional preview went something like this:<br /><br />"Ok, today I am here to talk about dog walking. I will first of all tell you about blah blah blah, and secondly I will talk about..blah blah blah.<br /><br />Well when you use a contract you state the benefits instead of the features.<br /><br />So you must determine what is the benefits of someone listening to your message.<br /><br />Then you craft your contract which is making a contract between you and your audience and delivering them the benefits that you promise.<br /><br />Example:<br /><br />If you give me but a few minutes of your time I will show you how you can:<br /><br />First of all retire within ...<br />Secondly do it without having to ....<br /><br />So instead of telling them the features of your program you just told them the benefits that they will obtain by listening to you.PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-12991545774403788502008-05-13T14:30:00.000-07:002008-05-13T14:31:32.935-07:00Use Public Speaking to Boost Your Business by Victoria K. MunroPublic speaking can be an excellent form of free PR and an effective marketing tool. Speaking in front of groups gives you exposure to potential clients and enhances your credibility as an expert in your field -- and people like to buy from experts. Below are some tips to help you step out and use speaking to grow your business.<br /><br />Identify your ideal audience. Research professional associations and industry meetings your target clients are likely to attend. Service clubs are often looking for speakers, and their members might be good clients for you. Get names of program chair people and call to ask if you can speak to their group.<br /><br />Make your message meaningful. Talk about what you know -- topics you're passionate about. Provide valuable information that will really help your audience. Perhaps pinpoint your target clients' three biggest problems and write a speech about how to solve each of them. Aim to give practical tips -- preferably ones they can implement right away. Don't use your talk to give a sales pitch for your services or products.<br /><br />Be crystal clear. Know what you plan to say. Start with a simple outline based on your main points -- ideally, no more than three. This makes it easy for your audience (and you) to remember. State your points at the beginning, repeat them throughout your presentation and use them to recap at the end.<br /><br />Keep their attention. Make your talk interesting and memorable. Illustrate each of your points with examples and stories your listeners can relate to. Statistics can be powerful to back up what you say, but keep them relevant and don't bore your audience with too many.<br /><br />Practice your presentation. Become so familiar with your material that you don't need to rely on notes and can step away from the podium. Be natural and speak from your heart. Make eye contact with several members of the audience. Never read your speech. Be sure to stay within the time limit set by your host.<br /><br />Look the part. Be well groomed and appropriately dressed for your audience. Ideally, dress like but slightly more formally than your audience.<br /><br />Have helpful handouts your audience can take away listing the main points of your presentation. Include space for them to write notes and your contact information. Proof your handout carefully, and have someone else look it over to ensure there are no typos and that it represents you well.<br /><br />Arrive early and become familiar with the room, the PA system, and meet and mingle as people arrive. If you're using a projector, give time for set up and testing.<br /><br />Be prepared for questions. If you want your audience to interrupt you with questions, tell them. If you plan a question-and-answer time at the end, let them know this at the beginning and suggest that they make notes of questions to ask later. Then be sure to allow enough time for questions.<br /><br />Fine-tune your speaking skills: read books, take a course, join Toastmasters International or hire a speech coach. Start with small low-risk groups.<br /><br />A major marketing campaign may not be in your budget, but speaking is a great way to get your message out to prospective clients. It will take some of your time and energy, but will set you apart as an authority in your field and it's free!<br /><br />Victoria K. Munro is co-founder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small business owners through creatively designed programs and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different businesses. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their award-winning ezine, "In-Flight Refueling," at: http://www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.<br /><br />Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victoria_K._MunroPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-41829887344106993722008-05-13T14:27:00.000-07:002008-05-13T14:28:53.763-07:00How To Enjoy Public Speaking by Duncan KellyPublic speaking, for an introvert like myself, was always a no no for me. But now I can do it with ease. Let me share the methods and the process I went through, and how this can work for you too.<br /><br /> * Start off with small groups of very easy people. The easiest people in the world to talk to are preschoolers and the first few grades. They will love you whatever you say, and if you bring along a visual aid or two they will think you are Christmas! Have some sweets to hand out and your talk will go like a house on fire! Doing these "easy people" will start to build up your confidence for bigger challenges later. I started off with very small groups, talking to young kids in grade 3 as a Sunday School teacher.<br /> * Don't worry about butterflies in your stomach just before a talk. This is quite normal. Even famous speakers still have these little twinges. It keeps you alert.<br /> * To become calm before getting up to speak, when there's about 2 or 3 minutes until you have to stand up, take a very deep breath, as much as your lungs can take in. Exhale slowly. Wait a minute and then do it again: deep breath, hold, and exhale slowly. You'll be amazed how much calmer you will feel. Although we don't realize it, when we are tense we tend to take very shallow breaths, with the result that we begin to starve our brains of oxygen, which then makes our anxiety worse. Deep breathing stops this vicious circle of increasing anxiety and restores our calmness.<br /> * Try to make any talk you do beneficial to your audience. The knowledge that you are helping people to be happy or improve their lives or be encouraged is a wonderful motivator to get up there and talk.<br /> * Try and get as much humor into your talk as possible. When people are laughing every so often they are much more likely to pay attention to the serious things you say. Laughing seems to ventilate people's brains and make them able to absorb a lot more data than they would if they were bored. Even highly technical talks about Quantum theory or even cancer research can be helped and brightened up by humor.<br /> * Visual aids are great for two reasons: they take the audience's attention off you, and they become focused on your visual item. Secondly, you are making use of other areas of their brains, which helps them to concentrate on and absorb what you are saying, and they will remember this part of your talk much better than the purely aural delivery. Real live items, like a pumpkin or a flashlight are better visual aids than a picture or a chart.<br /> * If you become nervous in the hours leading up to the talk, focus your mind on the time of the day when you will be back in a safe area, like home, or out of work, and tell yourself eg. " I will be home at 3pm and this whole thing will be over!" Focus on the next pleasant thing after your talk, and you will realize that it is just a temporary, albeit adrenalin pumping, moment! Like your Mom might have said : "It'll soon be better!"<br /> * Do your homework. Research your subject. Make sure you know what you are talking about. Try and get excited about your subject matter, so that some of your enthusiasm will rub off on the audience. Get a fire going in your heart and the people will come and watch you burn!<br /> * Always remember that you are a worthwhile person. Everyone has something to contribute that can help others. Believe in yourself! Don't listen to people that tell you otherwise. You have value. You have worth.<br /><br />These guidelines I've given you have worked well for me. I've spoken to small groups of kids, small groups of adults, and sometimes large groups of people. I have led courses at work which involved a few days of speaking. For 16 years or so I have led a group of teenagers from all races and cultures, teaching them about making life choices that will benefit them. Now when you consider that I am a shy guy who hates being the center of attention, and ugly to boot, it's amazing that I could get up there and talk at all; yet I did, and I still do, and I enjoy it, because I know that the people I am talking to are being helped and encouraged by what I say.<br /><br />So don't be scared! It's really not that bad. It's like jumping in a swimming pool.<br /><br />It's lovely once you're in!<br /><br />Duncan Kelly<br /><br />Please feel most welcome to browse the Wrinklyo web site - Lots of free stuff!<br />FREE info: Digital TV, WiMax, Abbreviation list, Share Trading Links.<br />http://wrinklyo.googlepages.com<br />Some Software, Photos for instant FREE download.<br />Special Offers.<br />Advice: Parenting Teens, Panic Attack Syndrome, Marriage, Teenager guidelines, etc.<br /><br />Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duncan_KellyPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-17890104411060118732008-05-03T18:05:00.001-07:002008-05-03T18:05:36.785-07:00Speak Up for Success by Joan CurtisWhether you run a small business or are a CEO in a major corporation, if you don't speak up, you will not reach your full potential. Susan RoAne, in her landmark book, How to Work the Room tells us that 93 percent of people report that they are shy. This number astounded me and tends to astound the groups I speak to. What it means is that only 7 percent of us believe ourselves not to be shy!<br /><br />When I walk into a room full of people and see all those friendly faces, conversing freely with each other, I have to believe that more than 7 percent of them are confident, outgoing people. On the other hand, the 93 percent statistic comes from what people say about themselves. That means most of us consider ourselves shy, regardless of how we act in social and professional settings.<br /><br />How can we learn to Speak up for Success? Many people decide they cannot do it. They decide to live in a quiet world in which they spend time with close friends and family. They decide not to Speak up for Success and remain on the back row.<br /><br />But, others of us want more. Others of us are reading Oprah's books on how to become successful'how to set challenging goals for ourselves. Millions of people are spending time and money on coaching to become more than just average. Those are the people who want to learn how to Speak Up for Success in as painless a way as possible.<br /><br />As a person who most people would call outgoing, as a person who has spent most of her life in front of groups, and as a person, who, yes, would say, if asked, she's shy, I have learned some ways to make Speaking Up for Success easier.<br /><br />How to Speak Up for Success<br /><br />*Start small. Look for places where you can speak up safely. You want to build your confidence. That means not volunteering to speak to the local Chamber of Commerce. It means speaking up at dinner when your son challenges you. It means telling your wife that you need some time to yourself. It means asking your boss for some time off.<br /><br />*Join a coaching group. Coaching groups will give you both the support and the skills you need to Speak up for Success. Coaching in a group costs a fraction of one-on-one coaching. It is the first step you can take to build your confidence and to reach that goal. In a coaching group you can determine what speaking up means to you, you can set your own personal goals, you can learn tips from the coach, and you can get support from the group. Take a look at the virtual coaching group offered on my site.<br /><br />*Deal with your "inner critic." The inner critic is that little voice inside your head that tells you things like, "You've got nothing important to say," or "No one wants to listen to you," or "Whatever you say will sound stupid," or "Everyone else is better educated than I am." This voice will put the brakes on anything you might want to say. Recognize that we all have an inner critic. We all hear the same voice you hear. Some of us have learned to turn that voice off. You can do it, too! *Research and study the blogs that deal with public speaking. You can find a lot of information on my blog. There you will see posts with tips about speaking out, not just public speaking. You will also see a list of other blogs (blogroll) that you can explore.<br /><br />*After you have practiced speaking up in safe situations, graduate to more challenging places. Speak up at the next meeting of department heads. Speak up the next time your book club meets. Speak up in your Sunday School class. Make small goals but goals that move you forward from the kitchen table to the Sunday School class to the board room to the Rotary Club.<br /><br />* If you're thinking I'm too old, or I'm too young, or I'm too shy, or I'm too whatever, I suggest you take a look at Aimee Mullin's video at www.kennethcole.com/thinkers/bio1.asp. That short video will blow you away. Her advice: "I don't think any of us reach our full potential when we become comfortable. I look for ways to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. . . We have an opportunity to start over everyday."<br /><br />You've taken the first step toward Speaking Up for Success. You've read this entire article. The challenge now lies with taking that second step. It's not so hard, you just have to do it!<br /><br />About the Author<br /><br />With over 18 years experience as a speaker and trainer, Dr. Joan Curtis brings energy and enthusiasm to her programs. You can, too! Join her active website. Get access to dozens of articles on communication and the free mini e-course, Say It . . . Just Right. http://www.TotalCommunicationsCoach.comPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-52483545317823360922008-04-14T22:54:00.000-07:002008-04-14T22:56:31.866-07:00Secure Fall Speaking Opportunities NowSecure Fall Speaking Opportunities Now by meenakshi kaur<br /><br />Summer is a great time to line up fall speaking gigs.<br /><br />Public speaking is a great way to generate new business. However, it's not a time for a sales pitch. If you're able to share your inside secrets about your expertise in an organized fashion, with a confident and vibrant tone, you'll indirectly sell yourself and your products.<br /><br />WHO TO PITCH Summer is a great time to pitch your speaking services to professional organizations that begin their new membership calendar year or "season" in September. Keep in mind most professional organizations hold fewer meetings in the summer, since members are off gallivanting in the sunshine. However, organizations also survey their members during the summer about educational topics they'd like to hear about come the fall.<br /><br />I've been a professional marketing speaker for sometime and have acquired a lot of marketing clients after presenting. Recently my speaking success compounded when I launched a second business two years ago called, http://www.VisitingGeeks.com In addition to describing marketing client campaign successes, I started sharing my Visiting Geeks success stories during my presentations. After every presentation I consistently receive new marketing consulting and Visiting Geeks business.<br /><br />Amazingly I'm able to drive interest to both of my businesses, simply by talking in front of people about what I know! Public speaking works particularly well for any relationship-based business, or consultant-type businesses, such as:<br /><br />- Financial - Legal - Health - Technology<br /><br />All four of the above specializations involve the customer sharing very personal information with the consultant, increasing the need for people to trust the expert they're seeking to hire. Public speaking is a great way to build trust -- prospects feel like they know you because they've "seen" you.<br /><br />HOW TO PITCH I like to pitch using email. I first scope out organizations whose members match my target audience demographics, and then I'll send a brief email introduction (3 or 4 sentences) about myself and my area of speaking expertise. You can usually find the appropriate contact of the person responsible for organizing speaker's right at the association's Web site, or you can use the generic "contact" email and ask who the appropriate person is to contact. Either way, expect a delayed response, since the member responsible for checking the association's email is probably a volunteer, and therefore, only checks email once, maybe twice a week. On average, I've found most organizations respond within two days, three at the most.<br /><br />Once you've found the right contact, ask her if she'd like to receive your bio. Don't just send your bio without permission, instead, be invited to do so. Why? By withholding your bio, it gives you another excuse to "touch" your contact. At minimum, you'll usually have four to five opportunities to contact the speaker coordinator, including:<br /><br />- Initial introduction Email - Would you like to review my bio? Email - Follow up Email One - Follow up Email Two - Follow up Email Three<br /><br />Remember every step of the way they're evaluating your professionalism. Stretch out your touch points, so to deepen the relationship. In other words, don't show your cards all at once. Hold on to them for a bit to build a relationship.<br /><br />PREPARE SPEAKER RESOURCES BEFOREHAND It's imperative you have a professional speaker bio before you pitch your speaking services. Feel free to check out my format at http://www.SharronSenter.com/s.htm A standard bio is usually one, 8.5 X 11 page.<br /><br />Your bio should include the following:<br /><br />- Professional Headshot - Credentials - education, certifications, awards - Experience - past speaking gigs - Testimonials - Sample Presentation/Workshop - Contact Information - phone, Web site and email<br /><br />Sharron Senter is a New England-based marketing consultant, speaker, writer and founder of Senter & Associates, a marketing communications firm that helps small businesses deploy low-cost online and offline marketing tactics.PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-61118809242934730412008-04-10T00:55:00.000-07:002008-04-10T00:56:52.061-07:00How To Conquer Public Speaking FearHow To Conquer Public Speaking Fear<br />By Morton C. Orman, M.D.<br /><br />Public speaking is a common source of stress for everyone. Many of us would like to avoid this problem entirely, but this is hard to do. Whether we work alone or with large numbers of people, eventually we will need to speak in public to get certain tasks accomplished. And if we want to be leaders or achieve anything meaningful in our lives, we will often need to speak to groups, large and small, to be successful.<br /><br />The truth about public speaking, however, is IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE STRESSFUL! If you correctly understand the hidden causes of public speaking stress, and if you keep just a few key principles in mind, speaking in public will soon become an invigorating and satisfying experience for you.<br /><br />Purpose Of This Report<br />The purpose of this Special Report is to help you overcome the fear of public speaking. It begins by discussing ten key principles to always keep in mind. If you approach any problem in life with the right starting principles, everything else will fall into place. On the other hand, if you start with the wrong guiding principles, you can try all you want, but there is little chance you'll improve.<br /><br />This Report also reveals eleven "hidden" causes of public speaking stress. I have summarized these eleven causes, along with the ten key principles, at the end of this Report, so you can easily review them.<br /><br />Key Principles<br />Principle #1--Speaking in Public is NOT Inherently Stressful<br /><br />Most of us believe parts of life are inherently stressful. In fact, most of us have been taught to believe that life as a whole is very stressful!<br /><br />To deal with any type of stress effectively, you first must understand that life itself, including public speaking, is NOT inherently stressful. Thousands of human beings have learned to speak in front of groups with little or no stress at all. Many of these people were initially terrified to speak in public. Their knees would shake, their voices would tremble, their thoughts would become jumbled . . . you know the rest. Yet they learned to eliminate their fear of public speaking completely.<br /><br />You are no more or less human than they are. If they can conquer the fear of public speaking, so can you! It just takes the right guiding principles, the right understanding, and the right plan of action to make this goal a reality.<br /><br />Believe me, it's not difficult. I'm a good example of someone who conquered the fear of public speaking. And while I didn't do it overnight, it wasn't difficult. All it took was approaching the problem in the right way.<br /><br />Principle #2--You Don't have to be Brilliant or Perfect to Succeed<br /><br />Many of us have observed public speakers and thought to ourselves "Wow, I could never be that smart, calm, witty, entertaining, polished . . . or whatever." Well, I've got news for you-- you don't have to be brilliant, witty, or perfect to succeed. That is not what public speaking is all about. I know it may look that way, but it's not. You can be average. You can be below average. You can make mistakes, get tongue-tied, or forget whole segments of your talk. You can even tell no jokes at all and still be successful.<br /><br />It all depends on how you, and your audience, define "success." Believe me, your audience doesn't expect perfection. I used to think most audiences did, but I was wrong! Before I discovered this, I used to put incredible pressure on myself to deliver a perfect performance. I worked for days to prepare a talk. I stayed up nights worrying about making mistakes. I spent hours and hours rehearsing what I was going to say. And you know what? All this did was make me even more anxious! The more perfect I tried to be, the worse I did! It was all very disheartening (not to mention unnecessary).<br /><br />The essence of public speaking is this: give your audience something of value. That's all there is to it. If people in your audience walk away with something (anything) of value, they will consider you a success. If they walk away feeling better about themselves, feeling better about some job they have to do, they will consider you a success. If they walk away feeling happy or entertained, they will consider their time with you worthwhile.<br /><br />Even if you pass out, get tongue-tied, or say something stupid during your talk . . . they won't care! As long as they get something of value, they will be thankful.<br /><br />They don't even need to feel good to consider you a success. If you criticize people, or if you stir them up to ultimately benefit them, they might still appreciate you, even though you didn't make them feel good at the time.<br /><br />Principle #3--All You Need is Two or Three Main Points<br /><br />You don't have to deliver mountains of facts or details to give your audience what they truly want. Many studies have shown that people remember very few of the facts or information speakers convey. While you may choose to include lots of facts and information, you only need to make two or three main points to have your talk be successful. You can even have your whole talk be about only one key point, if you wish.<br /><br />When I first began speaking in public during medical school (kicking, screaming, and quivering all the way), I wasn't aware of this simple principle. I wrongly believed that my audience wanted encyclopedic knowledge from me, which of course I didn't have. So I tried to research my topic thoroughly and deliver as much worldly wisdom as possible.<br /><br />Boy was that exhausting! It was also boring for my audience to suffer through.<br /><br />Later, when I began giving public seminars on how to cope with stress, I spent hours each week typing a twenty-page script to read from, so I wouldn't forget any important tidbit.<br /><br />As time went on, I gradually learned that this degree of complexity wasn't needed. As a result, the length of my discussion notes gradually declined. My twenty-page typed manuscript gave way to a five-page detailed outline. Then, I replaced my outline with ten or fifteen index cards. Eventually, I could conduct a full two-hour seminar with only one 3X5 index card (containing my two or three key points) to support me!<br /><br />As long as I focused on these two or three key points, I was able to speak at length about them by naturally drawing upon my past experiences and knowledge.<br /><br />Remember, all your audience wants from you is to walk away with one or two key points that will make a difference to them. If you structure your talks to deliver this result, you can avoid lots of complexity that isn't really needed. This also should make your job as a speaker much easier, and more fun too!<br /><br />Principle #4--You also Need a Purpose That is Right for the Task<br /><br />This principle is very important . . . so please listen up. One big mistake people make when they speak in public is they have the wrong purpose in mind. Often, they have no specific purpose in mind, but the one that is operating within them unconsciously causes a whole lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety.<br /><br />This is a prime example of what I call a "hidden cause" of public speaking stress. When I first started speaking in public, I thought my purpose was to get everyone in the audience to approve of me. I mistakenly thought that this was what good public speakers try to do. I wasn't consciously aware of this purpose, nor how foolish it was, but it was there nonetheless.<br /><br />Because of this hidden purpose, I felt I needed to be absolutely perfect and brilliant to win my audience's unanimous approval. If just one person in the audience disapproved . . . my goose was cooked! If one person left early, if anyone fell asleep, or if someone looked uninterested in what I was saying . . . I was defeated!<br /><br />This was very anxiety-producing.<br /><br />Later, after I became aware of this stress-producing purpose, I was able to look at it honestly and realize how foolish it was. How many public speakers get 100% approval from their audiences? The answer is zero!<br /><br />The truth about public speaking is no matter how good a job you do . . . someone is going to disapprove of either you or your argument. That is just human nature. In a large group of people, there will always be a diversity of opinions, judgements, and reactions. Some will be positive, others will be negative.<br /><br />There is no rhyme or reason to it. If you do a lousy job, some people will sympathize with you and feel for you, while others will critique you harshly. If you do a fantastic job, someone will resent your ability and might disapprove of you on that basis alone. Some people will leave early because of an emergency. Some will fall asleep because they were up all night taking care of a sick child. Therefore, it's foolish and unrealistic to attempt to get everyone in your audience to think well of you.<br /><br />More importantly, it's the wrong type of purpose to adopt in the first place.<br /><br />Remember, the essence of public speaking is to give your audience something of value. The operative word here is GIVE not GET! The purpose of public speaking is not for you to get something (approval, fame, respect, sales, clients, etc.) from your audience. It is to give something useful to your audience.<br /><br />Yes, if you do this well, you'll gain notoriety, respect, sales, and new clients. But this should never be your organizing purpose going in. If you focus on giving as much as you can to your audience, you will then be aligned with the truth about public speaking. You also will avoid one of the biggest pitfalls that cause people to experience public speaking anxiety.<br /><br />Giving of yourself is rarely stressful or anxiety producing. When I give a talk to a group of people, I often imagine myself handing out $1,000 bills to everyone in the audience. I try to give them at least that much value. If a few individuals in the group reject this "gift," it no longer surprises or demoralizes me. I no longer expect anything different.<br /><br />Principle #5--The Best Way to Succeed is Not to consider Yourself a Public Speaker!<br /><br />While it may seem paradoxical, the best way to succeed as a public speaker is not to consider yourself a public speaker at all.<br /><br />Many of us have distorted, exaggerated views of what successful public speakers do. We often assume that to be successful ourselves, we must strive very hard to bring forth certain idealistic qualities we presently lack.<br /><br />Consequently, we struggle desperately to emulate those personal characteristics of other speakers which we wrongly believe are responsible for their public speaking success.<br /><br />In other words, we try to become someone other than ourselves! We try to be a public speaker, whatever that image means to us.<br /><br />The truth about public speaking is that most successful speakers got that way by doing just the opposite! They didn't try to be like somebody else. They just gave themselves permission to be themselves in front of other people. And much to their surprise, they discovered how much fun they could have doing something most other people dread.<br /><br />The secret, then, to their success is that they didn't try to become public speakers!<br /><br />You and I can do the very same thing. No matter what type of person we are, or what skills and talents we possess, we can stand up in front of others and fully be ourselves.<br /><br />I now love to speak in public. Why? Because it's one of the few times I give myself permission to fully be myself in the presence of others. I can be bold, compassionate, silly, informative, helpful, witty . . . anything I want. I can tell jokes, which I don't normally do, tell humorous or poignant stories, or do anything else that feels natural in the moment.<br /><br />As a result, I make much better contact with my audience. I don't drone on and on about some uninteresting subject. I'm alive, I'm energized, I'm fully invested in everything I say and do. That's another gift I can give my audience. It also allows me to tell when I've gone on too long or when the people who are listening to me begin to drift away.<br /><br />When you really get good at being yourself in front of others, you can even stand up in front of a group of people without any idea how you're going to get across your two or three main points. Sometimes, I enjoy throwing myself in front of a group without knowing specifically what I'm going to say. I just focus on my three main points and remember I'm there to give people something of value. Then I give myself permission to say whatever comes to mind. In many instances, I say things I've never said before! They just come out of me spontaneously while "being with my audience." Sometimes, I'm truly amazed at some of the things I end up saying or doing.<br /><br />And you know what? People in the audience often come up to me afterward and say, "you were great, I wish I had the confidence to give public talks like you." That's exactly the wrong way to think. Don't try to give talks the way I do, or the way anyone else does. Just go out there, armed with a little knowledge and a few key points, and be yourself. Everything else will usually work out. It might be a little rough the first few times you try it, but after a while, you'll settle into some very successful ways of being that will be all yours and no one else's.<br /><br />Principle #6--Humility and Humor Can Go a Long Way<br /><br />While each person will eventually find his or her style of public speaking, certain maneuvers can be used by almost everyone. Two of these, humility and humor, can go a long way to making your talks more enjoyable and entertaining for your audience.<br /><br />Humor is well understood by most of us, so little needs to be said about it here. If being humorous feels comfortable for you, or if it fits your speaking situation, go for it. It usually works, even if you don't do it perfectly.<br /><br />By humility, I mean standing up in front of others and sharing some of your own human frailties, weaknesses, and mistakes. We all have weaknesses, you know, and when you stand up in front of others and show that you're not afraid to admit yours, you create a safe, intimate climate where others can acknowledge their personal shortcomings as well.<br /><br />Being humble in front of others makes you more credible, more believable, and paradoxically more respected. People can connect with you more easily. You become "one of them" instead of a remote expert who's head and shoulders above them (which you really aren't). It also sets a tone of honesty and self-acceptance, which people recognize in themselves as well. Don't try to do this, however, if it's not authentic for you. True humility is easily distinguished from the pretense of acting humble. If you pretend, your audience will perceive this and lose respect for you.<br /><br />Often, humor and humility can be combined very effectively. Telling humorous stories about yourself, or using your own personal failings to demonstrate some point you are trying to make, can be both entertaining and illuminating.<br /><br />For example, if you get nervous when you stand up to speak in front of a group, or if you suddenly feel nervous during the middle of your talk, don't hide this fact from your audience (they can tell anyway). Be real--and humble--by acknowledging your fear openly and honestly. Ask your audience for forgiveness while you take a few moments to collect yourself.<br /><br />Or, you can start your talk with a humorous story that produces the same effect. For example, I've seen speakers begin their talks by saying "What lies at the bottom of the ocean and shakes all over?" Answer: a nervous wreck! This is a very endearing strategy that also helps relieve speaking anxiety.<br /><br />Principle #7--When You Speak in Public, Nothing "Bad" Can Ever Happen!<br /><br />One thing that adds to the fear of public speaking is the dread people have that something awful, terrible, or publicly humiliating will happen to them.<br /><br />What if I pass out from nervous exhaustion? What if I forget everything I intended to say and am left standing there, totally speechless? What if the audience hates me and begins throwing things at me?<br /><br />What if they all get up and leave after the first ten minutes? What if they snipe at me with harsh questions or comments once I'm done? What if someone in the audience tries to turn the group against me?<br /><br />These could be embarrassing if they occurred. Fortunately, most of them don't happen.<br /><br />Even when they do, it's useful to have a strategy in mind that has them turn out perfect. Sound difficult? It's not really.<br /><br />I've found that most of the "negative" things that happen when I'm speaking can be handled by keeping this one simple, but powerful, principle in mind: everything that happens can be used to my advantage.<br /><br />If people get up and start to head for the door, I can stop what I'm doing and ask for feedback. Was there something about my topic, my style, or my manner of presentation that was offensive to them? Were they simply in the wrong room at the start and didn't know it? Did someone misinform them about what my talk was going to cover?<br /><br />Regardless of what they tell me, just stopping to deal with this situation, honestly and humbly, will often score points with my remaining audience. It also will give me the opportunity to learn how I am affecting people, so I can make any corrections that might be needed.<br /><br />Even if everyone walked out and refused to give me a reason, I could ultimately find ways to benefit from this experience. At the very least, I could use it as the opening for my next presentation. "You know, I gave this same talk the other day and everyone in the audience walked out in the first ten minutes. That's my current record, so I guess we'll just have to see what happens today."<br /><br />The same principle holds for dealing with hecklers or people who ask harsh or confrontational questions. If you assume that nothing truly bad can ever happen when you're speaking in public, you'll be amazed how well you can relate to such events and how often you can indeed use them to your advantage.<br /><br />And once you've successfully used this principle many times, your anxiety about public speaking will almost completely go away. You'll know it will be virtually impossible for anything "bad" to happen that you won't be able to handle. That is a very comforting thought.<br /><br />TIP: If you want a good role model for developing this skill, rent a video tape of Johnny Carson's opening monologues. He was a master at using this principle. No matter how his audience responded, Carson was always ready to use their response, positive or negative, to make another joke. He simply couldn't lose, even if the material his writers provided him was rotten.<br /><br />Principle #8--You Don't Have to Control the Behavior of Your Audience<br /><br />To succeed as a public speaker, you don't have to control the behavior of your audience. There are certain things you do need to control--your own thoughts, your preparation, arrangements for audio-visual aids, how the room is laid out--but one thing you don't have to control is your audience. They will do whatever they do, and whatever they do will usually be "perfect."<br /><br />If people are fidgety or restless, don't try to control this. If someone is talking to a neighbor, or reading the newspaper, or falling asleep, leave them alone. If people look like they aren't paying attention, refrain from chastising them. Unless someone is being intentionally disruptive, there is very little you need to control.<br /><br />Thinking you need to change or control other people is a hidden cause of stress in many areas of life. This is just as true for relating to a group as it is for relating to your friends, spouse, children, or other acquaintances.<br /><br />Principle #9--In General, the More You Prepare, the Worse You Will Do<br /><br />Preparation is useful for any public appearance. How you prepare, however, and how much time you need to spend are other matters entirely.<br /><br />Many of the errors in thinking we've discussed so far often creep in to people's strategies for preparation. If you have the wrong focus (i.e., purpose), if you try to do too much, if you want everyone to applaud your every word, if you fear something bad might happen or you might make a minor mistake, then you can easily drive yourself crazy trying to overprepare your talk. In these instances, the more effort you put in, the worse you probably will do.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you know your subject well, or if you've spoken about it many times before, you may only need a few minutes to prepare sufficiently. All you might need is to remind yourself of the two or three key points you want to make, along with several good examples and supporting facts and . . . BOOM you're ready to go.<br /><br />Overpreparation usually means you either don't know your subject well or you do, but you don't feel confident about your ability to speak about it in public. In the former instance, you'll need to do some extra research. In the latter, you'll need to develop trust in your natural ability to speak successfully. The only way to do this is to put yourself in the spotlight, over and over again.<br /><br />Go out and solicit opportunities to speak on your subject in public. Offer to speak free or for a small fee, enough to cover your expenses. If you have something of value to tell others, keep getting in front of people and deliver it. In no time at all, you'll gain confidence. You'll also begin to respect the natural public speaker/communicator within you.<br /><br />Principle #10--Your Audience Truly Wants You to Succeed<br /><br />The last principle to remember is that your audience truly wants you to succeed. Most of them are scared to death of public speaking, just like you. They know the risk of embarrassment, humiliation, and failure you take every time you present yourself in public. They feel for you. They will admire your courage. And they will be on your side, no matter what happens.<br /><br />This means that most audiences are truly forgiving. While a slip of the tongue or a mistake of any kind might seem a big deal to you, it's not very meaningful or important to your audience. Their judgements and appraisals will usually be much more lenient than yours. It's useful to remind yourself of this point, especially when you think you've performed poorly.<br /><br />Review Of 11 Hidden Causes Of Public Speaking Stress<br />Thinking that public speaking is inherently stressful (it's not). <br />Thinking you need to be brilliant or perfect to succeed (you don't). <br />Trying to impart too much information or cover too many points in a short presentation. <br />Having the wrong purpose in mind (to get rather than to give/contribute). <br />Trying to please everyone (this is unrealistic). <br />Trying to emulate other speakers (very difficult) rather than simply being yourself (very easy). <br />Failing to be personally revealing and humble. <br />Being fearful of potential negative outcomes (they almost never occur and even when they do, you can use them to your advantage). <br />Trying to control the wrong things (e.g., the behavior of your audience). <br />Spending too much time overpreparing (instead of developing confidence and trust in your natural ability to succeed). <br />Thinking your audience will be as critical of your performance as you might be. <br />Review of 10 Key Principles To Always Keep In Mind<br />#1---Speaking in Public is NOT Inherently Stressful<br />#2---You Don't Have to be Brilliant or Perfect to Succeed<br /><br />#3---All You Need is Two or Three Main Points<br /><br />#4---You also Need a Purpose That is Right for the Task<br /><br />#5---The Best Way to Succeed is NOT to Consider Yourself a Public Speaker!<br /><br />#6---Humility and Humor Can Go a Long Way<br /><br />#7---When You Speak in Public, Nothing "Bad" Can Ever Happen!<br /><br />#8---You Don't Have to Control the Behavior of Your Audience<br /><br />#9---In General, the More You Prepare, the Worse You Will Do<br /><br />#10--Your Audience Truly Wants You to Succeed<br /><br />That's all there is to it. Just look for these eleven hidden causes and keep the ten corresponding principles in mind.<br /><br />Of course, you will need to practice. It's extremely easy to forget the ten key principles. No matter how often you review them, you'll instinctively fall back into your old stress-producing patterns.<br /><br />What is the best way to practice? Go out and speak in public. Join a local Toastmasters Group if you like. Take a community college course in public speaking. Better yet, offer to teach a course about something you know very well.<br /><br />Just keep throwing yourself into the arena, and in no time at all, your skill, confidence, and natural ability will come to the surface.<br /><br />And remember, if you get up in front of a group and find this stressful, it only means you forgot the truth about what public speaking is all about. Go back and review this Report. Find out what you did wrong or what you didn't remember. Then go back out and speak again until you get it right. It may take time, but the long-term rewards will be impressive.<br /><br />Suggestions for Further Reading<br /><br />If you like this type of advice and find it useful, you might want to check out my full-length book about stress called The 14 Day Stress Cure (323 pages, $24.95). It covers many additional hidden causes of stress. It also focuses on numerous other issues, such as how to cope with anger, frustration, and other negative emotions; how to deal with relationship conflicts; how to reduce your stress at work; and how to deal with stress related physical complaints.<br /><br />http://www.stresscure.com/jobstress/speak.htmlPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-54688368927168847242008-04-06T14:53:00.000-07:002008-04-09T21:40:13.666-07:00Finding Your Purpose in LifeFinding Your Purpose in Life - Bringing Passion to the Game of Life by Keith Raymond<br /><br />If you do not have a purpose for "why" you are doing what you are doing, you may be saying to yourself "something is missing in my work or life". It's often because you do not have a purpose and you want help with that. Purpose is something you create or decide on. Many people think it's something mystical and discovered by accident. It's not.<br /><br />Ever wonder why it some people seem to "make it" while most of us seem to just wander along aimlessly? Well... that is what happens when you have no clue what you were meant to do in this life. Without vision the people perish, said Moses. And without a vision for your life you are at risk of getting way off course and living somebody else's idea of what your life should be. DO NOT DO THIS! A failure to plan is plan to fail. <br /><br />Finding your purpose in life is the key factor in setting objectives and achieving goals in your life. If you cannot identify a clear purpose in your life, in your career or business pursuit it is difficult to set and achieve meaningful goals. <br /><br /><strong>Are You In Touch With Your Life Purpose?</strong><br /><br />If you don't think you're out of touch with your life purpose, take a couple seconds to complete this quick quiz about one area of your life - your career: <br /><br />1. Are you doing EXACTLY the kind of work that makes you want to leap out of bed each morning excited to begin a new day? <br /><br />2. Does your work satisfy a deep need within to express yourself, your talents, and your values? <br /><br />3. Does your work allow for a balanced life - one that leaves time for family and friends, for exercise or hobbies, for you? <br /><br />4. Are you doing what you love and loving what you do?<br /><br />Without a clear purpose in life, people easily lose their direction and motivation or the will to continue when life throws them a curveball, when they hit a pothole or face difficult challenges. Without a life purpose, it is difficult to develop any sense of satisfaction for accomplishments along life's path.<br /><br /><strong>On the Path to Finding Your Purpose in Life - The Torch of Passion</strong><br /><br />The great thing is that it is easy to find your purpose in life and reconnect with your life passions. You could easily reconnect yourself with your life purpose and passions in life. With just a few simple steps, you can identify or confirm what your life purpose is. There are simple, easy-to-use steps to help you uncover what your passions are and what your purpose in life is. Most importantly once you've identified this the rest of your glife game plan seems so much easier:<br /><br />1) Clarify Your Purpose in Life: Purpose as define by Webster is: "the reason for which something exists, is done, made, etc... an intended or desired result, aim or goal. To intend or resolve." If, for example, your career seems stagnant it could be that you've never clearly defined your career objectives. If you have lost your enthusiasm for your job, family, or spiritually, it's because you have disconnected with the "why". Reconnect with your purpose, once and for all, what your purpose and passion is for your career, family, finance, etc...If you don't know where you're going, you're sure to get there!<br /><br />2) A Personal Mission Statement. This is the first part of your motivation plan, crossing the gulf between your purpose (career, family, etc...) and achieving your goals. There is enormous power that is unleashed when you write down your personal mission statement. It opens the power of the subconscious mind to seek out and collect the necessary resources to fulfill your goals as determined by your purpose. It also infuses your spirit with the passion of it's connection to your purpose. It is often seen in team sports as the group rallies to the challenge and cause of a championship.<br /><br />3) Goal Setting and Objectives are a must-have if you want to set and track your progress. While you may have the desire to win the series and championship, it takes planning and those to act on that vision. It is outlining the steps -milestones (interim goals) - that need to be achieved to attain the victory. They are calculated at every step and you must hit those milestones before achieving the ultimate target. How often have your heard a team coach say we lost because we didn't follow our game plan?<br /><br />4) Self Motivation Techniques. Success is the culmination of the simple yet often overlooked elements of success: purpose, determination, commitment, attitude, self confidence, etc...These words may seem aloof and distant, but they only appear that way when you don't have the first three parts of your plan. These are the internal abilities that have laid dormant over the years. Your innate self motivating techniques are like seeds in the ground laying dormant ready to germinate once the three other component of your plan are enabled. You can awaken these techniques by putting together the first three part above.<br /><br />Knowing what your purpose in life is for all areas of your life is and how to write personal mission statements can help you lead a fulfilling life. If you have an idea of what you want, you're not afraid of going after what you want. In knowing what you want, this creates internal orientation because you now know what you want and creates the motivation to get it. With the plan and goal setting you know how to get it. By setting out goals along the way - markers to measure the progress of your plan, you'll be able to measure your progress and evaluate results. In this way, you are tapping into your latent self motivation techniques that are the hallmark of any great champion team or individual athlete. <br /><br /><br /><br />About the Author<br />Keith Raymond is a Business Mentor, Life Coach and author of The Elements of Success. You can learn more about how to recharge your life by finding your purpose in life. Please visit http://www.yoursuccessprinciples.com to tap into your life's passion.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Here is a lecture I delivered to toastmasters on finding your purpose and passions in life:</strong><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6k2QJeB6ltE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6k2QJeB6ltE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-14968917110693189342008-04-06T00:22:00.000-07:002008-04-06T00:28:11.422-07:005 simple tips to get you public speaking immediately!5 simple tips to get you public speaking immediately by Kirsty Dunphey<br /><br /> So you wanna speak eh? You're just starting out and don't know how to get your foot in the door? Well the following 5 tips will get you out there and in the public eye immediately. While these jobs may not pay the big bucks if you've got a killer presentation, getting out there like this will ensure you get noticed and get more bookings which can lead wherever you like.<br />1. Rotary<br /><br />The Low Down: There are probably about a dozen Rotary, Lions, Probus or other similar service clubs within 15 minutes driving time of you meeting each week worldwide. Most of these clubs are crying out for interesting speakers at each and every meeting. You’ll typically get about 15 to 20 minutes with about 5 minutes for question time at the end. <br /><br />The How's and Where's: Got to your local Rotary website, start here: www.rotary.org and search from there. <br /><br />The Thing to Remember: I've always found I have to slow down my speaking at service clubs due to a percentage of the members not being¦ shall we say Gen Y like myself. This is a great learning experience and has actually dramatically improved my speaking. <br /><br />The Bonus: Hook up with a Rotary club to speak while travelling and you'll instantly be able to say to future clients that you've recently arrived back from speaking in… Brazil (or wherever you’ve travelled). Glamour plus!<br /><br />2. Schools<br /><br />The Low Down: I have found in my many speaking experiences that kids are painfully honest. While this can be bone shatteringly brutal at times, if you can wow a room full of high school age kids you can speak almost anywhere.<br /><br />The How's and Where's: Write to your local schools, include a profile and tell them why you should be allowed in to corrupt, er, shape young minds. <br /><br />The Thing to Remember: Get kids to remember you by setting up a myspace page that they can log into and join as your "friend". <br /><br />The Bonus: If you really crack a kid audience, they'll go home and tell their parents and voila - more work!<br /><br />3. 5 x 5<br /><br />The Low Down: If you have 25 friends you can do this. Ok, that scared a lot of you, if you have 5 patient friends you can do this. Set up a regular time each week for 5 weeks and give a 20 minute presentation to 5 of your friends. Then sit down with them for 20 minutes (yes a whole 20 minutes afterwards) and drill them for feedback. Each week a different presentation, and different (hopefully improved) feedback. <br /><br />The How's and Where's: Bring coffee and doughnuts and be well prepared - don't waste your friend's time. <br /><br />The Thing to Remember: Pick friends who won't just tell you that the sun shines out of your¦ microphone. You want honesty. Get the friend who tells someone when their bum looks big in the mirror!<br /><br />The Bonus: With only one week to prepare a new speech you're under the pump - use this to your advantage and don't cancel for any reason even if there's only one person in the room!<br /><br />4. Be Industrious<br /><br />The Low Down: If your industry has a convention, local, national, whatever, start volunteering to play a part in it. Introduce one of the keynote speakers, provide an update on a new technology or do as I did and offer to do a keynote at a convention of over 1,000 real estate agents before you've ever done a big speaking job. (You never know they just might say yes!)<br /><br />The How's and Where's: Your local industry group is the best place to start, as is attending a conference first (so you can get your bearings). <br /><br />The Thing to Remember: Your peers will be one of the more terrifying audiences you will ever speak in front of. Rock this crowd and you'll be a legend, fall on your face and you'll never live it down. <br /><br />The Bonus: Speaking is a great way to become known as an expert in your field. Being an expert naturally leads to more business. <br /><br />5. Shmaltz, Lives and Videotape<br /><br />The Low Down: Before you attempt any of tips 1 to 4 videotape yourself giving an entire presentation. <br /><br />The How's and Where's: Even many digital still cameras these days have a video function so you'll be able to borrow a camera. <br /><br />The Thing to Remember: Regardless of the fact that there's no audience do NOT stop for anything. Pretend you're on stage and kick through it, regardless of how badly you miff your opening line. <br /><br />The Bonus: In 5 years time when you're an old hand at this you'll have some hilarious videos to watch with a cocktail in hand! <br /><br /><br /><br />About the Author<br />Kirsty Dunphey is one of Australia's most publicised young entrepreneurs and is the founder of www.reallysold.com - the ultimate tool to help real estate agents write amazing advertisements. Kirsty was a self-made millionaire at 23 and a self-made multi-millionaire at 25 and was retired at 27. To find out more head to www.kirstydunphey.comPublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-43683166249936000002008-04-06T00:14:00.000-07:002008-04-06T00:21:01.429-07:005 Sure Fire Ways To Battle Insecurity5 Sure Fire Ways To Battle Insecurity by Kim McGinnis<br /><br /><br />First we are pushed out from our mother's womb, then we are passed around from person to person like a hot potato. Next we are subjected to going to some strange place with other strange youngsters, while Mommy and Daddy go off to work. It just gets scarier after that. So, after years of having it stripped away from us, how do we hang on to a little security in an increasingly insecure world? Here are some ways that may offer a little inspiration:<br /><br />1. Learn to enjoy your own company. If your blood pressure rises when you realize you are going to be home alone, you really need to experience more evenings by yourself. Think back to a time when you were at your happiest. What were you doing? Even if you were with a dear friend, that does not mean you cannot recreate the feeling you had. Watercolor, get a kid's coloring book and some crayons and get busy. Sing in your underwear, using the spatula as a microphone. Have fun, when no one is watching, and you will be more secure being yourself when you are with others.<br /><br />2. Practice saying positive affirmations. First right them down. Here are a few examples:<br /><br />I am confident in a state of not knowing.<br /><br />The power of love allows me to trust my instincts above all.<br /><br />My inspirational contribution is a zen gift to the Universe.<br /><br />I am aware and open to all the spiritual healing life is bringing me.<br /><br />Enlightenment is my birthright.<br /><br />I am always connected to our inner source which provides me with constant divine guidance.<br /><br />Many times insecurity has its roots in negative messages, which were fed to us when we were growing up. These are false messages. The uncluttered truth is you are a divine being. Practice writing and speaking affirmations that confirm this, and you will be much closer to the freedom that comes with living a fulfilling life.<br /><br />3. Take a public Speaking Class. Public speaking is known to be one of people's greatest fears. If this is true for you, this is a great exercise to try. Join a club that allows you to get your feet wet speaking in front of an audience. The organization, Toastmasters, provides a wonderful venue where the members have the opportunity to present a speech. The audience offers three positive comments, and then one constructive comment. This a creative way to learn something new in a supportive atmosphere.<br /><br />Once you have this experience under your belt, your comfort level with soar. You will be more secure conversing with others, whether you are at a work-related black tie event or meeting someone on a first date from your online service.<br /><br />4. Give Compliments. When you give other compliments, you are complimenting yourself. Look at the people around you, and pick up the best qualities that they have to offer. Maybe they have a warm smile, or they have graceful movements, or perhaps they have exquisite taste in clothing. When you begin to take the focus off of yourself and turn your attention to others, you will notice a dramatic rise in your comfort level. And when you start noticing more and more positive attributes in your fellow travelers, you will begin to notice more in yourself.<br /><br />Be genuine. People love to be complimented, but they can tell when it is not sincere. There is no need to over do it, just express your thought in a light, off-handed way. They may be taken aback, and they will begin to look at you differently. When pure positive energy is exchanged in this way, amazing things will magically happen.<br /><br />5. Write down your Goals. These could be work or personal. Start with one, and then move on to the next one. This should have nothing to do about the expectations of others. What are your dreams? Maybe you have spent your whole life in a job that you cannot stand. You have to know that it is never too late to change careers. You owe it to yourself, to dig deep, and be honest. Do a little research about what it would take to get there. Put these things on your to do list. Break down these steps so that they are achievable. Mark each one off as you accomplish them. Change happens incrementally. Persistence turns change into transformation.<br /><br />The whole idea of security is a bit elusive. Somewhere a long the way, we came to believe that we need security. Security is good, to be without it is bad. Maybe, maybe not. Looked at from another way, we could say there is nothing wrong with feeling insecure. When we put ourselves in challenging situations, we set up a foundation for us to reach another level of fulfillment. Once we move past the feeling of insecurity it gives way to a feeling of contentment. So, do not beat yourself up if you are feeling insecure.<br /><br />Wake up to this new way of thinking: imagine your feeling of insecurity as a gift. Accept it, open it up, and examine it. Once you understand what you are holding, you can let it go. <br /><br /><br /><br />About the Author<br />Kim Mcginnis is a freelance writer and entrepreneur. Most recently Kim has developed A Zen Gift http://www.azengift.com - a website that offers products to promote a zen lifestyle. A Zen Gift offers unique gifts, yoga products, herbal remedies, & much more. Also, please visit Kim at Zen Fireflies http://www.zenfireflies.com to see her amazing electronic fireflies that dance in the night.PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-27774679770529858762008-04-04T00:08:00.000-07:002008-04-04T00:13:48.033-07:00Public Speaking: Someone's CallingThis was my first competitive speech in toastmasters. I won the District 39 Divison E, Area 51 1st place speaker award that year. I was excited to reach this level with power and passion for my message.<br /><br />This speech is about finding your purpose in life. Something I went through in my own life. I fully believe this is what drives some to be come public speakers and get into public speaking.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uKjmo062hYs&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uKjmo062hYs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1068939612798916003.post-65762337233895837142008-04-03T16:00:00.000-07:002008-04-03T16:07:33.535-07:00Public Speaking: IntroductionWelcome to my blog. I have been a public speaker for several years now. I started way back in the early 80's with my first speaking class in college. <br /><br />As you may recall that total abject terror that went through you with your first few speeches, I wasn't immune either. <br /><br />I was in Mr. Mcgraffs class at Sacramento City College in of course Sacramento California. I distinctly remember the podium shaking with my fear when I gave that first speech. <br /><br />I was too afraid to let go of the podium, my voice sounding like I was just going through puberty but somehow I actually had wrote and delivered a pretty good speech.<br /><br />I was hook and went on to take more speech classes.<br /><br />I put speaking away in my life for 15 or more years and was called upon to deliver a big speech at the Sacramento Convention center. I won't even tell you how that went.<br /><br />2 years ago I joined Toastmasters International to work on my speaking skills. For those of us who feel the calling of our purpose in life this is a must.<br /><br />I won 13 speeches in a row and went on to win 2 competitive speeches that year.<br /><br />Last year I also successfully competed and won up to the Division E level. <br /><br />I will share with the readers of this blog what I have learned about public speaking so stay tuned!<br /><br />Chris,PublicSpeakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452873452943945781noreply@blogger.com0