| Imagine a professional football player the day before | | | | When you are creating your speech, ask yourself, |
| the Big Game. Do you think he is visualizing all the | | | | "What do I really want to say? What has purpose and |
| mistakes he could possibly make? Is he cringing as he | | | | passion for me?" Many speech coaches will tell you to |
| imagines getting tackled violently and often? Does he | | | | focus on what the audience wants to hear rather than |
| dwell on all the passes he won't catch, the fumbles he | | | | what you want to say, and while that is good advice, |
| might make, and the deafening boo's he'll hear from | | | | when you get in touch with what you really want to |
| the crowd? | | | | say, your entire speaking experience will be one |
| Not a chance. | | | | thousand times more successful. |
| He's totally focused on how it will feel to make | | | | How Do You Want To Feel? |
| numerous touchdowns, catch every ball that comes | | | | Imagine being in front of your audience. How do you |
| his way, execute every play perfectly and effortlessly, | | | | want to feel? How do you want to experience this |
| run faster than ever and in the end, win, win, win! | | | | opportunity? For now, don't think about what you want |
| Yet, when people are getting ready to speak in public, | | | | to say or do. Just let yourself imagine feeling exactly |
| they do just the opposite. They start to imagine all the | | | | as you want to feel. "I want to feel at ease, |
| horrible things that could possibly go wrong. They | | | | comfortable, confident, at home. Eager, excited and full |
| worry about making a mistake, looking stupid, being | | | | of energy." |
| boring, blanking out, not knowing enough, or any number | | | | What Do You Want to Have Happen? |
| of problems that will probably never happen. | | | | This is where you focus on the details of each |
| This negative, "What-if" thinking does not serve you in | | | | moment, how the crowd will respond, the questions |
| any way. First of all, 99.9% of anything you worry | | | | they will ask, the response you will get. This is where |
| about will never happen. Secondly, this kind of thinking | | | | you get to write the script exactly as you want it to |
| creates more anxiety, tension, and fear. Follow the | | | | go. Just like the football player who imagines each play |
| football player and get your mind focused on creating | | | | being executed perfectly, you, get to imagine each and |
| a extraordinary experience of success for yourself. | | | | every aspect of your speech unfolding perfectly. |
| Start with the following: | | | | What Happens Now? |
| Focus on What You Want | | | | Now your speech is over. What happens? Do you get |
| When your mind starts nagging you with horror story | | | | swarmed by the crowd asking for your autograph? |
| scenarios of what could go wrong, just say, "Hey, wait | | | | Are you lifted on the shoulders of your fans and |
| a minute! I don't want this!" and start thinking about | | | | carried off stage? Why not? It happens to other |
| what you DO want. "I want to feel great when I'm | | | | superstars. You can imagine it any way you like. |
| speaking. I want to make a connection with my | | | | You can create your experience with your thoughts. |
| audience. I want to feel confident about my message." | | | | So create like the football player. Focus on what you |
| That sort of thing. Get your focus on what you want. | | | | want, not what you don't want. |
| What Do You Want To Say? | | | | |