You have no idea how much of my life I’ve spent avoiding solo speaking opportunities. So when the kind folks at the Supernode conference asked me to give the keynote speech, I felt a shiver shoot down my spine.
I tried to have them change it from a keynote speech to a keynote fireside chat. I asked for a podium. I asked if I could have a piece of paper with my notes up there. I asked for anything that would divert the attention away from me standing awkwardly alone on stage.
And then finally, I thought, “You have an entire chapter on mental toughness in your book. Get it together.”
So I agreed to do the damn speech. The topic was: “How to Take Risks In Times of Uncertainty.” I shared seven stories with practical frameworks people could apply in their own lives. You can watch it below:
Needless to say, there’s a lot left to be desired in my speech. The terror within me is palpable — my nervous laughter, looking down at my slides far too long, avoiding eye contact with the audience, and the uncomfortable back-and-forth swaying.
But I did it.
And in the process of doing it, I gained a little more confidence while simultaneously developing an appetite for more public speaking opportunities.
I started devouring any and all information on public speaking techniques — reading books (like Dale Carnegie’s ‘The Art of Public Speaking’), analyzing TED Talks, and watching hours of keynote speeches.
So, the article below is a deeply-reported practical guide on public speaking techniques.