Let's be honest, at times, it will feel more like long laborious strides than steps.
What does it take to be ready to give your TEDx Talk?
1. Your Unique Content
Your idea should be oozing from your pores. You might already be an expert or have talked about your topic before.
However, you are going to need to revisit the topic and re-examine it, diving into many aspects of your idea such as its challenges, its rewards and the stories that surround it. You have a unique approach to the topic. No one could give that talk but you.
Gather your supporting content, does it goes against general trends, what are the possible arguments, contradictions and start thinking about how you want to make it relevant to your audience.
2. Your Coach(es)
None of us is able to coach ourselves to higher levels. We are too blind to our strengths and weaknesses. Be coachable, and embrace the challenge. Speech writing is a roller coaster. You go through abyssal downs and exhilarating highs. Having someone by your side is paramount. Choose someone you trust to guide you through the steps of speech writing.
3. Your Preparation
Even if you are being coached, the speech is yours.
You and only you are fully responsible for the final version.
Once it is developed, test the talk on different audiences (colleagues, friends, industry peers....). You will not get it right before delivering it many times. The audience's response to a speech does not lie. Your practices make it perfect.
4. Your Priming
Get yourself ready for the Big Day. Once your speech is ready, you need to "brainwash yourself" with it. Go through it relentlessly. Until there is not a shadow of a doubt that whatever happens: you can carry on, you can deliver and you can bring value.
These points are a summary of my personal recommendations. Depending on your experience you may need more or fewer times to remember your speech. Many memory techniques are available and hopefully, by the time you get selected as a TEDx Speaker, you know what works for you.
In my next post, I will tell you exactly how I did it, and how much I invested to be ready for my speech: "Bounce Forward - How to recover when life knocks you back."
Do you have an important Keynote to give soon?
Click here and join Speak4Impact Keynote Bootcamp: Saturday 14th March 2020
only 8 seats available!
