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Number 3 really spoke to me: "3. Once you’ve mapped out your speech, remove 20 percent." I think way to many people just talk and talk when they could get right to the facts and do a 5 minute presentation instead of a 30 minute one.
-Andrew
I listened to your tipping point presentation,
it was a great reminder of great points from the book.
You're a great inspiration.
I was interviewed by Entrepreneur magazine yesterday and I strongly believe that it's thanks to the 4HWW, thanks to me becoming more focused on the important and leading a more structured professional life.
Endless thanks,
Anna
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Congratulations, Anna! Thank you also for the kind words, but you made it happen :)
Tim
I think one key aspect to successful public speaking is to make an immediate connection with the audience. If you lose them in the first minute or so it is awfully tough to get them back.
Oh yeah, and practice, practice, practice...if you want to boost your public speaking confidence.
For Tim – Since the 4HWW what was your most difficult presentation or who was your toughest crowd?
All the best,
Mark H.
Lifestyle Design Consultant
Note: Your points are also valid for lectures.
Fabulous! Great tips. Unlike most, and after a lot of training, I am comfortable speaking in public - and these points are right on point. I will be reviewing my next several workshops and speaking engagements to make sure I am conforming.
Remembering the privilege of it all is a great context. Already knew it wasn't about me :) and the reminder is always apt.
I can still manage some pretty mean windwills (even tornadoes off the forehead), but my wrists are too messed up to do flares or anything too high-impact.
B-boying power moves are definitely not for 30-year olds! :)
Tim
Great comments. I especially want to underscore Mark H.'s point about practice. My experience has been that too many people just wing it. And of those, 98% aren't adept enough to just wing it. If they practice -- even a little -- they'd leave audiences far more engaged and enlightened.
Cheers,
Dan
Very informative and the tips can be translated to any form of communication, verbal or written. This post will help me become a better communicator and writer. I try not to come off as an asshat or arrogant. I fail at that on occasion. :(
Its a delicate balance of portraying confidence with humor and information. I wish my brain worked more succinctly but I am quirky so I should go with the flow and be me!
As always you are an inspiration and I would man crush you but I am a chick so I’ll say “You are one awesome bad-ass with a nice tushy!” LOL
Hugs,
Jen
I agree. My way-too-drunk to be performing these moves at my cousin's wedding days are over!
Couple questions that have been on my mind. Who do train with in jiu-jitsu? What belt are you? I started in 1995 with Chris Saunders (Rickson Gracie's first American black belt) and have been training on and off since. Also, have you even been to Peru? My folks are from there and was curious what you thought.
The whole article is outstanding (no surprise, given the source.) But this line above? If it was the one thing everyone everywhere kept in mind while preparing and giving a speech, the world would be a far better place.
Not to mention the ballrooms of millions of hotels across the face of it.
An extremely minor detail: Haydn' Surprise Symphony is #94, not #4.
Glad to read you revised the tipping point since answering my Q. in london town. SXSW was about the time i became aware of 4hww and observed the proliferation of the bug through the blogosphere, you fanning its waves like a well rehearsed Mr Orange.
Nice breaking, man I haven't done that for about twenty years, last time I tried a swan dive I winded myself and scared my kids.
All the worker bee's read Metro, hopefully the faux promise of sex will sell a few more copies in this weird world where a product can be launched more than once :)
Dan Pink's comment and reference to Mark H's point about practice really needs to be taken to heart by those who speak in public on a regular basis.
There are those, like Tim, who make it look easy. But make no mistake: it only looks easy because they practice-practice-practice. If an unseasoned speaker thinks they can "wing it," they're deluding themselves. Unless they're Robin Williams, the off-the-cuff unpolished speech comes off as just that: unpolished, unprofessional and unworthy of the audience's attention.
So if there's just one bit of advice that readers take from any of what's been written here, it can be summed up in three words: practice, practice, practice.
OK, so it's only one word repeated a couple of times... but yes, it's that important.
Nice moves, Tim. I'm personally too farking old to be doing that sort of thing (my back's hurting just looking at the video clip).
@Ashton
I'll get on the correction ASAP. Thanks!
@Dave T
It's a fashion trend I might call "Sailorjack" :)
@Micki
Perhaps we need to have a six-step breaking party in SF or LA?
Pura vida,
Tim
My hardest crowd or presentation? Every crowd I give a new presentation to for the first time. It takes a while to iron out the kinks and identify the frequent questions that people ask over and over again. Once you've been through it once and can reflect, the answers and points are much better the second time.
My most nervous was probably doing an Ignite-style keynote at the Web 2.0 Expo in front of 5,000 when I'd only spoken to about 400 maximum prior to that. Talk about sweaty palms :)
Tim
BTW, Did you end up meeting up with Neil in Argentina?
This is my first time posting here, so first let me say that 4HWW changed my life dramatically. I am constantly reading whatever I can get my hands on, and your book is the best thing I've read in years. I'm constantly talking about it and I have applied quite a few of your principles to my life. I don't want to be presumptuous but I must be one of your biggest fans and I am responsible for dozens of book sales (I make people buy it)!
I give you a lot of credit for the breakdancing. Not just your skills, but just the IDEA of giving that challenge to the audience and then holding up your end of the deal. What I love and admire so much about your work is that you disrupt the status quo and like you've said, you act outside of the box instead of just thinking outside of the box. I appreciate your initiatives to add some fun and excitement to people's lives.
I've been working on being a better public speaker, giving inspirational speeches and I aspire to speak professionally. I welcome these suggestions you have provided to us from Dan Pink. I will pick up Anne Lamott's "Bird By Bird" and read that. I have heard other people speak highly of it also.
Thanks again Tim for everything you have done for us, and for sharing your wisdom and connections so freely.
-Zo DiGiovanni
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Hi Zo,
Thanks so much for the comment and nice comments. Bird by Bird will have you laughing out loud and won't disappoint. I hope to have some more big disruption coming soon :)
All the best,
Tim
Johnny Bunko is, in the words of my anime-adict girlfriend "made of awesome and win". She insisted I send her the link so she could share it with everyone she knows. Incidentally, those people are his target market. (23-35) Fantastic demonstration of viral marketing in action. My inner Seth Godin fan is in a happy place. Thanks so much for sharing that!
Okay my question (off topic): choosing a business credit card and want to diversify my miles from United: want a card I can use for Taca Airlines,...best line?
My biggest breakthrough in speaking came as a graphics instructor in college. One semester I said "to hell with the grades and me strutting around, I am just going to help everybody the best I can" - It was like a switch went off somewhere and I lost all my fear (at least most of it) and the students improved tremendously after that. The section where you talked about "it's about the audience" spoke to that.
One really smart life coach asked me, "What if all were really here for is to help other people? And how would that change what you do?" another reminder...
Thanks again,
Thomas T
P.S. Nice moves - I suppose you do some Capoeira too? We were fooling around with the Ginga tonight after a Pedro Sauer BJJ seminar. I can't do an Aú Batido kick yet, sigh.
Have always been waiting for your post on public speaking.
Few questions...
1) Never seen you carrying a paper during your speeches. Do you use any memory technique or is it just that 4HWW is such an integral part of your life that you don't require notes anymore?
2) Have you ever worked on your voice? Do you or your voice feel tired during long speeches (a few hrs of continuous speaking)? Any remedies for the same?
3) Your blogs are simply amazing! Ever considered coming out with a book with your posts, along with the most interesting questions asked to you?
(Btw... hope you take back-up of your website on a regular basis. We had once lost all our data due to some stupid mistake from the people taking care of our website. We had a tough time getting the site back on. We would not want to loose your posts!).
Looking forward to your reply. Take care.
The title, ironically enough, was "Japan, Inc."
For those interested, there's a five part series of Tim speaking at a Viewstream event. Although most of the information is covered in his book there's a few new nuggets of information and personal stories I haven't heard before. Here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S77ecbUwjk0&...
EJ
Do you know anything when the 4HWW will be published in Poland? I read the original version and want to share it with my friends
And I thought presenting in Melanesian Tok Pisin to 50 Village Chiefs in Papua New Guinea (who formerly practiced cannibalism) about the dangers of clear-cutting the forest was tough ;)
All the best,
Mark H.
I read your book during a recent vacation to Jordan, and it blew my mind.
Living the 9-5 currently, I have set it upon myself to begin life as an urban nomad, and to document this on my blog.
I'm really interested in your thoughts on what could be done from a government point of view to improve conditions for urban nomads?
Thx for an immensely inspiring book and blog.
cheers, Joat.
Are you a Toastmasters?
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I've checked out some meetings but am no longer active. It's a good org if you want some practice.
Tim
Thanks
Felt like sharing my first speech - which was in front of a 1000+ audience (man... I was surely nervious).
Click the link below to check it out (Its only 2 mins short!) ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA49Mof4ygs
The speech is in Gujarati (one of the many Indian languages), but none the less, would love to know your comments on it :)
To people who are not very good at presentations and speeches, here are 2 tricks I've learnt:
1. Use a "Top 10" format. It makes things easy for your listeners to follow your presentation.
2. Figure out the end first. Then work on how you'll begin. This simple idea will give you more clarity.
The quote that has affected me most while writing and presenting is:
"The secrets of telling a story well are three:
1. How to end
2. Where to begin
3. What to leave out."
- Roy H. Williams
really great stuff! cool breaking moves.
if speaking in front of 5000 doesn't terrify you, what does? anything at all?:P
btw, saw in the metro article that you've got yourself a girlfriend, congrats bro! hah or to bad for my sister since she had a little bit of crush on you^^
keep on breaking!
P.S. I like your dance moves, but more importantly, where did you get the hat? I have a melon head, can't find cool lids....
-when your doing your toprock, keep your head up, this helps engage crowd more, and when your battling(dunno if this still applies to you) adds the intimidation effect to opponent too "I got my eye on you"
-for both TopRock and Footwork, more on your toes and ball of your foot, less reliance on heels or flat foooted...helps keep your hips up for better form and more clearance room for smoother flow...also much easier to hop/bounce quickly and efficiently when you're on ball of the foot then heel
and if power moves create too many injuries, work freeze transitions or just get better with variations on your foundations..see guys like Ken Swift, Storm, and Alien Ness all still going strong at an old age...
take care!
So much that I've read it twice now!
I am very inspired, yet overwhelmed by all your info.I know I must sound like a total geek, but
I get very excited about launching a "Muse". You make it sound so simple.
I am thinking of writing an inspirational book about my husband who is a fully functional quadurupal amputee with an incredible attitude!. (he dresses himself, drives,etc...)
I am a little overwhelmed with how to start such a project.
Does the micro- test apply for the title of the book?
Any advice?
Thanks, Amy
Cheers,
Peter
Coming from India I do have some comments to share about a few things in the book. I will find a way to reach them to you.
Thanks again.
Best,
Raj
How come no reply on comments from you since almost 10 days?
Busy?
Take care
As a public speaker, and a member of Toastmasters International, this was a great reminder on how to present an excellent speech. I have a few quick pointers I have found helpful:
The post says to have a begining, body, and ending, but this can be misleading to some and a version that worked for me when I started out is:
Tell your audience what you are going to tell them... tell them... then tell them what you told them.
Also, one of the most important things to do in a speech or presentation is to connect with and relate to your audience. If you don't connect with them in the first few sentences to where they can all relate to you, then their minds will wonder, and your message, no matter how great it is, will be lost.
Thanks Tim
Interesting read. Fantatsic take away.
Simplicity is best.