Sunday, September 14, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Happy New Year
"No, this is not an autoresponder message that is out of
sync. And I haven't gone off my rocker.
It's my way of reassuring you that regardless of what day it
is on the calendar, you can start a New Year today!
Think about it. Traditionally we all get excited about
setting goals on January 1. We are all revved up about
Taking Action - for about 2 weeks. Then we start to beat
ourselves up about why we haven't stuck with the plan - and
by March 1, we're tired and discouraged and think "oh well,
another year down the drain."
It doesn't have to be that way!
You can start a New Year ANY day of the year. For example,
- A New School Year starts the day after labor day.
- A new fiscal year starts for businesses on whichever day
they choose to start it.
- The Chinese new year starts on a different date every
year.
So decide TODAY that you're going to start a new year TODAY.
1. What goals do you have?
2. What actions do you need to take to achieve them?
Take a few minutes to write these down. You already know
what they are because you've set New Years Goals before. But
now you get a "bonus" new start for the year - right here in
the middle of September!"
This is from an email I received today. First it made me laugh a bit and then it made me really think about my goals for this year and how I'm doing on them. The year is 3/4 complete and I should have 3/4 of my goal accomplished. I'm sorry to say that I don't and now I know I will have to get busy and work a little harder!
How about you? How are you doing on the goals you set for youself this year? Are you halfway there, or still at the starting block?
Well, there is no time like the present to get back on track. Take another look at your goals and see what it is that stopped you from achieving them. Were they too large? If so, break your goals into little steps. One step per week for the balance of the year. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve.
Take some time each evening to write down your goals for the next day, so that when you wake up your mind will already have begun processing the steps to accomplish those goals.
As I said above.....Happy New Year!
Fran Watson
P.S. sign up for my free ezine here: speakersinfo@getresponse.com
http://www.quickinfo247.com/7910757/EE
sync. And I haven't gone off my rocker.
It's my way of reassuring you that regardless of what day it
is on the calendar, you can start a New Year today!
Think about it. Traditionally we all get excited about
setting goals on January 1. We are all revved up about
Taking Action - for about 2 weeks. Then we start to beat
ourselves up about why we haven't stuck with the plan - and
by March 1, we're tired and discouraged and think "oh well,
another year down the drain."
It doesn't have to be that way!
You can start a New Year ANY day of the year. For example,
- A New School Year starts the day after labor day.
- A new fiscal year starts for businesses on whichever day
they choose to start it.
- The Chinese new year starts on a different date every
year.
So decide TODAY that you're going to start a new year TODAY.
1. What goals do you have?
2. What actions do you need to take to achieve them?
Take a few minutes to write these down. You already know
what they are because you've set New Years Goals before. But
now you get a "bonus" new start for the year - right here in
the middle of September!"
This is from an email I received today. First it made me laugh a bit and then it made me really think about my goals for this year and how I'm doing on them. The year is 3/4 complete and I should have 3/4 of my goal accomplished. I'm sorry to say that I don't and now I know I will have to get busy and work a little harder!
How about you? How are you doing on the goals you set for youself this year? Are you halfway there, or still at the starting block?
Well, there is no time like the present to get back on track. Take another look at your goals and see what it is that stopped you from achieving them. Were they too large? If so, break your goals into little steps. One step per week for the balance of the year. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve.
Take some time each evening to write down your goals for the next day, so that when you wake up your mind will already have begun processing the steps to accomplish those goals.
As I said above.....Happy New Year!
Fran Watson
P.S. sign up for my free ezine here: speakersinfo@getresponse.com
http://www.quickinfo247.com/7910757/EE
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Confident Public Speaking
Amazing Secrets from the World Champion of Public Speaking Click Here!
*********************************************************
Have Something to Say
The trouble with many speakers is that they go before an audience with their minds a blank. It is no wonder that nature, abhorring a vacuum, fills them with the nearest thing handy, which generally happens to be, "I wonder if I am doing this right! How does my hair look? I know I shall fail." Their prophetic souls are sure to be right.
It is not enough to be absorbed by your subject—to acquire self-confidence you must have something in which to be confident. If you go before an audience without any preparation, or previous knowledge of your subject, you ought to be self-conscious—you ought to be ashamed to steal the time of your audience.
Prepare yourself. Know what you are going to talk about, and, in general, how you are going to say it. Have the first few sentences worked out completely so that you may not be troubled in the beginning to find words.
Know your subject better than your hearers know it, and you have nothing to fear.
After Preparing for Success, Expect It
Let your bearing be modestly confident, but most of all be modestly confident within. Over-confidence is bad, but to tolerate premonitions of failure is worse, for a bold man may win attention by his very bearing, while a rabbit-hearted coward invites disaster.
Humility is not the personal discount that we must offer in the presence of others—against this old interpretation there has been a most healthy modern reaction. True humility any man who thoroughly knows himself must feel; but it is not a humility that assumes a worm-like meekness; it is rather a strong, vibrant prayer for greater power for service—a prayer that Uriah Heep could never have uttered.
Washington Irving once introduced Charles Dickens at a dinner given in the latter's honor. In the middle of his speech Irving hesitated, became embarrassed, and sat down awkwardly. Turning to a friend beside him he remarked, "There, I told you I would fail, and I did."
If you believe you will fail, there is no hope for you. You will.
Rid yourself of this I-am-a-poor-worm-in-the-dust idea. You are a god, with infinite capabilities. "All things are ready if the mind be so." The eagle looks the cloudless sun in the face.
Assume Mastery Over Your Audience
In public speech, as in electricity, there is a positive and a negative force. Either you or your audience are going to possess the positive factor. If you assume it you can almost invariably make it yours. If you assume the negative you are sure to be negative. Assuming a virtue or a vice vitalizes it. Summon all your power of self-direction, and remember that though your audience is infinitely more important than you, the truth is more important than both of you, because it is eternal. If your mind falters in its leadership the sword will drop from your hands.
Your assumption of being able to instruct or lead or inspire a multitude or even a small group of people may appall you as being colossal impudence—as indeed it may be; but having once essayed to speak, be courageous. BE courageous—it lies within you to be what you will. MAKE yourself be calm and confident.
Reflect that your audience will not hurt you. In facing your audience, pause a moment and look them over—a hundred chances to one they want you to succeed, for what man is so foolish as to spend his time, perhaps his money, in the hope that you will waste his investment by talking dully?
Concluding Hints
Do not make haste to begin—haste shows lack of control.
Do not apologize. It ought not to be necessary; and if it is, it will not help. Go straight ahead.
Take a deep breath, relax, and begin in a quiet conversational tone as though you were speaking to one large friend. You will not find it half as bad as you imagined; really, it is like taking a cold plunge: after you are in, the water is fine. In fact, having spoken a few times you will even anticipate the plunge with exhilaration.
To stand before an audience and make them think your thoughts after you is one of the greatest pleasures you can ever know. Instead of fearing it, you ought to be as anxious as the fox hounds straining at their leashes, or the race horses tugging at their reins.
So cast out fear, for fear is cowardly—when it is not mastered. The bravest know fear, but they do not yield to it. Face your audience pluckily—if your knees quake, MAKE them stop. In your audience lies some victory for you and the cause you represent. Go win it.
The world owes its progress to the men who have dared, and you must dare to speak the effective word that is in your heart to speak—for often it requires courage to utter a single sentence. But remember that men erect no monuments and weave no laurels for those who fear to do what they can.
No one doubts that temperament and nerves and illness and even praiseworthy modesty may, singly or combined, cause the speaker's cheek to blanch before an audience, but neither can any one doubt that coddling will magnify this weakness. The victory lies in a fearless frame of mind. Prof. Walter Dill Scott says: "Success or failure in business is caused more by mental attitude even than by mental capacity." Banish the fear-attitude; acquire the confident attitude. And remember that the only way to acquire it is—to acquire it.
Here's to speaking with confidence
Fran
*********************************
P.S. Don't Forget to Get The Secrets Click Here!
**********************************
*********************************************************
Have Something to Say
The trouble with many speakers is that they go before an audience with their minds a blank. It is no wonder that nature, abhorring a vacuum, fills them with the nearest thing handy, which generally happens to be, "I wonder if I am doing this right! How does my hair look? I know I shall fail." Their prophetic souls are sure to be right.
It is not enough to be absorbed by your subject—to acquire self-confidence you must have something in which to be confident. If you go before an audience without any preparation, or previous knowledge of your subject, you ought to be self-conscious—you ought to be ashamed to steal the time of your audience.
Prepare yourself. Know what you are going to talk about, and, in general, how you are going to say it. Have the first few sentences worked out completely so that you may not be troubled in the beginning to find words.
Know your subject better than your hearers know it, and you have nothing to fear.
After Preparing for Success, Expect It
Let your bearing be modestly confident, but most of all be modestly confident within. Over-confidence is bad, but to tolerate premonitions of failure is worse, for a bold man may win attention by his very bearing, while a rabbit-hearted coward invites disaster.
Humility is not the personal discount that we must offer in the presence of others—against this old interpretation there has been a most healthy modern reaction. True humility any man who thoroughly knows himself must feel; but it is not a humility that assumes a worm-like meekness; it is rather a strong, vibrant prayer for greater power for service—a prayer that Uriah Heep could never have uttered.
Washington Irving once introduced Charles Dickens at a dinner given in the latter's honor. In the middle of his speech Irving hesitated, became embarrassed, and sat down awkwardly. Turning to a friend beside him he remarked, "There, I told you I would fail, and I did."
If you believe you will fail, there is no hope for you. You will.
Rid yourself of this I-am-a-poor-worm-in-the-dust idea. You are a god, with infinite capabilities. "All things are ready if the mind be so." The eagle looks the cloudless sun in the face.
Assume Mastery Over Your Audience
In public speech, as in electricity, there is a positive and a negative force. Either you or your audience are going to possess the positive factor. If you assume it you can almost invariably make it yours. If you assume the negative you are sure to be negative. Assuming a virtue or a vice vitalizes it. Summon all your power of self-direction, and remember that though your audience is infinitely more important than you, the truth is more important than both of you, because it is eternal. If your mind falters in its leadership the sword will drop from your hands.
Your assumption of being able to instruct or lead or inspire a multitude or even a small group of people may appall you as being colossal impudence—as indeed it may be; but having once essayed to speak, be courageous. BE courageous—it lies within you to be what you will. MAKE yourself be calm and confident.
Reflect that your audience will not hurt you. In facing your audience, pause a moment and look them over—a hundred chances to one they want you to succeed, for what man is so foolish as to spend his time, perhaps his money, in the hope that you will waste his investment by talking dully?
Concluding Hints
Do not make haste to begin—haste shows lack of control.
Do not apologize. It ought not to be necessary; and if it is, it will not help. Go straight ahead.
Take a deep breath, relax, and begin in a quiet conversational tone as though you were speaking to one large friend. You will not find it half as bad as you imagined; really, it is like taking a cold plunge: after you are in, the water is fine. In fact, having spoken a few times you will even anticipate the plunge with exhilaration.
To stand before an audience and make them think your thoughts after you is one of the greatest pleasures you can ever know. Instead of fearing it, you ought to be as anxious as the fox hounds straining at their leashes, or the race horses tugging at their reins.
So cast out fear, for fear is cowardly—when it is not mastered. The bravest know fear, but they do not yield to it. Face your audience pluckily—if your knees quake, MAKE them stop. In your audience lies some victory for you and the cause you represent. Go win it.
The world owes its progress to the men who have dared, and you must dare to speak the effective word that is in your heart to speak—for often it requires courage to utter a single sentence. But remember that men erect no monuments and weave no laurels for those who fear to do what they can.
No one doubts that temperament and nerves and illness and even praiseworthy modesty may, singly or combined, cause the speaker's cheek to blanch before an audience, but neither can any one doubt that coddling will magnify this weakness. The victory lies in a fearless frame of mind. Prof. Walter Dill Scott says: "Success or failure in business is caused more by mental attitude even than by mental capacity." Banish the fear-attitude; acquire the confident attitude. And remember that the only way to acquire it is—to acquire it.
Here's to speaking with confidence
Fran
*********************************
P.S. Don't Forget to Get The Secrets Click Here!
**********************************
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Using Props when Speaking
Secrets from A Champion Click Here!
******************************************
'Prop up' your speaking
3 August, 2008
By Andrea Nierenberg
http://www.connectitnews.com/usa/story.cfm?item=2323
Most professional speakers at some time use props to enhance their presentations, which can turn a program into a dramatic and engaging event. "Prop" is a short word for the theatrical term "property." It describes an item used by an actor during a performance. Most speakers' props deal with the senses of sight and sound or, in some cases, help to prompt lively audience interactions. As a speaker, it's your job to find creative ways to keep your audience with you from beginning to end. Props help make that happen.
Proper Propping
Before I share with you some "show stopping" techniques for using props, let's take a look at some basic guidelines:
Bigger than life. Props need to be large enough so that the people farthest from you can enjoy what you are doing with them. Sometimes speakers hold up a newspaper to show an unusual headline. However, it is unreadable for someone sitting more than five or six rows back. In this case, putting the headline on a Power Point slide or an overhead transparency would solve the problem.
Keep it a secret. I am about to give you a rule that can be broken. In most cases, keep your props hidden until you are ready to make them the focus of your presentation. If you have a funny and colorful stuffed animal sitting off to the side, it could draw people's attention, which would distract your audience, especially if it is used at the end of your program.
Slow down. Show props to the audience very slowly. Remember, people need a few seconds to focus on the item, and maybe they have just lifted their heads from writing some notes. So if you quickly hold up something and put it down in a few seconds, many people might miss the point. It's best to hold it up, stretch your arm out far to the right, and then slowly move your arm out far to the left. Then you can be sure everyone can see the item.
Objects to Make a Point
Many kinds of props can be used to make your presentation more memorable. Some speakers will go as far as wearing a gorilla costume or a funny wig. Strange and unusual items can be memorable, yet could be perceived as too silly, so discretion is advised. The following suggestions are effective props that work for me:
Money makes the world go around. As you step up to the microphone, tape a $20 bill on the podium. However, start your presentation without mentioning anything about it. Your audience will wonder what it's for. After speaking for about five to 10 minutes, I ask the audience, "Did anyone notice the $20 bill?" Usually a number of hands go up. Then I ask, "Why didn't you ask about it?" and say, "Whoever wants it, come up and get it." Finally someone does, and I tell the audience, "That person had G.O.Y.A.: Get Off Your Anatomy." This is especially effective for training people to be more assertive when seeking sales opportunities.
Rock and sand. Solid business relationships are built on firm foundations of long-term and trusting relationships. To illustrate this point, put your hand under a rock and lift it up to show how solid it is and how it holds together. Then, put your hand in a bucket of sand and let the sand run through your fingers. Follow up by saying that it took thousands of years for this rock to be formed, and the same is true with solid business relationships. Tell the audience to take time in building something solid, otherwise they'll find their businesses sinking in the sand.
People props. We all need some encouragement to do better in life. One way to help people understand their greater potential is to ask everyone to stand up and raise their hands as high as they can go. Then say, "Now stretch a half inch higher." They always go a little higher on the second try. Finally, I say, "What's my point? You can always reach a little higher to your potential!"
Let's break it up. In some sessions, small break-out group activities are effective ways to help people learn. However, many employees do what I call "stick to the clique." To help people learn how to work with new contacts, I give out different types of candy bars and ask them to break into groups according to the name of the candy bar they received. Then I ask them to create a marketing campaign to re-launch their particular candy bar. As an incentive, I tell them that they cannot eat the candy until each group presents their campaign to everyone else. This is good for almost any business environment because it gets people thinking about the sales and marketing process.
Everyone loves a prize. In some of my seminars, I give out fun premiums when people answer a question or really get involved. I give them prizes such as candy kisses, Life Savers with dollar bill wrappings, or catchy pins with interesting quotes. When people start to look forward to receiving those kinds of gifts, your presentations become more alive. You could also do this in the form of a raffle. Give out a sheet of paper to be filled in with the person's name and a question that he or she hopes to get answered by the end of the session. This technique will help keep your audience's attention. It will also give you some input on what modifications you can immediately make to better meet their needs. I give away great-looking pens or business card cases as prizes. If you have a book or tape series, people would love to win that, too.
Props can also help trigger a story or illustration you want to make without looking at your notes, which is a major benefit. For example, if I was trying to illustrate the importance of making progress, I would bring a pair of sneakers, a bicycle tire, a model of a car, and a model of a Concorde plane. Then, starting with the sneakers, I would say that when people wanted to get from point "A" to point "B," their feet were the only means of transportation, and I would work my way up to the Concorde. Finally, I would close by saying that this applies to all of us. When we make progress, we can expect our lives to dramatically improve as we go along. This is a win/win technique because you will have some interesting props to keep the audience's attention, and your presentation will stay on track. You also won't have to look at your notes too much.
Keep in mind the benefits of using props:
* They take conceptual information and make it tangible.
* People remember visuals more than they remember words.
* They can help a speaker release nervous energy by focusing on them (remember to keep looking at the audience and avoid staring at the props).
* Props, like pictures, are worth a thousand words because they can be used as a short cut to make an important point.
Think of it this way: let's say the content for two speakers' programs were identical. However, one speaker stood behind the podium and spoke for 45 minutes. The other speaker used a megaphone to announce how the session would benefit the audience, had them create a new product using Play Dough, and finished by giving everyone a gift certificate for ice-cream. Which session would you attend?
Here's to using your props well
Fran
***********************************************
P.S. Get Your Secrets To Success in Public Speaking Click Here!
***********************************************
******************************************
'Prop up' your speaking
3 August, 2008
By Andrea Nierenberg
http://www.connectitnews.com/usa/story.cfm?item=2323
Most professional speakers at some time use props to enhance their presentations, which can turn a program into a dramatic and engaging event. "Prop" is a short word for the theatrical term "property." It describes an item used by an actor during a performance. Most speakers' props deal with the senses of sight and sound or, in some cases, help to prompt lively audience interactions. As a speaker, it's your job to find creative ways to keep your audience with you from beginning to end. Props help make that happen.
Proper Propping
Before I share with you some "show stopping" techniques for using props, let's take a look at some basic guidelines:
Bigger than life. Props need to be large enough so that the people farthest from you can enjoy what you are doing with them. Sometimes speakers hold up a newspaper to show an unusual headline. However, it is unreadable for someone sitting more than five or six rows back. In this case, putting the headline on a Power Point slide or an overhead transparency would solve the problem.
Keep it a secret. I am about to give you a rule that can be broken. In most cases, keep your props hidden until you are ready to make them the focus of your presentation. If you have a funny and colorful stuffed animal sitting off to the side, it could draw people's attention, which would distract your audience, especially if it is used at the end of your program.
Slow down. Show props to the audience very slowly. Remember, people need a few seconds to focus on the item, and maybe they have just lifted their heads from writing some notes. So if you quickly hold up something and put it down in a few seconds, many people might miss the point. It's best to hold it up, stretch your arm out far to the right, and then slowly move your arm out far to the left. Then you can be sure everyone can see the item.
Objects to Make a Point
Many kinds of props can be used to make your presentation more memorable. Some speakers will go as far as wearing a gorilla costume or a funny wig. Strange and unusual items can be memorable, yet could be perceived as too silly, so discretion is advised. The following suggestions are effective props that work for me:
Money makes the world go around. As you step up to the microphone, tape a $20 bill on the podium. However, start your presentation without mentioning anything about it. Your audience will wonder what it's for. After speaking for about five to 10 minutes, I ask the audience, "Did anyone notice the $20 bill?" Usually a number of hands go up. Then I ask, "Why didn't you ask about it?" and say, "Whoever wants it, come up and get it." Finally someone does, and I tell the audience, "That person had G.O.Y.A.: Get Off Your Anatomy." This is especially effective for training people to be more assertive when seeking sales opportunities.
Rock and sand. Solid business relationships are built on firm foundations of long-term and trusting relationships. To illustrate this point, put your hand under a rock and lift it up to show how solid it is and how it holds together. Then, put your hand in a bucket of sand and let the sand run through your fingers. Follow up by saying that it took thousands of years for this rock to be formed, and the same is true with solid business relationships. Tell the audience to take time in building something solid, otherwise they'll find their businesses sinking in the sand.
People props. We all need some encouragement to do better in life. One way to help people understand their greater potential is to ask everyone to stand up and raise their hands as high as they can go. Then say, "Now stretch a half inch higher." They always go a little higher on the second try. Finally, I say, "What's my point? You can always reach a little higher to your potential!"
Let's break it up. In some sessions, small break-out group activities are effective ways to help people learn. However, many employees do what I call "stick to the clique." To help people learn how to work with new contacts, I give out different types of candy bars and ask them to break into groups according to the name of the candy bar they received. Then I ask them to create a marketing campaign to re-launch their particular candy bar. As an incentive, I tell them that they cannot eat the candy until each group presents their campaign to everyone else. This is good for almost any business environment because it gets people thinking about the sales and marketing process.
Everyone loves a prize. In some of my seminars, I give out fun premiums when people answer a question or really get involved. I give them prizes such as candy kisses, Life Savers with dollar bill wrappings, or catchy pins with interesting quotes. When people start to look forward to receiving those kinds of gifts, your presentations become more alive. You could also do this in the form of a raffle. Give out a sheet of paper to be filled in with the person's name and a question that he or she hopes to get answered by the end of the session. This technique will help keep your audience's attention. It will also give you some input on what modifications you can immediately make to better meet their needs. I give away great-looking pens or business card cases as prizes. If you have a book or tape series, people would love to win that, too.
Props can also help trigger a story or illustration you want to make without looking at your notes, which is a major benefit. For example, if I was trying to illustrate the importance of making progress, I would bring a pair of sneakers, a bicycle tire, a model of a car, and a model of a Concorde plane. Then, starting with the sneakers, I would say that when people wanted to get from point "A" to point "B," their feet were the only means of transportation, and I would work my way up to the Concorde. Finally, I would close by saying that this applies to all of us. When we make progress, we can expect our lives to dramatically improve as we go along. This is a win/win technique because you will have some interesting props to keep the audience's attention, and your presentation will stay on track. You also won't have to look at your notes too much.
Keep in mind the benefits of using props:
* They take conceptual information and make it tangible.
* People remember visuals more than they remember words.
* They can help a speaker release nervous energy by focusing on them (remember to keep looking at the audience and avoid staring at the props).
* Props, like pictures, are worth a thousand words because they can be used as a short cut to make an important point.
Think of it this way: let's say the content for two speakers' programs were identical. However, one speaker stood behind the podium and spoke for 45 minutes. The other speaker used a megaphone to announce how the session would benefit the audience, had them create a new product using Play Dough, and finished by giving everyone a gift certificate for ice-cream. Which session would you attend?
Here's to using your props well
Fran
***********************************************
P.S. Get Your Secrets To Success in Public Speaking Click Here!
***********************************************
Monday, July 21, 2008
Stage Fright Strategies
This article is by one of my mentors. I have been a fan of Tom's for several years now and have purchased several of his CDs and books.
Stage Fright Strategies by Tom Antion
----------------------------------------------------
Direct comments or questions about this article to:
Tom Antion, Box 2630, Landover Hills, MD
20784. (301) 459-0738 Outside Maryland (800) 448-6280, Fax (301) 552-0225, Email tomantion@AOL.com, tom@antion.com
Stage fright Is Good and Makes You Better Looking Too!
Before you learn how to deliver your lines, it is important to be ready to deliver your lines. Stage fright is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Actually, stage fright isn't the most accurate term for the nervousness that occurs when considering a speaking engagement. In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on-stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. Fear is your friend. It makes your reflexes sharper. It heightens your energy, adds a sparkle to your eye, and color to your cheeks. When you are nervous about speaking you are more conscious of your posture and breathing. With all those good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive.
Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or diminish, but it usually does not vanish permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out in the open, into perspective and under control.
Remember Nobody ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, try out some of the strategies in this section to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage.
Symptoms of Stage fright
Dry mouth.
Tight throat.
Sweaty hands.
Cold hands.
Shaky hands.
Give me a hand (Oops, I couldn't resist).
Nausea.
Fast pulse.
Shaky knees.
Trembling lips.
Any out-of-the-ordinary outward or inward feeling or manifestation of a feeling occurring before, or during, the beginning of a presentation
(Wow! What a dry mouthful!).
Here are some easy to implement strategies for reducing your stage fright. Not everyone reacts the same and there is no universal fix. Don't try to use all these fixes at once. Pick out items from this list and try them out until you find the right combination for you.
Visualization strategies that can be used anytime
Concentrate on how good you are.
Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.
Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applauding.
Remember happy moments from your past.
Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.
Picture the audience in their underwear.
Strategies in advance of program
Be extremely well prepared.
Join or start a Toastmasters club for extra practice
Get individual or group presentation skills coaching.
Listen to music.
Read a poem.
Anticipate hard and easy questions.
Organize.
Absolutely memorize your opening statement so you can recite it on autopilot if you have to.
Practice, practice, practice. Especially practice bits so you can spit out a few minutes of your program no matter how nervous you are.
Get in shape. I don't know why it helps stage fright, but it does.
Strategies just before the program
Remember Stage fright usually goes away after you start. The tricky time is before you start.
Be in the room at least an hour early if possible to triple check everything. You can also schmooze with participants arriving early.
Notice and think about things around you.
Concentrate on searching for current and immediate things that are happening at the event that you can mention during your talk (especially in the opening).
Get into conversation with people near you. Be very intent on what they are saying.
Yawn to relax your throat.
Doodle.
Draw sketches of a new car you would like to have.
Look at your notes.
Put pictures of your kids/grandkids, dog, etc., in your notes.
Build a cushion of time in the day so you are not rushed but not too much time. You don't want to have extra time to worry.
If your legs are trembling, lean on a table, sit down, or shift your legs.
Take a quick walk.
Take quick drinks of tepid water.
Double check your A/V equipment.
Don't drink alcohol or coffee or tea with caffeine.
Concentrate on your ideas.
Hide notes around the stage area so you know you have a backup if you happen to draw a blank.
Concentrate on your audience.
Listen to music.
Read a poem.
Do isometrics that tighten and release muscles.
Shake hands and smile with attendees before the program.
Say something to someone to make sure your voice is ready to go.
Go somewhere private and warm up your voice, muscles, etc.
Use eye contact.
Go to a mirror and check out how you look.
Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes.
Don't eat if you don't want to and never take tranquilizers or other such drugs. You may think you will do better, but you will probably do worse and not know it.
Strategies when the program begins
If legs are trembling, lean on lectern /table or shift legs or move.
Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute.
Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.
Take quick drinks of tepid water.
Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated.
Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.
Joke about your nervousness. "What's the right wine to go with fingernails?"
Remember nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels.
Before each presentation make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Rewrite them on a separate sheet and keep the sheet with you at all times so you can refer to it quickly when the need arises.
Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn't control you.
****************************************************************
I hope these tips were of some help to you.
All the best
Fran
www.franwatson.ca
www.moremoney4u.org
Fran Watson
3119 Stone Road
Douglas
Ontario K0J 1S0
Canada
Stage Fright Strategies by Tom Antion
----------------------------------------------------
Direct comments or questions about this article to:
Tom Antion, Box 2630, Landover Hills, MD
20784. (301) 459-0738 Outside Maryland (800) 448-6280, Fax (301) 552-0225, Email tomantion@AOL.com, tom@antion.com
Stage fright Is Good and Makes You Better Looking Too!
Before you learn how to deliver your lines, it is important to be ready to deliver your lines. Stage fright is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Actually, stage fright isn't the most accurate term for the nervousness that occurs when considering a speaking engagement. In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on-stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. Fear is your friend. It makes your reflexes sharper. It heightens your energy, adds a sparkle to your eye, and color to your cheeks. When you are nervous about speaking you are more conscious of your posture and breathing. With all those good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive.
Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or diminish, but it usually does not vanish permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out in the open, into perspective and under control.
Remember Nobody ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, try out some of the strategies in this section to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage.
Symptoms of Stage fright
Dry mouth.
Tight throat.
Sweaty hands.
Cold hands.
Shaky hands.
Give me a hand (Oops, I couldn't resist).
Nausea.
Fast pulse.
Shaky knees.
Trembling lips.
Any out-of-the-ordinary outward or inward feeling or manifestation of a feeling occurring before, or during, the beginning of a presentation
(Wow! What a dry mouthful!).
Here are some easy to implement strategies for reducing your stage fright. Not everyone reacts the same and there is no universal fix. Don't try to use all these fixes at once. Pick out items from this list and try them out until you find the right combination for you.
Visualization strategies that can be used anytime
Concentrate on how good you are.
Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.
Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applauding.
Remember happy moments from your past.
Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.
Picture the audience in their underwear.
Strategies in advance of program
Be extremely well prepared.
Join or start a Toastmasters club for extra practice
Get individual or group presentation skills coaching.
Listen to music.
Read a poem.
Anticipate hard and easy questions.
Organize.
Absolutely memorize your opening statement so you can recite it on autopilot if you have to.
Practice, practice, practice. Especially practice bits so you can spit out a few minutes of your program no matter how nervous you are.
Get in shape. I don't know why it helps stage fright, but it does.
Strategies just before the program
Remember Stage fright usually goes away after you start. The tricky time is before you start.
Be in the room at least an hour early if possible to triple check everything. You can also schmooze with participants arriving early.
Notice and think about things around you.
Concentrate on searching for current and immediate things that are happening at the event that you can mention during your talk (especially in the opening).
Get into conversation with people near you. Be very intent on what they are saying.
Yawn to relax your throat.
Doodle.
Draw sketches of a new car you would like to have.
Look at your notes.
Put pictures of your kids/grandkids, dog, etc., in your notes.
Build a cushion of time in the day so you are not rushed but not too much time. You don't want to have extra time to worry.
If your legs are trembling, lean on a table, sit down, or shift your legs.
Take a quick walk.
Take quick drinks of tepid water.
Double check your A/V equipment.
Don't drink alcohol or coffee or tea with caffeine.
Concentrate on your ideas.
Hide notes around the stage area so you know you have a backup if you happen to draw a blank.
Concentrate on your audience.
Listen to music.
Read a poem.
Do isometrics that tighten and release muscles.
Shake hands and smile with attendees before the program.
Say something to someone to make sure your voice is ready to go.
Go somewhere private and warm up your voice, muscles, etc.
Use eye contact.
Go to a mirror and check out how you look.
Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes.
Don't eat if you don't want to and never take tranquilizers or other such drugs. You may think you will do better, but you will probably do worse and not know it.
Strategies when the program begins
If legs are trembling, lean on lectern /table or shift legs or move.
Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute.
Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.
Take quick drinks of tepid water.
Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated.
Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.
Joke about your nervousness. "What's the right wine to go with fingernails?"
Remember nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels.
Before each presentation make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Rewrite them on a separate sheet and keep the sheet with you at all times so you can refer to it quickly when the need arises.
Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn't control you.
****************************************************************
I hope these tips were of some help to you.
All the best
Fran
www.franwatson.ca
www.moremoney4u.org
Fran Watson
3119 Stone Road
Douglas
Ontario K0J 1S0
Canada
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Jim Rohn free mp3
Jim Rohn is a well known speaker and self-improvement guru. He has developed many messages for int4ernet marketers and the general public. His 2004 Weekend Event was a masterpiece and you can still obtain copies. Why not start out now with taking a peek at what he has available for you and pick up your.... Free mp3!
Building Your Network Marketing Business
by Jim Rohn
The hottest single audio ever created
in the Network Marketing Industry
Subscribe to the best in personal development Ezines - Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, Chris Widener, Ron White and Your Achievement Ezine - plus receive a discount on all MP3s and eBooks from Jin Rohn International - available for a limited time
For Your Free Download, Click Here:
http://www.jimrohn.com
Building Your Network Marketing Business
by Jim Rohn
The hottest single audio ever created
in the Network Marketing Industry
Subscribe to the best in personal development Ezines - Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, Chris Widener, Ron White and Your Achievement Ezine - plus receive a discount on all MP3s and eBooks from Jin Rohn International - available for a limited time
For Your Free Download, Click Here:
http://www.jimrohn.com
Monday, May 19, 2008
Asking Questions
Improve Your Tomorrows By Asking One Question Today
If you are a parent of school-aged children (or have ever been a school-aged child), I would bet you have asked or heard this question every single day: "What did you learn in school today?" And when those same children roll their eyes or say “oh Mom!” those same parents persist; asking a follow up question like, "You know you learned something - you were there all day, c'mon, what did you learn?"
After some prying and cajoling, the children answer with some morsel or lesson learned during the day. The kids are relieved, and the parents are happy. This scene plays out in cars and homes all over the world, and yet this question that seems so obvious to parents seems to escape our thoughts for ourselves.
The modified question you could ask yourself every day is: "What did I learn today?"
Why This Question Works
Parents ask school children about what they learned at school because they expect them to learn at school. But somehow after graduation, people stop thinking about learning as their daily task. And yet, human beings are learning beings. Our bodies and brains are constantly learning.
If you are constantly learning you might wonder why you need to ask this question at all (and that is a good question itself!).
While you are constantly learning, the things you are learning are subconscious and therefore not necessarily accessible to your conscious mind. Also, the things you are learning by just going through your day may not be the things you most want to learn. So, by asking the question, you are making your learning more conscious and intentional.
As you ask it more frequently, you will begin to see your daily experiences as learning opportunities and those things you most want to learn and improve will become clearer.
How This Question Works
As you begin to think of life as your own personal learning laboratory, you can expect ideas, lessons and discoveries each day. The question plays to that expectancy.
What did I learn today?
When you ask yourself this question, you are expecting that there is learning to recall! When you create the habit of asking, you begin to create a habit of looking for the things you are learning. And, as you expectantly look, you will most certainly find lessons and learnings.
Where This Question Works
This question works in every part of your life!
Consider asking the question to help you learn:
In your personal life
In your professional life
As a team member
As a leader
In pursuit of a specific goal
Based on your needs you may choose to ask the generic question about your entire day, to focus on one of these areas specifically (i.e. what did I learn today to make me a better parent, or what did I learn today to make me a better salesperson), or to ask the question multiple times, once for each important role or learning goal that you have.
© 2008 The Kevin Eikenberry Group – All Rights Reserved (with permission)
The Kevin Eikenberry Grouphttp://www.kevineikenberry.com7035 Bluffridge WayIndianapolis, IN 46278
Now, how does this relate to public speaking? Every time you hear someone speak, you pick up tips on what to do or what not to do, you may hear one line from a speech or from a discussion at a meeting that can set you off in a new direction for a speech.
I keep a mini tape recorder with me in my car so that I can remember what I learned, and sometimes I even begin a new speech on my drive home from a meeting. When you are open to learning, your mind will pick up on new ideas and also on ideas that relate to something else that you know or that you have thought about.
Fran
If you are a parent of school-aged children (or have ever been a school-aged child), I would bet you have asked or heard this question every single day: "What did you learn in school today?" And when those same children roll their eyes or say “oh Mom!” those same parents persist; asking a follow up question like, "You know you learned something - you were there all day, c'mon, what did you learn?"
After some prying and cajoling, the children answer with some morsel or lesson learned during the day. The kids are relieved, and the parents are happy. This scene plays out in cars and homes all over the world, and yet this question that seems so obvious to parents seems to escape our thoughts for ourselves.
The modified question you could ask yourself every day is: "What did I learn today?"
Why This Question Works
Parents ask school children about what they learned at school because they expect them to learn at school. But somehow after graduation, people stop thinking about learning as their daily task. And yet, human beings are learning beings. Our bodies and brains are constantly learning.
If you are constantly learning you might wonder why you need to ask this question at all (and that is a good question itself!).
While you are constantly learning, the things you are learning are subconscious and therefore not necessarily accessible to your conscious mind. Also, the things you are learning by just going through your day may not be the things you most want to learn. So, by asking the question, you are making your learning more conscious and intentional.
As you ask it more frequently, you will begin to see your daily experiences as learning opportunities and those things you most want to learn and improve will become clearer.
How This Question Works
As you begin to think of life as your own personal learning laboratory, you can expect ideas, lessons and discoveries each day. The question plays to that expectancy.
What did I learn today?
When you ask yourself this question, you are expecting that there is learning to recall! When you create the habit of asking, you begin to create a habit of looking for the things you are learning. And, as you expectantly look, you will most certainly find lessons and learnings.
Where This Question Works
This question works in every part of your life!
Consider asking the question to help you learn:
In your personal life
In your professional life
As a team member
As a leader
In pursuit of a specific goal
Based on your needs you may choose to ask the generic question about your entire day, to focus on one of these areas specifically (i.e. what did I learn today to make me a better parent, or what did I learn today to make me a better salesperson), or to ask the question multiple times, once for each important role or learning goal that you have.
© 2008 The Kevin Eikenberry Group – All Rights Reserved (with permission)
The Kevin Eikenberry Grouphttp://www.kevineikenberry.com7035 Bluffridge WayIndianapolis, IN 46278
Now, how does this relate to public speaking? Every time you hear someone speak, you pick up tips on what to do or what not to do, you may hear one line from a speech or from a discussion at a meeting that can set you off in a new direction for a speech.
I keep a mini tape recorder with me in my car so that I can remember what I learned, and sometimes I even begin a new speech on my drive home from a meeting. When you are open to learning, your mind will pick up on new ideas and also on ideas that relate to something else that you know or that you have thought about.
Fran
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