That elusive feeling.

It’s so darn difficult to accurately remember it.

It might even be difficult to explain it, so bear with me.

Here’s the situation: You’re about to get up and give a talk, initially there’s that bit of “excitement,” then you get going, all is well, and then finally you end your talk. Job well done. You congratulate yourself and think “Man, that wasn’t so bad. I got it all figured out now.” The overall state of mind you had mid-speech—when things were going well—is now imprinted in your memory and you’re ready to tackle another speaking opportunity! Hooray!

Then comes your next opportunity…

And back come the same mental obstacles that you dealt with before your last talk. You have to once again corral the herd of mental angst. WTF!

So many times I thought I had “figured” it out. I’d say “This will be a cinch from this day forward.”

Not quite tough guy.

I always try to analyze my speaking experiences and write everything down that I can remember…before it’s too late. But even then, that feeling of everything working—when comfort had been established after a minute or so into my speech—is forgotten.

It’s either adapting like influenza or it’s disappearing from the wrinkly computer that sits in my skull.

Unfortunately, I don’t realize that I no longer remember (or that it has changed) until the next time I’m set to speak. How convenient, right?

Then it’s back to my bag of tricks in order to settle things down and focus that bit of nervous energy for battle. Not the end of the world. It’s manageable.

I wonder if it ever will disappear completely, though. I heard it doesn’t.

But I’ve also heard that if it does, it’s time to move on to something else.

Comforting? No comment.

Hasta la proxima…keep on talking 🙂

Be Sociable and Share! – Below are some share buttons that got your name on ’em