Do you challenge yourself on purpose?I’m referring to any activity that puts a beat down on you. Perhaps physically? Maybe mentally? Even emotionally? All of the above?There are fitness exercises, memory games like this one, bikini waxes (ouch!), trying to sit down for an extended period of time without thinking (meditation), public speaking, cold showers, rock climbing, skydiving, and so many … Read More
How To Use Visualizations To Free Yourself From Negativity
One thing that’s sure to limit our potential as human beings, is worrying about what people think about us.Terry Cole-Whittaker wrote a wonderfully-titled book called What You Think of Me is None of My Business.Damn straight it’s not…at least it shouldn’t be.The nature of growing up in packs (communities), such as going through school, church, or even playing sports, has … Read More
Tactical Talks TOP 5: The Best Public Speaking Articles On The Web – Vol. #5
ROUND 5 OF SCAVENGING BEGINS! Each month I will scour the interwebz looking for the best articles on public speaking.I’ll be looking for topics like these:Overcoming the fear of public speakingPresentation tipsBody language and other technical speaking tipsAnd anything in between…I’m looking for the interesting, the fascinating, the practical, and anything with worthwhile information to help you become a better communicator. … Read More
Say YES To Opportunity Before Fear Can Say NO
Grab a doughnut and let me tell you a story.A couple of weeks ago my friend Joe came across a job opening that required he go from company to company training management teams.It was a non-office job which is exactly what he was looking for.He picked up the phone and gave them a call.After going over the qualifications babble, the talks … Read More
You May Not Be Rambo But You Have Important Life Stories
Do you have stories worth telling?Short answer…YES. If you’re alive, you’ve got stories. If you’re dead, I’m sorry for your loss.Just because you know your stories and have replayed them in your mind hundreds of times, and now YOU’RE bored of them, doesn’t mean that others will think so, too. Humans like drama, and you’ve got some. We all do. An no, … Read More
If You Died Today What Would The World Lose?
13 months ago I sat in a Starbucks across from my friend Joe. We talked about the projects we’d been working on and how they were progressing.I told him my plans for Tactical Talks and some other projects that are currently in the works. At this point, my website had been sitting on blocks. It was “live” but had zero content on the … Read More
This Is Why It’s Okay To Change Mid-Speech
Imagine you’re speaking to an audience of human beings that are pretending to be life-sized cardboard cutouts. What can you do?You can change, that’s what! If something doesn’t work at the beginning, it’s okay to change. Even if you’ve planned on tying it to your ending. You’re not chained to something just because you’ve planned it.I gave a speech a few months back and I … Read More
Tactical Talks TOP 5: The Best Public Speaking Articles On The Web – Vol. #2
ROUND 2 OF SCAVENGING BEGINS! Each month I will scour the interwebz looking for the best articles on public speaking.I’ll be looking for topics like these:Overcoming the fear of public speakingPresentation tipsBody language and other technical speaking tipsAnd anything in between…I’m looking for the interesting, the fascinating, the practical, and anything with worthwhile information to help you become a better communicator. … Read More
Only Talk To ONE Person In The Audience & Forget Everyone Else!
There are hundreds of techniques designed to calm your nerves before a speech.Many are unique, if not border-line stupid, such as sliding a rubber band on your wrist to self-mutilate when you sense anxiety creeping up (the pain is meant to distract you from the fear). Interesting…Well, a big reason public speaking creates a butterfly mating ground in our stomach is … Read More
Are Toastmasters Speech Evaluations Any Good?
A Toastmasters meeting has a portion dedicated to evaluating speakers, so I thought I’d dedicate a portion of my own to that very subject. Such evaluations can range from good, to not so good.Evaluations: Let’s talk about the good first. Because you are focused on delivering a speech, combating nerves, etc., it’s hard to evaluate yourself while you’re speaking. And probably … Read More