Welcome back to the Saturday Success Series email!
In this edition we’ll have:
Five to Focus On: A quote, stock, book, show & a beer.
Master Yourself: Quit stress
Master Your Money: Reasonable trumps rational
And of course…
The Weekly Special: How to Become a Great Public Speaker
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
Oh, by the way, if you’re feeling generous, please share this newsletter with a friend.
Five to Focus on:
In a noisy world, it’s hard to know what’s good out there. Let me help.
Quote to ponder: “The problem isn’t that Johnny can’t read. The problem isn’t even that Johnny can’t think. The problem is that Johnny doesn’t know what thinking is; he confuses it with feeling.” - Thomas Sowell
Stock to consider: QYLD (Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF)
Seeks to generate income through covered call writing, which historically produces higher yields in periods of volatility.
Disclaimer- this is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor, and you should always do your own research.
Book to read: Wise as F*ck by Gary John Bishop
Gary John tends to lean toward the no-nonsense side of things. Which has been appealing to me since 2016. He can be a little annoying, much like all “self-help gurus” can be, but overall his message is solid and can be appreciated by anyone who prefers personal responsibility to victimhood.
Show to enjoy: Prehistoric Planet on Apple TV
It’s Planet Earth but with dinosaurs. It’s super well done and engaging. And don’t get me started on the visual quality. The whole family can enjoy and you’ll feel like you’re educating the kids while entertaining them.
Beer to sip: Nimble Giant from Troegs
This is Troeg’s once a year special and it comes highly regarded by craft beer fans. I’ve always appreciated the fruit with forest mix, which is hard to pull off but entirely worth it.
Master Yourself
We shouldn’t stress about problems with solutions. Perspective helps.
Death is an unsolvable problem. Eviction is not. Losing your job is not. Messing up at work is not. Failing a class is not.
Those are all problems with solutions.
Yes, no matter how bad it seems, there is a solution and you find it and you act on it. Action eliminates stress.
On the other hand, we also shouldn’t stress about unsolvable problems. There’s nothing you can do about problems like death. Nothing you can control except your acceptance.
If you have a plan and you’re willing to act, there’s no time for stress. If you have humility and can accept the world as it is, there’s no reaction to stress.
Master Your Money
Reasonable > Rational (thanks Morgan Housel!)
My girlfriend’s dad is great with money. Well, great with saving money. He’s very conservative. So investing isn’t his cup of tea. He’s more of a CD guy.
A rational mind would’ve taken a few more risks. But a reasonable mind would do what’s right for them.
Rational doesn’t work for most people. We’re not robots, we’re humans.
So, don’t stress being rational, just aim to be reasonable with your money.
Weekly Special:
How to Become a Great Public Speaker in 10 Steps
Most Americans would rather jump off a tall building with a snake wrapped around them and land in a pool that they ultimately drown in, than speak in front of others.
Some of us are more afraid to speak publicly than we are to die. And it doesn’t have to be that way. You can both live a long life and speak well in public.
There was a time I thought I could never speak in front of more than my group of friends. But then I grew into my role at work.
10 years later, I’ve given speeches in front of 5 people and ones in front of 500 people. I’m fine, it’s fine, we’re all fiiiine. So, read my tips, steal them, use them, and let me know how it went.
Before Your Speech
Think in terms of excitement instead of anxiety.
It’s 100% normal to get nervous before a speech. You’re (most likely) not a sociopath, so you have a natural reaction to stress. We want to be liked, we’re social creatures. So embrace the feeling but reframe it. Sweaty palms, nauseous stomach, jittery feelings- excitement! Definitely not anxiety.
Deep breathing really helps too. And stand with a confident pose while you practice one last time before you start.
Don’t memorize your lines.
AI will take over soon enough, don’t it hurry it along by sounding like a robot. I think of general outlines here. I call it ‘flexible frameworks’. Jot down your outline, main points, then subpoints and in what order.
Then practice a lot, while walking (helps with breath control). This is a performance, yes, but you don’t need a script. You just need to know your main points inside and out.
Know your audience.
This speech is for them, not you. Who are you talking to? What do they care about? Is this more casual or professional? Know who you’re speaking to and what they want to hear. And then don’t forget to dress appropriately for your audience.
During Your Speech
Pay attention to body language.
No nervous ticks, no fidgeting and remember to smile. Be relaxed, keep your body open and face your audience. Watch speakers you like and see what they look like. It’s okay to mimic what you’re comfortable with but don’t try to be someone else. The crowd will pick up on inauthenticity.
Self deprecating humor and stories work well.
Make note though- if you’re not naturally funny, don’t try to be here. But if you have a good sense of humor, poking a little bit of fun at yourself can help the audience connect with, and like, you more.
Also, open with a story. It hooks us. Again, social creatures we are. We love stories, and it’s how a lot of us learn. If you can’t open with a story, then at least find a story that fits in somewhere. Or end with a story. Endings are almost as important as beginnings.
Watch your audience.
Read the room kid. If you’re losing them, change your energy or have backup tactics. If you’re losing them it’s okay to ask the audience to do something. Make sure what you ask fits in with what you’re talking about. Asking the audience to stand up and attempt to tap their head and rub their belly at the same time isn’t a great idea, unless your speech is about how the brain processes movement.
Use visuals as an assist, not the main focus.
Any PowerPoint you want to display is great. Visuals can be an incredible tool in your public speaking arsenal. But make sure you’re not just reading off your visual. Maybe instead of PowerPoint you have props or handouts. That’s great. But again, they’re just assistance. You, your words and your message are the main focus.
After Your Speech
Encourage questions.
You’ve wrapped up with your portion of the presentation. Well done. Now it’s time to ask the audience what’s going on in their minds. Encourage them to ask questions. It’s sometimes worth it to pay attention to who you connected with (lots of eye contact, smiling, etc.) and call on them to ask a question.
And stick around afterward to have conversations. That’s how you add additional value and build relationships. You’re not too important to not have conversations with the people who just sat through your speech.
Have a clear call to action and follow up emails ready to go.
You want the audience to do something after you speak, right? Make sure you know what that is and that your ask is clear. The next step should never be blurry for your audience.
And I hope you collected email addresses. Because you should absolutely send a follow up. Maybe it includes a PDF or a link to a website. Whatever it is, you need to make sure this email is ready to go within 24 hours of your presentation. And be sure to thank them for spending their time listening to you.
Watch recordings.
Yes it’s awkward and unfun. But it will help you improve. I listen to my recorded calls with clients to improve my sales and services techniques. I never enjoy hearing myself, but I do love the process of improving.
Judge yourself harshly (honestly) here, while still being kind to the fact that you’re in the ring, not just sitting on the sidelines. How’s your pace? Voice tone/inflection? Body language? Work on all of it.
Bonus step: Celebrate yourself!
You deserve a little gift or a stiff drink, whatever suits your fancy. Celebrate your win.
You just stood up and did something that 80% of people on this planet are too scared to do. Nicely done.
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it. See you next Saturday!