How to Speak Like the 1% Elite

The speaker outlines five principles for becoming a top-tier speaker, emphasizing the importance of embracing nerves, being an expert in your topic, telling stories rather than just facts, focusing on serving the audience, and maintaining a primary question to center oneself. By reframing nerves as excitement and focusing on gratitude, speakers can transform anxiety into positive energy. The speaker stresses preparation and storytelling as key to engaging audiences, while emphasizing the need to prioritize audience impact over self-presentation. Ultimately, the goal is to strive towards personal excellence and share one's authentic self with the world for fulfillment.

• Speaking effectively involves managing nerves and transforming them into a positive force for engagement.
• Anxiety and excitement are essentially the same emotion, and reframing this can aid in better performance.
• Focusing on gratitude and the opportunity to serve an audience helps in channeling nervous energy positively.

"Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. So what I do is I use that emotion, I go to gratitude."

• The speaker suggests that by recognizing the similarity between anxiety and excitement, one can consciously shift their mindset to gratitude, thus using nervous energy constructively.

"When you reframe your thinking around the nerves that you've got and instead of being like, 'Oh my gosh, what if I mess up?' Instead, you say, 'Oh, this just means I really care.'"

• This quote emphasizes the importance of reframing nervousness as a sign of caring deeply about the presentation, which can help focus on the audience rather than personal fears.

"Fear is false evidence appearing real. Are you going to lose everything you've ever created up to this point if you mess up? No."

• The speaker addresses common fears of public speaking by highlighting that the perceived consequences are often exaggerated and not based on reality.

• Speaking confidently requires deep knowledge and expertise in the subject matter.
• It is crucial to have extensive experience and preparation in the topics one chooses to speak about.
• Avoiding topics where one lacks expertise ensures credibility and respect for the audience and other professionals.

"I would never give a talk on something I'm not an expert in."

• This statement underscores the importance of only speaking on topics where one has significant expertise, ensuring the audience receives accurate and valuable information.

"You don't rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your preparation."

• The speaker highlights the critical role of preparation in successful speaking engagements, suggesting that thorough preparation is key to delivering an effective presentation.

"Winging it is for the birds, not the speakers."

• This quote humorously conveys that improvisation without preparation is not suitable for serious speakers, reinforcing the need for careful planning and practice.

• Begin with a strong start, have a clear endpoint, and conclude with a compelling call to action.
• Confidence in speaking arises from mastering the initial minute and planning transitions to a clear conclusion.
• A visual outline of the talk helps map out story beats, metaphors, and points to reinforce the message.

"When I give a talk, I need to perfect how I start, where do I want to end up, and how do I end?"

• Emphasizes the importance of planning the beginning, middle, and end of a talk for effective delivery.

"If you get the first minute figured out and you know how you're going to transition everything you shared at the very end so that you can leave them with a clear call to action that will help you feel so freaking confident."

• Highlights the role of a well-planned introduction and conclusion in building speaker confidence.

• A well-structured framework can lead to increased success and ease in achieving goals.
• Applying a life philosophy or process can significantly enhance personal and professional outcomes.

"My promise to every person in this room by the end of this time together I will give you a framework a process a life philosophy that if you apply it will change the game for you."

• Suggests that following a structured approach can lead to transformative results.

"It'll actually make you feel guilty because you'll be making more money and it's not going to be as hard as you thought it would be."

• Indicates that success can be more accessible and less challenging than anticipated when using the right framework.

• Stories are more memorable than facts; they evoke emotions and create lasting impressions.
• Personal stories position the speaker as an expert and help convey messages effectively.

"Tell stories, not facts. I know you have a lot you want to share. You want to add a lot of value, but don't make this mistake. People will not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel."

• Emphasizes the power of storytelling in making presentations memorable and impactful.

"What's cool about stories is they do three things. Number one is they position you as an expert."

• Highlights how storytelling can establish credibility and authority in the speaker.

• Visual diagrams and peer feedback can enhance preparation and delivery.
• Practicing with friends using flashcards helps reinforce the structure and key points of a talk.

"I then use my friends to flashcard me where they'll be like, 'All right, what's point number one? What's point number three? What's point number two's metaphor?'"

• Describes a method of using peer support to practice and reinforce the structure of a presentation.

"That way I can go up on stage with an hour to fill and absolutely nail the beats."

• Shows how thorough preparation and practice can lead to confident and effective public speaking.

• Studying successful speakers and presentations can provide valuable insights and inspiration.
• Observing high-performing individuals helps in understanding effective communication techniques.

"The other thing is you got to study the grades. If you're giving a TED talk for the first time or you've been asked to even give a presentation at your work, go look at other people that are presenting."

• Encourages learning from experienced speakers to improve one's own presentation skills.

"Go look at the best people. Go on YouTube, sort by most viewed, and just get in the energy of the greats."

• Suggests using online resources to study and emulate successful public speakers.

• Storytelling is an essential tool in public speaking, enhancing engagement and retention.
• Stories can be used to fill extra time during presentations while maintaining audience interest.
• Using stories helps to convey messages more effectively than simply presenting facts.

"Man, I love that cowboy story." But they'll know that cowboy story is a point to actually go for the thing they want to get in life because you use the feeling of the story to glue in the activity and the action that you wanted them to take.

• The cowboy story exemplifies how stories can motivate action by connecting emotionally with the audience.

"If I've got an extra 30 minutes, like it happened to me one time when I was speaking at Tony Robbins stage and all of a sudden they said, 'Oh, no, you don't have 60, you have 90 minutes,' and I had to fill an extra 30 minutes."

• Stories can be extended to fill additional time in a presentation, ensuring the audience remains engaged.

"When you understand stories sell, facts tell, and using stories are going to be the reason that people are going to book you for more speaking, give you more opportunities and buy whatever product you might have or service."

• Effective storytelling can lead to more speaking opportunities and increased interest in products or services.

• Focus on serving the audience rather than trying to impress them.
• Understanding the audience's needs and tailoring the message accordingly is crucial.
• Establishing a connection with the audience helps alleviate the speaker's stress.

"Focus on serving the audience, not impressing them. See, the reason why people get stressed out and freak out is because they're worried about how they're going to look."

• Shifting focus from self-image to audience service reduces stress and enhances presentation effectiveness.

"Know your room. Know exactly what every person does in that room or at least the essence of the industry and what they need to learn most based on their specific situation that you can help them with."

• Understanding the audience's background and needs allows for a more tailored and impactful presentation.

"Lock eyes on them one at a time. Look in the top right corner, the bottom right corner, across the room. You look at them, you acknowledge them."

• Making eye contact with audience members fosters a sense of connection and engagement.

• Stage presence begins with having a strong inner presence, which involves showing up with intention rather than tension.
• Engaging the audience effectively involves asking questions that make them ponder and think critically, shifting focus from self-performance to audience engagement.
• Recognizing the transformative potential of what you share on stage can enhance your connection with the audience.
• Audience members are often impressed by the mere fact of someone being on stage, which fosters a natural affinity towards the speaker.

"So, what I recommend to you when you get on stage, get up there and hold space and look around the room knowing that what you're about to share is going to transform their life."

• This quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing the potential impact of your message on the audience, which can enhance your confidence and stage presence.

"Those people are so impressed you're on stage. So understand just by the fact that you're up there and you're communicating and you're loving on them is a reason why they're going to fall in love with you."

• The speaker highlights that the audience's admiration for the speaker's courage to be on stage can create a positive and receptive environment.

• Having a primary question can help center oneself and shift focus from personal performance to serving the audience.
• The suggested primary question involves appreciating divine grace and guidance, which can calm nerves and enhance the speaker's focus on serving the audience.
• This approach aligns with the belief in a higher purpose and divine intervention in the act of speaking.

"And that question is, how can I appreciate even more God's grace and guidance in this moment? I believe I'm here to serve these people because of divine intervention and opportunity and I ask to be supported in that moment."

• The quote illustrates the speaker's method of centering themselves through a spiritual lens, which helps them focus on the audience's needs rather than personal anxieties.

• Personal growth involves striving every day to become the best version of oneself, referred to as the "10.0 self."
• This concept involves integrating the best moments of one's life into daily practice and living in alignment with one's highest potential.
• Sharing one's true self with the world is essential to achieving massive fulfillment.

"28 years of entrepreneurship, I've learned it comes down to two things. Number one is wake up every day to strive to become your 10.0 self."

• The quote underscores the importance of continuous personal development and self-improvement as foundational to a fulfilling life.

"And the other half is to share yourself with the world. And if you do those two things, I promise you, you will live daily in a place of massive fulfillment."

• This statement highlights the dual focus on personal growth and external contribution as key to achieving a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

• Bringing an energy of support, giving, abundance, and gratitude can be felt by the audience and enhances their receptiveness.
• The speaker suggests that having something valuable to share with the audience, which they might not yet realize they need, creates excitement and engagement.
• This approach can help one become a world-class speaker by fostering a deep connection with the audience.

"And showing up with that energy of support, of giving, of abundance, of gratitude is felt by the audience."

• The quote emphasizes the impact of positive energy on audience perception and engagement, suggesting that the speaker's attitude can significantly influence the audience's experience.

"That giddy feeling that you've got something that they really need that they don't know yet, but once they hear it, they're going to be like, 'Oh my gosh.' That is how you become a world-class speaker."

• This statement highlights the importance of delivering valuable insights that resonate with the audience, creating a memorable and impactful speaking experience.