We all say we want to be authentic. What does that even mean, though? We seem to think it means “likable” and “down to earth”—which is why we want to be perceived that way. But in fact, authenticity isn’t necessarily good or bad; it’s consistent. It’s real. You can be authentically warm and funny. And…
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Make Your Talk a Ticket, Not a Brochure
READ MORE: Make Your Talk a Ticket, Not a BrochureWould you rather be handed a brochure… or a ticket? On balance, their material value is the same. In fact, brochures are more expensive to create and produce than a ticket (usually). And yet the inherent value couldn’t be more different. Brochures (most of them) give you a bunch of information about things you could…
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Public speaking is more than a platform
READ MORE: Public speaking is more than a platformUpdated 11/6/22 There are lots of reasons you might feel drawn to speaking: Because you love it, it excites you, you have things you’re dying to share, you want to make it your career. You may also have books to sell and a business to grow, and talking to lots of people at once is…
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How I Got a TEDx Talk
READ MORE: How I Got a TEDx TalkThe only thing more stunning than walking into the Kauffman Center in Kansas City when it’s full of people is when you’re the only one there. That’s where I stood, slack-jawed and awestruck on Saturday afternoon, August 29, 2015, hours before the thousands descended for the annual TEDxKC event. The pale wooden panels of this huge vaulted…
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Why You Should Stop Trying to Inspire People
READ MORE: Why You Should Stop Trying to Inspire PeopleI work with people of all backgrounds and businesses who have something to say and are dying to say it. They want to do media and launch podcasts, give talks and write books. They want to “put themselves out there.” If there were two words that literally every person says to me, it’s that they…
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What’s actually missing from your talk (just ask Sarah)
READ MORE: What’s actually missing from your talk (just ask Sarah)I was giving a presentation the other day to a roomful of authors and people who work with authors. The topic? Why every author needs a TEDx talk. (Because they do.) One woman raised her hand and said she’d been having trouble getting her own TEDx idea accepted. She assumed it was because she didn’t…
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The key to partnering with other humans
READ MORE: The key to partnering with other humansIf you think that being a successful person, professional, entrepreneur, or human requires that you “do it on your own,” boy are you making life hard for yourself. I’ve been on my own for almost 7 years now—7!—since I was laid off from my magazine job. And people always say, “Wow, you went out on…
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3 Things that Keep Good Speakers from Being Great
READ MORE: 3 Things that Keep Good Speakers from Being GreatIf you’re a speaker, or would like to be, chances are you watch other speakers with a very keen eye. Maybe you scrutinize the bio. Watch the way they carry themselves on stage. Maybe you judge them based on how relatable they are, or how useful their content is. And if we’re being honest, you…
