Get Training as a Motivational Speaker

As a Motivational Speaker we need to always be learning and sharpening our public speaking skills. Wendell Berry says: “The teachers are everywhere, what is needed is a learner.” This tip is unique in that learning from others should be considered a serendipity. As a Motivational Speaker the payoff is how this activity affects your relationships with everyone you encounter. People enjoy sharing their positive thoughts, their knowledge, and
their motivational stories. Remember that person who always had to share all his knowledge? Do you recall the woman who always corrected others with her facts? The one with whom it was pointless to disagree because they always had to be right? I used the words “remember” and “recall” because odds are these are friends of the past. Frankly, no one enjoys being around a know-it-all for very long. On the contrary, imagine someone who is interested in your thoughts and insights. Imagine someone who asks you to explain further your comments, and responds:
“That makes really good sense!”“I have never considered that.”
“That is interesting. Please tell me more.”
Motivational Speakers need to adopt the attitude of Learning from others, which is about much more than just acquiring facts. It involves having the humility to put aside our “mental fact sheets” and to open that space for others’ ideas. Learning is about honoring others who share new or different viewpoints. I have discovered that my enemy in this regard is my ego. Sometimes my ego doesn’t want to learn. It wants to teach! It wants to share with others how much it knows. My ego wants to correct others to set them straight. When someone
disagrees with or questions my viewpoint, I’m quick to challenge, “You want to bet on it?” (How endearing!) Learn from your friends. Learn from your partner. Learn from your children. Come to our Motivational Speaking Training course and you'll learn to transform your speaking career.

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Sleep for your Motivational Speaking Career

I've heard it said that sleep depravation makes coward of us all. As motivational speakers we need to be sharp and fresh to be

our creative best. 

“Take rest. A field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” 

– Ovid 

How much sleep are you getting? Sleep deprivation is a curse to creativity and a thief to passion. 

“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.” 

– JoJo Jensen 

I once belonged to a church where it seemed that the more dedicated one was to Christ, the less he should sleep. Mem- 

bers would boast of their late nights and early mornings. Leaders wore their fatigue like a badge of honor. Come to 

think of it, we did have our share of tall two-year-olds. I was one of them. Take the sleep test. According to Harvard University  

Economics Professor Juliet Schor, “If you need an alarm clock to wake you in the morning, you’re probably sleeping 

too little.” I get up most mornings without an alarm clock. The solution is simple – earlier to bed! Now of course there’s a tradeoff, 

but it’s well worth it. I rarely enjoy Leno’s or Letterman’s monologue, or catch the late movie, but throughout the  

next day – I’m ready to burn! I've kept this tip brief so all of us could get some extra rest in over the holidays

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Great Motivational Quotes to End 2008 With

These are some of my favorite motivational speaking quotes I've collected through the years.

I hope you'll find them as motivating as I do.

“The real measure of your wealth is how much  

you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” 

– Bernard Meltzer 

“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to  

venture a little way past them into the impossible.” 

– Arthur C. Clarke 

“A childlike man is not a man whose development  

has been arrested; on the contrary, he is a man who  

has given himself a chance of continuing to develop  

long after most adults have muffled themselves  

in the cocoon of middle-aged habit and convention.” 

– Aldous Huxley 

“He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, 

but rejoices in what he has.” 

– Epictetus 

“Become the change you wish to see in others.”                                                                                           

– Mahatma Gandhi       

                                                                                                                                            

“Nothing happens unless first a dream.” 

– Carl Sandburg 

“There are two days that no one should ever worry about:  

yesterday and tomorrow.” 

– Albert Einstein 

“Angels sail through our lives like ships of light,  

visiting us through portals to our heart.” 

– Karen Goldman  

“There are many ways to measure success; not the least of which is 

the way your child describes you when talking to a friend.” 

– Author unknown 

“Every man’s work, whether it be literature or music or pictures 

or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself.” 

– Samuel Butler 

“Much may be known of a man’s character  

by what excites his laughter.” 

– Goethe 

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.  

The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”   

– William A. Ward 

“Some people say they haven’t yet found themselves.  

But the self is not something one finds;  

it is something one creates.”  

– Thomas Szasz 

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent  

about things that matter.” 

– Martin Luther King, Jr. 

“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark 

should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by 

dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me 

in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The 

proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste 

my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” 

– Jack London 

“Of all earthly music that which reaches farthest  

into heaven is the beating of a truly loving heart.” 

– Henry Ward Beecher 

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational  

mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that  

honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”  

– Albert Einstein 

“Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes  

you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which  

comes the inner voice which says, ‘This is the real me,’ and  

when you have found that attitude, follow it.” 

– William James 

“Love one another, and you’ll be happy.  

It’s as simple – and as difficult – as that.” 

– Michael Leunig 

“This nation was built by men who took risks;  

pioneers who were not afraid of the wilderness,  

business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists  

who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid 

of progress, dreamers who were not afraid of action.” 

– Brooks Atkinson 

“None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” 

– Henry David Thoreau 

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Did I make a Difference?

Recently I saw a bumper sticker that read: “Make a living, not a difference.” Now, I know it was intended to be humorous, but I thought, how sadly true. It’s just what so many people are doing.  I think it’s so important that we search for the “worthwhileness” of our our speaking careers –and don’t become a motivational speaker until we find it. Beforehand, if I cannot think of the statement in my speech that will make the difference, that speech is not yet ready to give.  After every speech, I ask myself, “Did I make a difference?”  After every day, I ask myself, “Did I make a difference?” There are days when I answer…“No.”  I then think of situations where I could have handled things better.  Could I have been more creative and innovative — perhaps more compassionate or patient?  What else could I have done to make a difference? There’s a definite connection between worthwhileness and passion. You can see one brick mason at work and ask what he’s doing. “I’m building a wall,” he replies.  You see another brick mason and ask the same question. “I’m building a home,” he answers.  Each is performing the same actions, but they have different perspectives, different outlooks on life. Perhaps, too, a different quality of work.  Some probably find it much easier to “call in sick.”  After all, he only has bricks waiting for him, while the other has a family depending on him.   In our public speaking jobs, are we building walls or homes?  Have I shown them that they are important? Have I proven that each of them makes a unique difference?   If we’ve shown love,  if we’ve played our music,  then we’ve made a difference. After speaking opportunities, when I ask myself if I’ve made a difference, one of the criteria I consider is whether or not I’ve empowered my public audience? I always try to stay after my speech, so that people have an opportunity to remain connected and be appreciated.  People can come up to me and ask questions, give me their ideas, or discuss something I’ve said. I use their comments and evaluations for future speeches. 

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Abundant Public Speaking Jobs

You will have more public speaking opportunities than ever before if you will

play these two radio stations every time you speaker.

A seasoned trainer once shared with me, “There are two captivating radio 

stations that transmit appreciation, love, and respect to an audience.” 

“Two radio stations?”  I asked puzzled. 

“You heard right. There’s both an AM and FM station…” 

…That was ten years ago. 

Tuning in to these stations has elevated my ability to love. 

 I now share their “power” with you…  

 

W I I -- F M  

 

The vast majority of speeches and presentations that I have heard fail to address 

a most important factor -- “What’s In It For Me?”  That’s what audience members are 

asking before the presentation even starts.  

 “Is this worth my time?”  

“Why am I here?”  

“Will this be of use to me?” 

“WII-FM?” 

I now “tune in” to this station every time I address an audience. I’ve tried to do 

likewise on these CD’s. On CD #!, I showed you how you can personally benefit from 

improving your presentation skills.  Remember the individual who received a promotion, 

and my friend who was given more money than he’d even asked for?  This is the 

“What’s in it for me?” for this recording.  I hoped to inspire you, to keep you interested 

and entertained.  And if you’re still listening, perhaps it’s worked.   

The second radio station is equally as important, yet tuned in even less often!  

 

MMFG -- AM 

 

Before my speech, I envision every audience member actually raising a hand 

and saying, “Excuse me, but I have a request. At some point during your presentation, 

could you Make Me Feel Good About Myself?” 

 Then, I picture myself complimenting each of them. I ponder: 

 What have they accomplished?  

 What awards have they won?  

 What hardships have they endured?  

 What obstacles have they overcome?  

 How have they contributed to their company’s success?  

Tune in” to these questions, and watch what happens! 

 

A company for which I once worked had purchased another company in Chicago.  

It was a rough acquisition. Financially, it was fine.  But on the personal side, it left much 

to be desired. I felt like we had come in as a “bully” company and used this bulldozing 

philosophy: “We don't care what you used to do and who you used to be. Now, you're 

us, and it's time you start doing things our way.”  I went to speak to their sales force two 

months after the acquisition. Before the presentation, I'd asked for some of the success 

stories that this company had prior to merging with us, so that I could use these stories 

in my speech. One of our company's vice presidents told me: 

 “Oh, you don't have to bring up anything about their past. That's gone now.  

They’re with us now, and they’ll do as we would have them do.” 

He was a VP. He had authority over me. But I do have a healthy dose of 

productive defiance. I realized that what this group of people needed right now, more 

than anything else, was to feel good about themselves. I needed to tune them in to 

MMFG-AM. I had to let them know that they were important to us -- that we needed 

them. 

Before I addressed them, I noticed a plaque on the wall. It had been presented to 

this company for a superb radio advertisement.  So, I copied all the facts and figures. 

Then I saw another award that they'd received from the City of Chicago for their stellar 

service. I wrote that down too.  

I started my presentation, “What a thrill it is to be merging with such a top quality, 

blue-chip company!”  

 When I said that, eyes that were turned down began to look up at me.  

“Congratulations on your Golden Mike Award!” 

 People began to smile. Next, I recognized their award from the city of Chicago, 

adding that I didn't remember our company ever getting an award like that from our city.  

 “This is absolutely tremendous!  And let me tell you, we have a lot to learn from 

you and your successes.”  

 I didn’t expect anyone to speak up, but one woman, in tears, raised her hand. 

 “Thank you for those compliments!  You'll never know how much we needed to 

hear those words right now.” 

After that, I could have flubbed the rest of the speech big time, 

could have stumbled over my words, 

forgotten what I wanted to say, 

dropped my notes on the floor… 

and none of it would have mattered.  

Why?  Because I'd truly connected with that audience through love. And that's 

magical. All I had to do was…  

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

International Travel as a Motivational Speaker

“Abundance is not something we acquire.  

It is something we tune into.” 

– Dr. Wayne Dyer 

  

When you return from a third world country it awakens you to see how the rest of the world lives. 

Visit a third world country and watch what happens to your gratitude..

And don’t just go with a compassionate attitude. 

Go also with the idea: What can I learn from them? 

motivational speaking career to visit several countries 

that would be considered in this “third world” category.  

I think the ones most notable in my mind were in West  

Africa, the countries of Ghana and Nigeria. And in Asia, 

India was a definite. I now live in Southern California and 

you don’t even have to cross an ocean to find third world 

poverty. Cross the border into Tijuana, and I think you’ll  

see what I mean. 

If you go to one of these countries, take your children.  

Let them collect some toys and clothes of theirs and of 

neighborhood friends to give to the children in the country 

you’ll be visiting. I promise you, this will forever impact  

your life – and the lives of your children. 

And while you’re in that third world country, make it a point 

to visit a local hospital. I’ll never forget the one that Tanya 

and I visited in Ghana. What we saw there is still sharply 

embedded in our minds. 

We complain about things in our hospitals: 

“The air conditioning is too cold.” 

“The food isn’t hot enough.” 

“She has to share her room with three other patients.” 

“I rang this buzzer, and it took a nurse two minutes to get here!” 

Our visit to that Ghanaian hospital was a convicting  

contrast where cold air, cold food, a nurse’s visit, or just a 

bed would have been a very welcomed blessing. 

As Tanya and I approached the hospital’s entrance, we  

curiously walked past dozens of people sitting amongst a 

motley patchwork of torn towels and rags strewn across the 

entire dirt “front lawn.” Any available bush or branch was 

similarly adorned. 

As we began walking around inside, our hearts just broke. 

The very rare patient with a bed and mattress was the  

extremely fortunate one. Most had just bed springs. Some 

patients were even lying on the floor. And each person had 

just a ragged cloth beneath them. 

As we glanced through a broken window at that sea of 

towels and rags outside, we were humbled to realize that all 

those precious scraps of cloth were their pillows, mattresses, 

sheets, covers, washcloths, and towels which the families 

themselves supplied, washed, and “sun-dried” for their loved 

ones. 

We just wanted to cry... for them... for their conditions...  

for their lot in life. 

But we couldn’t. Not then, anyway. We were there to visit 

and encourage. 

Yet, most amazingly, it was Tanya and I who became  

encouraged. Astoundingly, there were smiles everywhere 

– on the faces of nurses, doctors, visiting family, and even on 

the faces of the sick and dying. They were so grateful  

someone came to visit and just share a friendly smile or 

gentle touch. Many visitors got up off the floor (there were 

no chairs) and hugged us. Just so appreciative someone 

cared. I’ll never forget it. What grateful and good people! 

We cried for that... after we left. 

And these are the people often referred to as underdeveloped.

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Motivational Speaker Jobs and Props

Props are so captivating, so effective, so connecting for your speaking career. In his book, Do Not Go 

Naked Into Your Next Presentation, Ron Hoff discusses the importance of good motivational speaker props:  

I’ve been trying to forget the O.J. Simpson trial, but one picture 

keeps developing itself over and over in my mind. It's defense attorney 

Johnny Cochran, delivering his summation to the jury. He’s wearing a dark 

stocking cap, pulled down right over his head. The cap was a piece of 

prosecution evidence, but it didn’t look very dangerous on Johnny. And the 

most compelling part of this picture is that it’s locked in my brain forever. 

Images have a way of doing that.  Never underestimate the power of a vivid 

image to make linkages into the mind that words alone simply cannot 

accomplish. 

 

         Cochran’s is a good example of prop-power. I’ve already related a number of 

instances when motivational speakers used props with excellent effect. You’ve probably seen 

examples as well.  

It’s always fun when you use props that you can hand out to members of the 

audience.  My friend, Marda, gave a motivational speech entitled, “Who Packs Your 

Parachute?” in which, instead of simply thanking the audience for all the community 

service they’d done, she gave each audience member a little plastic paratrooper -- 

something memorable for them. Great fuel! 

As mentioned earlier, I once used nine different props in a speech. Also, 

whenever I tell one of my signature stories -- the Nordstrom Story -- I actually hold up 

the ratty old green shirt I’m talking about, so the audience can see it. When I share 

about my phone call to my wife, I actually speak into my cell phone. When I mention 

that I was lacking cash for a transaction, I pull out my wallet from my back pocket and 

rummage through it with a sad look on my face. I don’t just tell about the tie I bought, I 

wear it and flaunt it.  

 

This is the captivating power of props, and they are especially essential in 

meeting the needs of visual and kinesthetic learners in your audience. (More on the 

different styles of learners will be discussed later in this chapter). 

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Statistics and Motivational Speaker Jobs

65% of all audience members appreciate statistics from their motivational speakers. 100% of people will show 

their appreciation 50% of the time by evaluating 95% of your presentations at an 

average 8.9 on a 1-10 scale. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Seriously, effective use of 

statistics really appeals to those “thinkers” in the audience. They want facts, figures, and 

precision.   

 When you use statistics, be graphically dramatic and creative, and always give 

your sources when it will lend credibility. Audience retention is augmented when you 

accompany statistics with clear, uncomplicated visuals in your motivational speaking career. Statistics have no meaning 

without interpretation. When interpreted well, a few dramatic numbers can be 

invaluable.  

 

I won over an audience of information technologists by employing a statistical 

comparison that I discovered on the Internet. I call it my “Jock vs. Nerd Stat Story.”   

Here are the statistical innards of the story:  

• Michael Jordan --the “semi-retired” Michael Jordan, that is --currently makes $40 

million a year in endorsements.   

 

• That translates into $178,000 per day.   

• If he goes to see a movie, it'll cost him $8.00, but he’ll make $18,550 while 

watching it! 

 

• If someone were to hand him his salary, dollar by dollar, they would have to 

do so at the rate of $2.00 every second.  

  

• This year, he’ll make more than twice as much as all past U.S. Presidents, for 

all of their terms combined.   

 

• Amazing!!  However, if Jordan saves 100% of his income for the next 450 

years, he'll still have less than Bill Gates (the “nerd”) has today!   

 

I know very little about what information technologists do for a living, but I do 

know that in a “jock vs. nerd” survey, most of them would fall more into the “nerdish” 

category.  And when I ended that story with  “Game over. Nerd wins!” something 

interesting happened -- hands shot up around the room!  

One participant initiated her first comments since our class had started.   

“I love Bill Gates. He is responsible for putting computers in schools throughout 

our nation!”  

Another member of the class commented, “I saw a TV special on Mr. Gates 

once. He had dirt under his fingernails because he does his own gardening!”  

As others eagerly shared, classmates responded with “ooh’s” and “aah’s.”  

I smiled, as I had just learned the power of audience-specific statistics. 

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Use Quotes in your Motivational Speaking Career

Quotes are powerful captivators and credibility-builders for anyone involved in speaking careers. (Notice how many I use 

in this book). They show respect for other’s thoughts. Whenever possible, quote people 

in the audience, as it delights and honors them.   

If you're speaking to a company, quote its leaders. Sure, you could quote Jack 

Welch and other famous CEO’s, but why not the locals? It makes everything more 

specific and intimate. (And it doesn’t hurt to know that it’s the company leaders who 

have a say in whether you're invited back to speak again.) If you know there’s a new 

executive or associate at the company, quote them. Get them to stand, and initiate 

applause for them. Honor them. There are many, many ways to incorporate quotes 

effectively.  

A company I worked for sponsored a “Bring Your Child To Work Day,” as many 

organizations have done. I invited my older daughter, Alexandra. On that particular day, 

I was facilitating the Presentation Skills Workshop for seven executives in finance. 

These managers had three months to prepare presentations that each would be giving 

in the afternoon session. I made it clear to Alexandra, of course, that she wasn't 

expected to present one with such short notice. She said she'd like to, if she could go 

last.  

During each speaker’s afternoon presentation, I observed Alexandra was taking 

copious notes. After everyone had finished, it was time for Alexandra's presentation. 

What she did was really remarkable! As her father, I couldn’t have been more proud. 

She had taken notes on all of the other speakers’ topics. Then she demonstrated 

how the power of the Internet could enhance each of their topics. And she quoted the 

speakers: 

 

Today we heard Maria discuss her keen interest in the country of 

Morocco. She said, “Morocco is a magical place!”  Well, it's exciting to know that 

you can go to this Internet site (and she mentioned the site) and listen to 

Moroccan music as you’re doing your research.  

 

 She went from one speaker to the next, remembering their topics and quoting 

them. Everyone was excited and loved that their interests were being recapped! They 

were ecstatic that their words were quoted.  Why?  Because their words were honored! 

They gave Alexandra a tremendous round of applause for her motivational speaking.  

 

They loved her words, because her words were their words!  

 

Quoting others is a powerful fuel for your “fires.” 

 

I strongly suggest memorizing your twenty favorite quotes. It’s always better not 

to have to read them from your notes. After all, if they’ve really had an impact on you, 

wouldn't you know them by heart? 

 This is what the audience is thinking. 

And you can “quote me” on that! 

Ron Clendenin

ronclendenin@gmail.com

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Motivational Speaker Jobs

Why are questions so powerful?  

  Have you considered the benefits of asking for audience responses?  

        How do questions encourage dialogue and discourage lecture?  

 

I recall listening to a motivational speaker who began her presentation asking “How old would 

you be if you didn’t know how old you are?"  

This inspired laughter and discussion in the group… 

“Does that mean how old do I feel?”  

“How old do I look?”  

It made an immediate connection and it led into the point of her talk.  

Asking questions is also a good opportunity to start off with some humor:   

“How many people are in the wrong place?” 

“How many wish they were in the wrong place?” 

“How many care where they are?” 

“How many wish I would stop asking questions?” 

People will laugh, and you'll see hands raised after each question. This provides 

both spark and a change of pace.  

You do have to be careful, however, when you’re asking rhetorical questions 

because some people won't pick up on the fact that they are rhetorical.  It’s not that I 

don’t love to get responses from the group. I frequently interact with audiences. But 

there are times in a speech when you don't want people shouting out answers. It can 

undermine a dramatic or inspirational point in your speech. You can't ignore that raised 

hand or that shout. I effectively set up rhetorical questions by letting the audience know 

in various phrasings that no verbal response is expected. I’ll say…  

“Let me just ask you a few rhetorical questions…”  

or 

 “I want you just to think about possible answers to this question…”  

or 

 “There's no need to respond to this, but why would…”  

  

These pretty much guarantee that you won’t be faced with the awkwardness of 

someone speaking up from the audience when you’d rather them not.  

Why don’t more speakers use this magical device that shows respect?   

Why do teachers rarely use questions, except on tests?   

Will you consider asking more questions in your presentations?   

Can you think of a better way to involve others in your keynote speeches as a motivational speaker?

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

Becoming a Motivational Speaker

I hear from many new Professional Speakers about the difficulty they are having in getting signed by speakers bureaus. I’ll be posting some secret tips on getting signed with bureaus in a special report any day now. One place to start getting a foot in the door is to sign up for a speakers showcase that is hosted by a bureau. These are incredible venues for you to get some great exposure for not only that specific speakers bureau but also for the meeting planners who attend.
I’ve been a Motivational Speaker for many years but this year was the first time I had spoken at a Speakers Showcase. I spoke at the Capitol City Speakers bureau hosted a showcase which was a full day event allowing each speaker the chance to speak twice. From that one event alone I have 14 bookings confirmed and 6 more “holds” in my speaking calendar.
The bureaus who host showcases still have some basic requirements in order to be accepted into the showcase. One is that you must have a DVD or video on your website that displays your speaking ability. I recommend the video be editing to display some key moments from your speech. You’ll want to show humor and the audience laughing on your video. This is a big deal to the bureaus because they realize that this is the entertainment business and making people laugh is part of being a great keynote speaker. Next you’ll want some footage of your signature story that shows the audience being engaged in your telling of the story. Be aggressive in contacting the bureaus but when you send them an email or a package with your materials be sure to make it easy for them. Label everything clearly and be very gracious and thankful to them for considering you. Now more than ever people are trying to enter the speaking industry which means bureaus get more requests than ever. You want to be make sure what you send them doesn’t get lost in the stack but also that when they find your material is will be easy to read and understand. Be relentless and aggressive in getting on the showcase program but also respectful and not pushy. It is a hard balance but appreciation and respect go a long way with everyone. Something as simple as writing a personal card with a $5 Starbucks gift card inside could make all the difference in getting you on the program of the next speakers showcase.

Posted via email from motivationalspeaker's posterous

How to Become a Motivational Speaker

There are plenty of tips on this topic on the internet. However, I’m actually a real motivational speaker who derives his income from speaking to corporate america. The steps of How to Become a motivational speaker
are no easy task. My first year was exceptional but it took lots of planning to launch my career. I always advise everyone to not quit their day job until they have a full understanding of what are the entry level tools required for a speaking career. The speaking business, in many ways, parallels the entertainment business. When the hit show American Idol rolls into your city for auditions reports of 4000 plus will wait for days to audition. Only a small handful will be selected from each city. The speaking business is a great career but the first tool you need to start working on is finding your message and writing a book about it. If you do not have a book you can still get speaking jobs. Having a speaking career is different than getting some speaking jobs. There are several ways to get your book finished. In fact, you may be a great speaker but not very good a writing. Ghost writers can take your hand written notes or even audio CD’s of your ideas and turn it into a work that you’d be proud to publish. One of the biggest key's to starting a career is about crafting a great keynote speech. With a great keynote speech, training and coaching on you can earn a 6 to 7 figure income per year. Of course learning to market your business is whole different course module. But if you don't get the book and keynote finished and polished the marketing will only go so far. In our Presentation Fire Training School we've observed that most of the developing speakers have good material but lack the ability to engage with their audience. Not knowing the timing of a story or the use of humor is a professional skill that needs coaching, refining and much rehearsal. In our workshop we also have noticed the tendency to procrastinate doing the hard stuff like working on your book and the content of the keynote. For example, each attendee receives a workshop description and two reminder e-mails about preparing for a brief presentation which will be filmed by a videographer on the opening day. And yet, when I stand before them and say, “Now, of course, you all have your presentations this afternoon,” I’m met with a room full of confused “it’s-the-first-time-I’ve ever-heard-about-it” expressions. “What?” I add. “You didn’t know?” Then I hear a few, “I sure don’t remember anything about a presentation.” Occasionally, I will get the honest one who admits, “I just put it off. Sorry.” It never fails to amaze me that up and coming professionals, will come to a presentation skills workshop without a presentation! Moreover, these presentations are being video-taped and conducted in front of their peers Still, remarkably, many do not prepare. Often, I’ll try to break the “avoidance-syndrome” tension by reading those e-mails aloud, evoking some embarrassed chuckling and confessions of “Oh yeah, you’re right.” (I sincerely believe that if I didn’t read these “Exhibit A Evidences” to them, there would still be a few who would stubbornly hold to the claim that they’d never heard about the presentation requirement.) At this point, the room energy is comprised of a dangerous combination of embarrassment and guilt. So I use humor to make the bitter truth more palatable. I offer the following explanation: You probably did peruse the course description and signed up for the course with every intention of doing a good job on your presentation for yourselves, your peers, and your supervisors. You knew that it was important and would be beneficial to your careers, but you still had some time. Procrastination in preparing to speak is toxic potion for one who wants to become a motivational speaker.You can’t wing it you have to take the prep time that is necessary for every presentation. I’ve heard people describe their talents as not needing preparation that they think better on their feet. You are deceived. It takes:

* …reading
* …note-taking
* …outlining
* …writing
* …editing
* …memorizing
* …developing supplementary materials
* …finding appropriate props

…and as many essential etceteras as you can shake a stick at! Don’t make the mistake of so many who start in this industry and then bomb when they have to stand and deliver. It takes preparation…lots of preparation to become a motivational speaker. Start now in outlining the chapters of your book and your keynote speech because to become a motivational speaker the hardest part is always...just starting.