How to Become a Professional Speaker? No Ego
Filed under: Become Professional Speaker, How to Become Professional Speaker
How To Become A Professional Speaker
Professional Speaker, Dale Carnegie, once said: ““You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” With a wince, I confess I chose the less noble option for many years in my speaking career. As a minister, I allowed my ego to run rampant. Of course I would have never uttered the words, “Well, here I am.” But, sadly, that was my attitude. Thankfully, I have repented, and I now work hard to honor others. It is my theory that the first moment of interaction in speech and with a person says it all. Think about it: in just one second, the audience to whom we are professional speaking is able to perceive how excited we are. What tone of voice are we using? What about our body language? I am especially challenged with this concept as I walk into my home after a day at work, sometimes half expecting a welcome home party. It is so easy to enter with an attitude of, “Well, here I am.” Thankfully, I have a friend whose example I strive to emulate – my dog, Phoebe. She is a beautiful golden longhair Chihuahua. Although she is housebroken, Phoebe has a “tiny accident” while greeting me every day at the front door. I don’t scold her because she can’t help it. She is just so excited to see me, she loses her control. What an example! What if we all greeted one another the same way? (Occasionally my analogies go a bit too far.) However, in my motivational speaking job I make it a priority to arrive early and stay late in getting to know those who were in the audience. In professional public speaking it is my honor to be able to speak to them.
Grateful Professional Speaker
As a motivational speaker trainer I spend a lot of time on the road. Being away from home and family is the most challenging part of my motivational speaking career as a professional speaker. However, gratefulness is like a spiritual Prozac for me. I mean, I think it’s nearly impossible to be depressed when we’re busy being grateful. What is depression if not repressed anger? Gratitude extinguishes anger…and fuels the fire in that torch we all have inside. Gratefulness has been a key element I teach in all my speaker training classes for various companies. When professionally speaking to employees and managers I like to ask them to think about being grateful for where they live, what they
do, and who they serve. Yes, who they serve! In all my professional speaking jobs it is important to remind myself who I serve each time a step to the microphone as a motivational speaker.
I now live in Southern California, and if you’ve known me for more than five minutes or so, you will have heard me rave about how beautiful it is here. I always say, “Los Angeles is the best place I’ve ever lived!” One time my wife reminded me that I’ve said that about all the places we’ve lived…Boston, London, Phoenix, and Atlanta. I guess I’ve been purposely looking for the positives, no matter where I am. It is important to be grateful for your family and friends, for your job and co-workers, and for where you live. Thank people who have helped you, and give credit to others when it’s appropriate
(and, by the way, it’s always appropriate). Be grateful for your pets! Be grateful for a good movie on a rainy day. Be grateful for a good roof on a rainy day. Be grateful for rain……be grateful.
“What a wonderful life I’ve had!
I only wish I’d realized it sooner.”
—Colette