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Hey everybody, it�s Lucas Mattiello, and I am back for part four in our six part series
of how to be comfortable on any stage and communicate with confidence.
So today we�re going to address how do you start strong? It is so critical because we�ve
done all the pre-game work now so, you know, we have our reasons for being there, we�ve
rehearsed it, you know, we�ve addressed the pre-talk nerves, but now we�ve got to
deliver, and you only have one chance to make a first impression, so you have to make sure
it starts strong. I don�t say this to put pressure on you, but I say this just to reinforce
that it�s very important because once the audience has an impression of you, it is very
difficult to change their mind because people get set in their ways.
So how do you start strong? Okay, we are going to go into story time. Story time, I know
this might sound off-the-wall, but it�s absolutely true. Telling a story is so easy
because you get wrapped up in it yourself, and this is the key because telling a story
that you know and that you really resonate with it requires a very small amount of brain
power. You get caught up in it. I mean just think about, recall some of your greatest
achievements right now. Think back to something that you did that you�re like, �Hey, that
was awesome!� I am sure it takes no effort for you to say it. You just start going in
and go through the motions. This is how you want to start your presentation. So start
with a scenario, a relevant fact, a story that relates to your presentation, anything
that makes it easy to start strong because the beginning, it�s critical for you own
confidence. You see when we start, that�s where all
the questions are. We�ve discussed anticipatory anxiety, and that�s when you�re thinking
up all these worst-case scenarios. Well now it�s very black and white. There�s no
grey area of �Am I going to screw up? Am I not going to screw up?� All this talk
that�s going on, it�s literally, you�ve done a good job or you haven�t, and this
is where you see many presenters two to three minutes into a presentation they kind of ground
themselves and they think, �Yeah, you know, I got this,� and the settle into their groove
and they start becoming comfortable on stage. Now, what this is, is that they�ve convinced
themselves because now, they�re like, �Okay, I am doing well. The audience is engaging
with me here. I have started off really well. I am starting strong, and I am confident that
I can deliver this, that I could actually do this.� So this is critical because by
not focusing on a bunch of small points that you have to remember and really kind of going
through this internal voices that come up and these negative thoughts and all that crap,
you want to focus on, let me tell a story that I know, and once you ground yourself
in that, it�s going to kick start this whole confidence process because you�re going
to go, �Look, I am going to start off with the story about me achieving this goal.�
Roll right through it. Next thing you know, you�re two minutes in and you�re like,
�Oh, I nailed it. Let�s keep it going,� and this is going to increase your engagement
and get the audience on your side because the confidence that you put out there is what
the audience reacts to. You want to put out the most self-assured and confident expert
status that you can. Know your material and put it out there, and the audience will respect
you. So this is the key. Always start strong, so begin with a rehearsed beginning, a story,
a relevant fact, a quote, something that you know very well, and from there start strong
and the rest will fall into place.