These last few days of 2018 have found me standing beside my paper recycling bin emptying more than 40 years worth of paper. I'm not a hoarder but I'm a saver. I had saved notes from every writing and performance workshop I ever took and comment cards from every presentation I ever gave. I even found the birthday card my grandmother sent me for my 3rd birthday. (I'm keeping that.)
This purge became necessary when I could no longer walk into my closet and access all the supposed goodies I was saving. Now, my files are thinner and labeled and slide effortlessly in their cabinets.
Be the speaker your audience remembers
Most coaching sessions with my public speaking clients start with just such a purge. We lay out all the possible content and then narrow the topic down to the essentials. Why? Because every audience nowadays is suffering from overwhelm. So, if you're the one speaker with a clear message, you'll be the one speaker your audience remembers.
Throwing away the non-essentials takes courage. I was afraid I would discard a note that held a secret key or insight I might need someday. But in trying to keep everything, I was too overwhelmed to use anything I had saved.
Muster the confidence to clarify your message
Be the speaker who's confident enough to present one key message, not the speaker who presents the audience with so much that they can't take any one thing in.
If I can help you clarify your message so that you can connect with your audience, let me know. I would love to work with you in the new year.
How are you throwing out the old and welcoming the new in 2019? I'd love to hear.
Photo by Bas Emmen at Unsplash