I've done $3.1M in speaking fees. And I used to be terrified of it.
As a kid, I had severe social anxiety.
Which stayed with me into high school.
I signed up for Drama in Freshman year.
Thinking it would help.
It just made me more critical of myself.
And how others saw me.
Fast forward to after College,
I wanted to pursue speaking full time.
But I was still terrified…
My solution?
Exposure.
I just put myself in every room I could find.
In front of every audience that would listen.
And it was…
PAINFUL.
I was awful.
My HR would skyrocket.
I couldn’t make eye contact.
But over time,
It got better.
Slowly but surely.
That was over 1000 keynotes ago.
And during that time,
I realized there were a few things that really made the difference.
Now of course,
This is not an exhaustive list.
But here are 4 concepts that changed everything for me:
1. People meet your energy before they meet you.
People do not remember what you said, they remember how you made them feel. Your unique energy is the differentiator between you and the other millions of speakers out there.
2. Don’t assume what people think of you.
You will always be wrong. You have no idea what the audience thinks. So don’t jump to negative conclusions too early. Focus on the message you’re there to share. That is all.
3. Stories are the X-Factor
Your ability to speak comes down to your ability to tell stories. Take people on a journey. That is what they are looking for. If you want to learn, watch every Netflix Special. Comedians are the BEST story-tellers.
4. Lead with emotion
Your audience will only go as deep as YOU are willing to go. Be vulnerable and share MORE of you on stage. People connect to it more than you think.
Since being in the corporate industry (2 years),
I’ve loved sharing insights along the way.
But I’m curious:
Are there any specific areas of the industry you’d like me to share on? Fees, marketing, story-telling, stage delivery, etc.
Let me know!
Your friend,
Juan Bendana
Keynote Speaker | Author of Confident By Choice
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