My Million-Dollar Lesson About Public Speaking

What happened when I learned this is a business and then discovered how to get more of it.

Image by Hugh Culver

When I got into the business of speaking I actually didn’t know it was a business. I thought public speaking was something people did once they retired from their “real” job or needed to pay some bills after returning from climbing a mountain or running an ultra.

Fast forward almost 20 years and many millions of dollars, and not only did it become my business, but I helped many hundred others to join it as well.

Like most businesses, there is a lot of competition for your hour on stage and even more advice about how to get good at it. Some experts insist you tell more jokes or make eye contact with someone in the front row. Others tell you to invest in a fancy slide show or have a unique brand for your message.

All great stuff, but there’s one bit of advice even better: make it about them.

Hummingbird

Audience attention is like a hummingbird.

When your audience recognizes something for them — something they want and need — they zoom in with complete attention. And then they’re gone.

As you drone on about the research behind your advice, or why smiling in the mirror releases endorphins…