The moral of your story
Each decision you made along this story journey revealed a personal insight.
You are harnessing the power of your nerves. You learned long ago that your nerves are there to serve you.
But your audience needs more from you, and you have events coming up nonstop that you need to produce content for. A carefully crafted strategy will help you amplify your impact because you have stories that will generate interest and intrigue in your topic.
Here are 5 customized recommendations based on what might be holding YOU back:
1. Mindset
When you get up to speak in front of a crowd, you sometimes feel nervous. Maybe your heart starts to race or your palms feel sweaty. This might stop you from stepping onto the stage or speaking on a podcast. Developing your own pre-performance ritual will help you feel grounded and harness the power of your nerves. After all, your nerves are there to serve you.
PATH TO TRY: Deep breathing triggers a relaxation response. My favourite breathing exercise is called 4-7-8. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
2. Core 7 Stories for Business
You might think you don’t have any stories to tell or you’re not sure what parts of your life are story-worthy. Crafting your Core 7 Stories for Business will build your story crafting skills and help you clarify your messaging. You will have a story for every occasion. Most importantly, crafting your Core 7 Stories will show you the many ways your story matters.
PATH TO TRY: Grab my FREE Core 7 Stories for Business guidebook and start crafting your stories!
3. Responsive Speaking
You’re not sure how to make your subject matter interesting. The last thing you want is for your audience to tune out. Here’s the good news: you can build the skills to speak in a way that keeps your audience connected to you and your message. By letting go of a rigid speaking approach, you will find your speaking flow.
PATH TO TRY: Learn to listen with your eyes. The next time you speak in front of an audience, watch their reactions to you and respond to them.
4. Vulnerability
You want to create meaningful connections with your audience and to represent yourself authentically. Still, there is a voice in the back of your mind that warns against saying the wrong thing, going off-brand and offending someone. It’s true, there is value in vulnerability and it has a function in storytelling. The key is in your intention. Combining vulnerability with ethics and purpose is how you show respect to yourself and your audience and this is where meaningful connections are made.
PATH TO TRY: Maximize the value of your next performance opportunity by answering the following questions:
- Who will this offend?
- How do I feel about offending this person/group?
- Will they be offended for a meaningful reason?
5. Story Strategy
You’re at a level where cookie cutter approaches to solving these problems won’t do the trick. You don’t have the time to waste. What you really need is expert, one-on-one attention and a bespoke strategy for the specific purpose you have upcoming.
PATH TO TRY: Expert instruction on storycrafting, storytelling, brand messaging, performance, or all of the above: your personalized “Story Strategy” 1:1 with Jilliane. Our time together can be exactly what you need it to be.