I finished watching the video and shook my head. Disappointing. My performance was good but not great. I could do better, and I knew it. Several audience members expressed positive feedback to me afterward, but the camera told the truth. Some issues needed attention. It was May 2018. I served as emcee at an industry conference the month before. We recorded the entire event. I watched the videotape to evaluate my performance and identify ways to improve. It was not good. I kept doing something weird with my mouth. It looked like I was chewing gum even though I wasn’t. I sure hope no one noticed that quirk.
I am not a great public speaker.
Many people fear public speaking. Some fear it more than death. I do not. I have done a fair amount of public speaking over the years. As a result, I am good at it—not great—just good. I have served as an emcee for many events. The more I do it, the more comfortable I get when standing up to speak. It is becoming a true strength for me.
Why I wrote this billboard
I like rock-n-roll band documentaries. I have watched many of my favorite bands, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Clash, Queen, and U2. If there is one common theme, it is that none of them were famous when they began. All of them started as nobodies. They worked their way up the ladder by practicing, performing, and improving. I wrote this billboard as a reminder that I must do the same to be outstanding at public speaking. It is going to take time and effort. Overnight success is the exception, not the norm.
You have to keep practicing to become great.
The Beatles were not famous when they started. They are one of the greatest rock bands of all time. In the 1960s, they created many fantastic albums and too many great songs to list here. How did the Beatles get so good? They practiced their craft. The Beatles went to Hamburg, Germany, and played many concerts there. They improved with all that practice and learned how to write better songs. I have found the same to be true for my skills. The more I practice, the better I get. If I am going to become a great public speaker, I need to put in the reps.
You will get better over time, perhaps even great.
The Clash is another band that was bad when they started. They were awful. The Clash barely could play their instruments, much less write a good song. They improved with each album. By the third one, London Calling, they produced a masterpiece. The same could be said of U2. It took them three albums before they achieved greatness with War. They continue producing incredible albums to this day. They have gotten better with time. I hope to do the same thing.
How I incorporated this board into my life
I decided to put in the extra effort to get a lot better at public speaking. I completed training, continued practicing, and hosted events. Although it seems slow – I am making progress. I served as emcee for an event last month, which went well. I guess all that practice is starting to pay off. Who knows – maybe one day I will perform the one the band Queen did at Live Aid. It was epic. Queen performed the best that day because they had played in stadiums before. Almost none of the other bands had.
What about you?
Are you putting in the effort to become great one day? Riley – are you hustling at practice and getting into shape to play college soccer? Gavin, are you practicing your guitar and studying so that you can be successful at college? I hope so. All that investment will pay off in the long run.
Make the most of every performance. The great bands started out playing in clubs and dive bars
Dad