My experience of preparing for my TEDx talk in Wilmington, DE so far is one of feeling well supported. These folks run a tight ship. I have been sent instructional materials in multiple versions (print, drawings and flow charts) – presumably because we all have different learning styles and they want to make sure that the information gets into our brain. There are also deadlines for outlines and videos of the speech, and admonitions to hire a coach. Competence is an absolute must.
I feel well guided. I’m the kind of person who likes to feel prepared. Though I imagine preparing for a TEDx talk might be a lot like preparing for finals in college: no matter how much time you spend, you always wish you had more time. But I will be prepared.
Unlike sex where one is best served by just being present in the moment and doing what feels right, a TEDx talk requires you to be well choreographed/scripted. Being scripted is the death of sex. For both endeavors you do need to be present, in your body and most of all authentic.
Authenticity comes easier to me than performance so I’m thinking I’ll do ok with that part.
My topic: performance anxiety in women. It is a much misunderstood phenomenon which happens just as much as for men – it just looks different. I feel strongly about this subject. Women, and their lovers, suffer unnecessarily. In my office, nobody is ever broken. When I tell people this, a huge weight is lifted from their shoulders.
I have my outline ready, but I’m confident it will go through a number of modifications as the weeks pass and I fine tune my oratory, my gift to my audience. I must construct a story that engages, illustrates and entrances my audience, to illustrate my point. A brief story.
TED stands for technology, entertainment and design. I aim to entertain, while informing and inspiring. Stay tuned…
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