Jon writes:
Which is most important?
- That what you’re saying matters.
- That what you’re saying matters to you.
Talking about something important doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to have the audience’s attention, even if they ought to be interested.
Talking about something with absolute passion guarantees the audience’s attention for at least the first few minutes.
Booooring!
I often get asked “How do you make a boring subject interesting?”. Well, here’s a secret:
Subjects aren’t boring – just the way they’re communicated.
The problem is that people who ask that question think that their subject is boring. I believe that – if I have sufficient information – I can make any subject interesting, because I have a childish curiosity about new things. The best speakers I’ve seen loved their subject, and their joy was infectious.
Oh, Who Cares?
You can’t engage people if you’re talking or writing about something that doesn’t appear to matter to you. Actors ask their director “What’s my character’s motivation?” because they must convey that person’s emotions, which is what engages the audience.
Find your connection to the material, and share that.
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