How To Become A Master In The Art of Public Speaking (Part 1 of 2) | Eric Edmeades

Name: How To Become A Master In The Art of Public Speaking (Part 1 of 2) | Eric Edmeades
Uploaded: 2019-03-18T14:27:26.000Z
Duration: 2 h 36 min 57 s

Eric's Story

In this section, Eric shares a story about how he was asked to speak at a marketing conference in Poland as a favor to his friends.

Reluctant to Go

Eric initially declined the invitation due to his busy schedule.

Two of his friends asked him to go as a personal favor, so he agreed.

Difficult Journey

Eric had only one day off and was supposed to be on stage at 12:00 pm. The car arrived at 11:00 am but it was not a car, it was a taxi.

The taxi driver did not know where the conference center was located, and it took them 35 minutes to get there.

When they finally arrived, Eric had only 20 minutes left before he needed to be on stage.

Registration Issues

There were different registration lines for regular tickets, VIP tickets, and speakers. Eric went to the speaker line but no one was working there.

He joined the VIP line instead but realized that it would take too long for him to register. A woman helped him register quickly and then took him to the main hall.

Empty Audience

When Eric got on stage, there were only 12 or 15 people in the audience scattered around the room.

The organizer told him that they were expecting more people once he started speaking.

The Importance of Attention

In this section, Eric Edmeades talks about the importance of attention and how it affects our ability to notice things happening around us.

Noticing the Woman on Stage

Eric realizes that there is a woman on stage speaking, but he and 15 other people in the room did not notice her until someone pointed it out.

He reflects on how easily we can miss important details when we are not paying attention.

Frustration with Speaking Arrangements

Eric becomes frustrated with the speaking arrangements when he realizes that he will be speaking for three and a half hours without a microphone.

He considers leaving but decides to stay since he has already agreed to speak.

Overcoming Adversity

Despite feeling unprepared and dreading being onstage, Eric decides to use his experience as a teacher to help him overcome adversity.

He engages the audience by acknowledging their lack of attention and proposes a solution to get them more engaged.

Conclusion

Eric emphasizes the importance of paying attention in order to notice important details in our lives.

He also demonstrates how we can use our experiences and knowledge to overcome difficult situations.

The Power of Influence

In this section, the speaker explains how he got the attention of his audience and why it is important to be present in the moment.

Getting Attention

The speaker gets the attention of his audience by asking them to jump up and make noise.

He explains that people who don't participate will look stupid.

The speaker emphasizes that being present in the moment is more important than anything else.

Gifts to Give

The speaker shares that he has devoted his life to giving people valuable gifts, such as transforming their relationship with food and improving their communication skills.

He talks about how people have been transformed from a health perspective after watching his videos.

The speaker emphasizes that the food industry is trying to take away our relationship with food, and it's his job to undo what they're doing.

He believes that effective communication is one of the greatest gifts you can give anyone.

Professional Advantage

The speaker encourages people to say what they want to say and express themselves freely. This will change their relationships with others and themselves.

He believes that effective communication can provide a significant professional or business advantage.

The speaker warns that some of what he's going to share may be shocking for younger audiences.

Life Before Television

In this section, the speaker talks about how families used to sit around the radio before television and even before that, they sat around the fire.

Sitting Around the Fire

The speaker shares his experience of sitting around a fire with Hadza bushmen who live like our ancestors did for most of our history.

Families used to sit around the fire and listen to stories being told.

The stories told around the campfire were crucial for survival and thriving.

Storytelling

The speaker shares a story about how he stood still in front of two white rhinos instead of running away from them, which saved his life.

He emphasizes that storytelling was essential for survival as it taught people valuable lessons on how to survive in different situations.

Children started listening to these stories when they were two or three years old, and even though they couldn't speak, they could understand everything.

Conclusion

The stage effect is real because millions of years ago, your survival and ability to thrive depended on the stories being told around your campfire.

The Power of Stories

In this section, the speaker talks about how stories are an essential part of human DNA and how they help us survive and thrive in difficult circumstances. He also explains why Hollywood spends millions on creating stories.

The Importance of Stories

Our DNA loves stories because it is the primary operating system of the body.

Every great revolution has been preceded by great speeches and great oration.

Speaking is one of the most powerful things we can create in the world.

The Dark Side of Speaking

Powerful things can be used for both good and bad.

Adolf Hitler gave 8,000 speeches, knowing that speaking was more powerful than writing.

Professional Advantages

In this section, the speaker talks about how speaking creates a significant advantage in business and professional life compared to other advantages such as height or gender.

Little Tweaks in Society

People make slightly more money for each inch they are taller.

There is a gender pay gap issue, but it closes when you remove all other factors such as job choice or hours worked.

Professional Advantages

Tiny little professional advantages such as height or maleness are insignificant compared to speaking.

The Power of Public Speaking

In this section, the speaker talks about how public speaking is the most powerful thing you can do for your professional life but people are afraid of it.

Overcoming Fear

Not one person was born afraid of communicating or public speaking.

Different emotions come up when asked to speak in front of an audience.

The speaker used to be terrified of public speaking and would feel sick even at the thought of it.

No matter how fearful you are today, nobody was born afraid of public speaking.

Envelope Exercise

Before the session, 15 envelopes were placed under chairs with a word or question inside.

If you found an envelope, you must not open it. Instead, stand up and walk to the stage where you will speak for three minutes on that topic in front of the audience.

Some words included orgasm, Brexit, and Donald Trump.

There were no envelopes under the chairs; this exercise was done to evoke different emotions related to public speaking.

Conclusion

Public speaking is a powerful tool for professional growth but many people fear it. However, nobody was born afraid of communicating or public speaking. By facing our fears and practicing public speaking, we can overcome our anxiety and become more confident speakers.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker talks about how social conditioning can affect our ability to communicate and speak in public.

Social Conditioning

Babies are born without fear of public speaking.

Social conditioning starts putting a cocoon around us and telling us to control ourselves.

Children should be seen and not heard.

Most people were subjected to this kind of social conditioning when they were kids.

The Meaning-Making Machine

In this section, the speaker talks about how children make meanings and assess them throughout their lives.

Assessing Meanings

Children are born without meanings.

Their entire job is to assess meanings.

Some of the meanings that we make when we're children become rules that we then keep.

Embarrassing Story

In this section, the speaker shares an embarrassing story from his childhood that illustrates how social conditioning can affect our behavior.

Eating an Apple in the Bathroom

The speaker was eating an apple in the bathroom when he was six years old.

His mother told him it was dangerous but didn't explain why.

The question stayed with him for years because he couldn't just ask Google.

Understanding Basic Physics

In this section, the speaker talks about how basic physics can be fun and interesting. He explains how he was experimenting with liquid and straws when he discovered something new.

Experimenting with Liquid and Straws

The speaker explains that pulling liquid up a straw and then dropping it in is basic physics.

He realizes that if you block off the bottom of the straw, the liquid won't come out. If you block off both ends, it won't come out either.

However, if you block off the top but open the bottom, it won't run out from the bottom.

The speaker concludes that children are doing experiments like this all the time.

Teaching Children How to Learn

The speaker talks about teaching children not only curriculum but also how to learn.

He gives an example of a student who is not paying attention in class and discusses how to teach them to pay attention.

The speaker teaches a trick for getting called on by teachers without having to pay attention all the time.

War of 1812

The speaker talks about teaching students about the war of 1812 where America invaded Canada with numbers seven to one.

He mentions that Canada burnt down White House during this war.

During his lesson, he asks questions to see which students have been paying attention.

Trick for Paying Attention in Class

The speaker shares his trick for pretending to meditate or daydream while still listening in class.

He explains that by doing this a few times in September, you can give yourself freedom for the rest of the year.

The Effects of Fear on the Brain

In this section, the speaker discusses how fear affects the brain and its ability to think logically.

Fear Triggers Primitive Parts of the Brain

When scared, cortisol and adrenaline are produced which cause a person to step back in time in their brain.

The more scared a person is, the more primitive parts of their brain they go to.

This causes a person to become pessimistic as it is safer that way.

Pessimism and Public Speaking

When producing cortisol and adrenaline, people become slightly more pessimistic and lose touch with their proper brain.

This can lead to mistakes such as forgetting information when speaking publicly.

Children are one of the toughest audiences for public speaking.

Long-Term Effects of Fear

Mistakes made during public speaking can have long-term effects on a person's confidence.

People may become nervous every time someone hands them a microphone or asks them to speak publicly.

Overcoming Fear Through Public Speaking

In this section, the speaker shares his personal experience with overcoming fear through public speaking.

From Homeless Teenager to Accomplished Speaker

The speaker was homeless at 15 years old in Edmonton during winter.

Despite his difficult start in life, he has achieved many things including being invited to tour Industrial Light & Magic movie studios (the special effects shop created by George Lucas for Star Wars).

Importance of Public Speaking Skills

The speaker believes that developing public speaking skills has completely changed his life due to the stage effect.

He encourages others to develop these skills as well.

Eric's Journey to Public Speaking

In this section, Eric shares his experience of being asked to give a presentation in the movie industry despite not having any experience in it. He talks about how he was uncomfortable with public speaking and how he ended up buying the studio after giving a successful presentation.

Unwillingness to Speak

Gavin asks for Eric's thoughts on how they should proceed with something related to the movie industry.

Eric is hesitant to offer his thoughts as he is not from the movie industry and doesn't want to crash their party.

Eric mentions that he is not nice and always asks if people really want to know before offering his opinion.

Giving a Presentation

After being asked for his opinion, Eric tells them that their presentation sucked and explains why.

Despite expecting to be kicked out, they ask him to give another presentation later that day.

Two hours later, Eric gives a pitch in front of investors at George Lucas theater.

Buying the Studio

The investors decide not to invest, but Eric offers to buy the studio after realizing they are in trouble.

The owners initially reject his offer but later call him back asking him to take it.

Successes After Public Speaking

After buying the studio, they worked on successful movies like "Avatar," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Transformers," and "Elysium."

Eric is asked to give a talk in Vancouver, Canada, and ends up helping with an event during the Olympics.

Eric explains that people in the movie industry get invited to everything and often have to say no to cool stuff.

Fear of Missing Out

In this section, Eric discusses how fear of missing out can be a block to manifestation and shares his experience with celebrating missing out.

Fear of Missing Out

FOMO can hold you back from creating opportunities.

The pain of missing out is something your subconscious mind will do anything to avoid.

Celebrate when you miss out instead of fearing it.

Eric shares his experience with having to say no to an invitation from Richard Branson and celebrating the fact that he had to say no.

Making Opportunities Happen

In this section, Eric talks about how he made an opportunity happen by booking tickets for the last four days of the Olympics.

Making Opportunities Happen

Book the last four days of the Olympics and get tickets to the closing ceremonies and gold medal hockey game.

The woman initially thought it was impossible but they were able to make it happen.

Eric's presentation at the event led him to meet Wu Bo who offered him a role in a $200 million movie project.

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

In this section, the speaker shares his experience of overcoming his fear of public speaking and how it opened doors for him.

Overcoming Fear

The speaker shares that he overcame his fear of public speaking by practicing and getting comfortable with speaking.

He emphasizes the importance of thinking about the audience when trying to influence them.

The speaker shares an example of how he received funding for a project because he had overcome his fear and was comfortable with speaking.

Getting on Stage at A-Fest

The speaker talks about how he got on stage at A-Fest by making a decision to be one of the 14 authors published on Mindvalley's platform.

He explains that Mindvalley had made a decision to focus on quality rather than quantity, which made it difficult for him to achieve his goal.

The speaker emphasizes that traditional marketing techniques no longer work and that we need to think about our target audience in order to influence them.

Influencing Others

The speaker uses an example of convincing parents to take their child to Disney World to illustrate how we can influence others by understanding their needs and concerns.

He emphasizes the importance of learning everything we can about our target audience in order to understand their worries, thoughts, and desires.

University Education and Public Speaking

In this section, the speaker talks about his thoughts on university education and entrance requirements. He also discusses the importance of creativity and innovation in addition to grades. The speaker then transitions to discussing public speaking and how to overcome nervousness.

Importance of Grades and Creativity

The speaker acknowledges the importance of grades for university entrance requirements.

Universities are interested in interesting kids who show creativity, innovation, activity, and involvement.

The speaker mentions several creative individuals such as Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Walt Disney, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson.

The speaker is doing a project on Walt Disney and asks for any resources that can help him learn more about him.

Strategic Objectives for Public Speaking

Before communicating or giving a speech, it's important to have clear strategic objectives.

One of the speaker's strategic objectives before going on stage is always to have fun.

Never go on stage if it isn't fun since it's hard to think strategically when nervous or afraid.

Overcoming Nervousness in Public Speaking

When people are told they have to give a presentation in front of hundreds of people their biggest strategic objective is survival.

Adrenaline and cortisol cause instant stage amnesia where you forget everything you said after walking off stage.

Never tell or show the audience that you're nervous since it will make them believe your praise is platitudes or lies.

How to Receive Feedback and Overcome Nervousness

In this section, the speaker discusses how to receive feedback and overcome nervousness when speaking in public.

Importance of Confidence

The speaker advises that it is important to act confident when speaking in public.

He shares a story about a woman who was nervous before attending his speaking academy but became comfortable and proficient after completing the program.

The speaker emphasizes that one should never show their nervousness on stage as it can affect the feedback they receive.

Example of Showing Nervousness

The speaker shares an example of a woman who did an incredible talk on mindfulness but showed her nervousness at the end by making a subtle gesture.

He explains that if she had held on and accepted the applause, she would have believed the positive feedback she received. However, because of her gesture, she won't believe any of them.

Importance of Knowing Your Target Market

The speaker emphasizes the importance of knowing your target market and giving them what they want.

He shares an example of how he researched Vishen's interests before giving a talk at an event where Vishen was present.

Value of Solid Educators

The speaker notes that Vishen values solid educators who can hold an audience's attention and provide information in a way that will help them learn and change.

Accepting Two Speaking Engagements in One Weekend

In this section, Eric shares his experience of accepting two speaking engagements that were scheduled for the same weekend.

Two Invitations to Speak

Eric received two invitations to speak at conferences scheduled for the same weekend.

The first invitation was from a conference in Vancouver, Canada, and the second invitation was from a conference in Mykonos, Greece.

Despite both events being scheduled for the same weekend, Eric accepted both invitations.

Arriving in Vancouver

Eric arrived in Vancouver and gave his talk at the conference.

Due to time constraints, he could not stay after his talk to take selfies or sign autographs.

After his talk, he immediately left for Mykonos.

A Surprise Hotel Room

Mindvalley had arranged a hotel room for Eric in Mykonos without him knowing it.

However, since he had already booked his own hotel room, he did not check into the one arranged by Mindvalley.

When he did not show up at their arranged hotel room, they became worried about where he was.

Meeting Mia

Eric met Mia on Skype two weeks before the event.

She informed him that they did not need another diet talk as they already had several speakers talking about diets.

This left Eric unsure of what to do next.

Calm Before The Storm

Unlike other speakers who are usually nervous before going on stage, Eric remained calm and laid back before giving his talk at the conference.

He did not feel like doing any nervous rituals before going on stage.

He gave his talk and received positive feedback from the audience.

Another Invitation

After giving his talk, Vishen asked Eric to give another one for them.

Eric does not usually do 20-minute talks as he prefers longer ones where he can speak for several hours without much preparation.

Getting on the A-Fest Stage

In this section, Eric talks about how he got his first opportunity to speak at A-Fest and how he prepared for it.

First Talk at A-Fest

Eric's first talk was 20 minutes long.

Vishen asked him to speak again the next day for another 20 minutes.

Choosing a Topic

Vishen gave Eric complete freedom to choose any topic he wanted.

Eric decided to talk about "The Hindsight Window," a project he had been working on.

He broke one of his rules by deciding not to practice in front of a fresh audience.

Rich Experiences

Eric's friend David Wood has a unique approach when ordering food in restaurants. He asks the waiter to surprise him with anything from the menu.

Chefs are creative people who enjoy making something new and exciting.

This approach leads to rich experiences that enhance our lives.

The Impact of a Talk

In this section, Eric Edmeades talks about the impact of his talk and how it changed people's lives.

The Power of a Talk

Eric believed that his talk was going to change people's lives in 20 minutes. He wanted to give a talk that they would remember for years to come.

Even two years later, people still write to him once a week because they see it online and tell him that his talk changed their life.

Being Comfortable on Stage

It is important not to show the audience your nerves when giving a talk. This helps you connect with them better.

Breathing has everything to do with how safe you feel as a human being. The way you breathe affects your brain and triggers cortisol and adrenaline production if you don't get enough oxygen.

Sitting down for too long can cause cortisol and adrenaline production which makes us more pessimistic. We switch back to reptile brain when we sit down, crunch up our lungs, and breathe only in the top part of our lungs.

Reacting Under Pressure

When we stumble upon lion tracks in the dirt, we stop breathing or start breathing heavily because we want the fastest possible reflexes at this point. We want to switch to reptile brain as fast as possible so that we can have the fastest possible reflexes at this point.

The Power of Breathing and Eye Contact

In this section, the speaker discusses how breathing and eye contact can affect our sense of safety and wellbeing.

Breathing Fully Communicates Safety

When we breathe fully, we communicate to our DNA that our environment is safe. This is why meditation is so powerful.

Breathing fully before a presentation can make your body feel safe and calm your nerves.

The Importance of Eye Contact

Our eyes are connected to our sense of wellbeing. When we're afraid, we use them in a very focused way.

People who make themselves nervous start looking around super fast and focusing on things in the audience, making themselves more afraid.

Changing your physiology can change the way you feel in a heartbeat. Tony Robbins says "If you want to create massive action in your life, change your physiology now!"

We can roughly tell what emotion someone is experiencing based on their body language.

The Relationship Between Excitement and Nervousness

In this section, the speaker explains that excitement and nervousness are essentially the same emotion. He suggests that excitement is simply nervousness about something cool, while nervousness is just excitement about something scary.

Excitement and Nervousness Are the Same Emotion

There isn't really a difference between excitement and nervousness.

They both involve sweaty palms, heavy breathing, and internal vibrations.

The only difference is what we're focusing on: something cool or something scary.

Creating Positive Emotions

If we want to feel good, we need to breathe fully.

We can create positive emotions by focusing on things that excite us rather than scare us.

For example, if someone is getting ready to come on stage, they can create positive emotions by imagining how cool it will be instead of how scary it might be.

Controversial Idea: Cigarettes Are Not Chemically Addictive

In this section, the speaker shares his controversial idea that cigarettes are not chemically addictive. He explains that addiction can be emotional or internal chemical addiction rather than external chemical addiction.

Two Types of Addiction

There are two types of addiction: external chemical addiction and emotional/internal chemical addiction.

Video games can be emotionally addictive without any external chemicals involved.

When someone stops playing a video game, nothing happens inside their body.

Cigarettes Are Not Chemically Addictive

When someone quits smoking cigarettes, they don't experience physical withdrawal symptoms like vomiting or headaches.

Instead, smokers have an oral fixation and a finger fixation, similar to a child with a pacifier.

The real addiction is to deep breathing, which makes the body feel safe.

Other Addictions

Addiction can also come from personal significance or adventure.

However, these addictions are not as strong as the addiction to deep breathing.

The Importance of Breathing and Laughter in Public Speaking

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of breathing and laughter in public speaking.

Breathing Techniques

Deep breathing can help calm nerves before going on stage.

Gazing out at the horizon and then looking down can help relax when making stone tools or carving an arrow.

Predictable Laughter

Starting a talk with a predictable laugh can make both the speaker and audience feel better.

Using slides of funny comics before going on stage can be a great warm-up act.

Creating a predictive response from the audience in the first 30 seconds by being predictable in that first bit is important.