I remember the first time I gave what I thought was a really good speech.
I was still scared — I was scared and nervous, having to collect myself all the way through the speech. Yet the feedback was just like people were open-mouthed, over-the-top kind of feedback because of what I had been able to access inside me.
Confidence does not predict performance.
Who knew? What does predict performance is that feeling ahead of time — that juice, that little bit of scared that you can breathe, settle down and turn into power. Once you have that power it doesn't really matter what I'm feeling.
If I access it and speak right from my heart, right from my gut, about stuff I really care about, it's gonna come across. It's gonna impact other people. I will connect.
Not guaranteed, but certainly a lot more than if I'm calm and connected. Now nobody wants that. We've had enough performative. We want real. We want people who are taking a risk. We're doing it without having it all written down. Impromptu.
Confidence about public speaking is a lie.