When warmer weather coincides with baseball’s Opening Day, we can take comfort that sometimes Washington DC gets it right.
What is it about baseball that reminds me of public speaking? When the batter steps up to the plate, the stadium pulsates with their favorite song.
It turns out that this is one of the techniques we share with speakers to get in the right mindset for their big presentation. Yes, we want the content to resonate, the visuals to reinforce, and for the speaker to rehearse (aloud). All of these steps take time and thought. But we also want to help them convert any anxiety or nerves into the right level of excitement and energy.
So as you visualize your next big speech, imagine the room, the crowd, but also play your own soundtrack . . .whatever that song might be. . .whenever your mind drifts to thinking about that moment. Getting into the practice of assigning a theme song to your preparations can help you find the right emotional frame of mind and reminds you to make it fun.
What’s your jam?
