LESSON 1 - YOU ARE YOUR OWN BRAND!
THE VALUE OF YOU
If you wish to become a great speaker, it's important that you understand who you are and what you have to offer this world i.e. Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). This is the very first step. You can watch the greats all day long and try to imitate their style and that's all you'll ever be - an imitation. Why not work on becoming the most authentic and captivating YOU that YOU can possibly be?.
ASSIGNMENTS:
-
Conduct an honest, non-judgmental personal evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses. Write down all your strong points and then write down all the areas where you are most challenged. I always remind people that their greatest gift is often found disguised within their greatest challenge.
-
Read the notes and complete the Assessments provided below.
-
Begin your journey to "Self Discovery" detailed in the notes below. These may include completing the Myers Briggs Personality profile test and Strengths Finder Analysis.
-
Ask five people to answer the questions provided in the interview: A parent, spouse, close friend, one other friend, and a colleague.
Tony Robbins discusses the "invisible
forces" that motivate our actions.
NOTES
CAPTIVATING SPEAKERS AFFIRMATIONS
~ Affirmation 1~
A Captivating Speaker has a determined commitment to learning and growth. I am fully dedicated to investing my energy and time to improve myself and my communication skills. This is my first step. I commit to applying what I learn and to continue upon a path of self-development and growth. My journey starts today.
~Affirmation 2~
I choose to release all judgment and to be completely open-minded. I am willing to receive, as well as to give, to learn and to grow. We learn from one another and I am not alone in this journey. It is through the collective efforts of many that real success is found. I embrace this knowledge and open myself to cooperating with the group and to our collective growth.
~ Affirmation 3~
The greatest obstacle to my success up to this point has been ME. Today I choose to stop giving "reasons" and making “excuses” for my past failures and setbacks; instead I choose to view them all as valuable lessons.
~Affirmation 4~
I don’t always have control over what happens to me but I absolutely DO have control over how I respond or react to what happens. I can and do choose my own path through life. There are no real limitations other than those that I impose upon myself. I have the power within me to succeed. Today I choose to act. I commit to daily action in order to achieve my goals.
~Affirmation 5~
Critical words may have held me back until this point. I choose to forgive all those who may have hurt me with their words and release every negative word spoken over me. I choose to speak affirming, positive words over myself from this point on. My past exists only in memory. It has no power of me unless I let it have that power. The only reality that exists is right now, in the present. What I say and do now, will impact upon my future.
~Affirmation 6~
I commit to my own unique purpose - whatever that might be. If I do not already know what it is, I commit to finding my path and taking the first step or next step today. I accept that the journey is just as important as the destination. I have not fully arrived until I can arrive at that place of complete acceptance.
~Affirmation 7~
I choose to value every precious moment of my life. What may seem to be the worst times of my life are often great gifts in disguise. Challenges that come my way often only conceal great opportunities. The right attitude will take me over onto the other side. No matter how bad it may seem, there is something good in everything that happens just as long I train myself to think the right way, discover the lessons and help others.
SAMPLE INTERVIEW FORM
Use the questions provided as a guideline. The list is pretty extensive and you may select the questions that you think will provide the most value. If you send the Interview to those in your speaking circles, add the question, "What would you say is my brand?"
When you send out the questionaire, be sure to warn people that the process may take half an hour of their time and ask them for their complete brutal honesty. Explain that this is done to help you gain greater self-awareness. You could also elect to run the survey anonymously via google or other provider (run a search). This way people feel like they can be honest. The most important thing is that you compare the information you receive. How similar are the answers from various respondents? Do they agree or disagree? Why?