Photos by Jeremy Tritt
In 2017, I gave a TEDx talk. You can watch it here.
Last year, I created an online course on public speaking, so I took a trip down memory lane as I reflected on the whole process.
Here is a brief run down of 10 things I learned from doing a TEDx talk.
1. Your life won’t change
Like other mythical goalposts in life (getting a big house/fancy car etc), it's likely that doing a TEDx talk is not going to change your life or make you significantly happier.
While it's true that some talks do go viral and lead to a seismic shift in some careers; hedge your bets that this probably won't happen to you to avoid disappointment.
I thought that doing a TEDx talk was going to change my life and have a massive impact on my career. It didn't.
One person reached out for a partnership that fizzled out and turned into nothing, and one person who attended invited me to speak at another event, and that's it.
That's all that came out of the 5 months of work I put into it.
Do it because you want to, but not because you think it's going to open some magical doors for you or change your life.
Like other mythical goalposts in life (getting a big house/fancy car etc), it's likely that doing a TEDx talk is not going to change your life or make you significantly happier.
While it's true that some talks do go viral and lead to a seismic shift in some careers; hedge your bets that this probably won't happen to you to avoid disappointment.
I thought that doing a TEDx talk was going to change my life and have a massive impact on my career. It didn't.
One person reached out for a partnership that fizzled out and turned into nothing, and one person who attended invited me to speak at another event, and that's it.
That's all that came out of the 5 months of work I put into it.
Do it because you want to, but not because you think it's going to open some magical doors for you or change your life.
2. Some people don’t know what a TED talk is
This one is surprised me, but shouldn't have.
In today's day and age we automatically assume that the internet is the universe and if we saw something on it, so did everyone else.
But a lot of people don't live on the internet and have no idea about stuff like this.
See also: people who don't work on computers all day, people who are busy with IRL clients/patients etc, and people who generally have actual lives that they engage in.
When you get swept up in something like this, it's easy to think that this is the epicentre of the universe - it's not, so just relax, and try to remember that it matters way less than you think it does.
This one is surprised me, but shouldn't have.
In today's day and age we automatically assume that the internet is the universe and if we saw something on it, so did everyone else.
But a lot of people don't live on the internet and have no idea about stuff like this.
See also: people who don't work on computers all day, people who are busy with IRL clients/patients etc, and people who generally have actual lives that they engage in.
When you get swept up in something like this, it's easy to think that this is the epicentre of the universe - it's not, so just relax, and try to remember that it matters way less than you think it does.
3. Preparation is King
The best thing I did in 2017 though, was properly prepare for my TEDx talk.
Take your preparation seriously, so that you can ease the burden of performing on the day, and live with yourself afterwards.
Life is full of regrets, don't let your TEDx performance be one of them.
The best thing I did in 2017 though, was properly prepare for my TEDx talk.
Take your preparation seriously, so that you can ease the burden of performing on the day, and live with yourself afterwards.
Life is full of regrets, don't let your TEDx performance be one of them.
4. External 'success' does not equal actual success
Despite point 2, 'doing a TEDx talk' does carry a kind of prestige or weight to it.
The brand carries value, and people do view it as an achievement. Not everyone can do a TEDx talk, and so it is a metric for success for some.
But, the year that I was most visibly 'successful' on paper, was also one of the worst years of my life by literally every other measure.
The congratulations for my TEDx talk came pouring in, while the rest of my life was completely falling to pieces around me.
Don't get sucked in to the common yardsticks of success because they are no indication of anything.
Success = success, everything else is just smoke and mirrors.
Despite point 2, 'doing a TEDx talk' does carry a kind of prestige or weight to it.
The brand carries value, and people do view it as an achievement. Not everyone can do a TEDx talk, and so it is a metric for success for some.
But, the year that I was most visibly 'successful' on paper, was also one of the worst years of my life by literally every other measure.
The congratulations for my TEDx talk came pouring in, while the rest of my life was completely falling to pieces around me.
Don't get sucked in to the common yardsticks of success because they are no indication of anything.
Success = success, everything else is just smoke and mirrors.
5. The mind and body absorb stress differently
I knew that preparing for my TEDx talk was going to be hard, and so I did the following:
I knew that preparing for my TEDx talk was going to be hard, and so I did the following:
- left no stone unturned re: my prep
- managed my mindset and psychology carefully everyday for 5 + months
- maximised my self care in the week or two before the talk (booked in massages, haircuts etc)
- diligently completed 3-4 workouts every week and cared for my physical body for 5+ months
In the lead up, I was nervous, but my mind was ready, and I was prepared.
Despite this, my body knew what was going on, and the week before my talk, as I sat in my hairdressers chair, I got an eye twitch that lasted for 3 weeks.
So, even if you have a great self care practise and have done all your prep, that pressure still exists around you and your body knows what's up.
You can convince your mind of anything, but you cannot lie to your body.
6. You can come across as being confident, while also absolutely shitting yourself
Most of the 12 minutes I spent on stage - I have no recollection of - it was mostly a blur.
But there is one sensation that I remember distinctly - as I started my talk, my legs were trembling with nerves.
Which goes to show that no matter how prepared you are, and no matter how confidently you hold yourself, you can still be really, really nervous. And just because you're really, really nervous, doesn't mean you aren't ready, and it doesn't mean you shouldn't do something.
Most of the 12 minutes I spent on stage - I have no recollection of - it was mostly a blur.
But there is one sensation that I remember distinctly - as I started my talk, my legs were trembling with nerves.
Which goes to show that no matter how prepared you are, and no matter how confidently you hold yourself, you can still be really, really nervous. And just because you're really, really nervous, doesn't mean you aren't ready, and it doesn't mean you shouldn't do something.
7. It’s not like anything else you’ve ever done before.
I've performed on many stages, and I've done a lot of public speaking, but doing a TEDx talk is something else.
When you give a TEDx talk there’s nowhere to hide. There's no lectern to hide behind or lean against, and it's just you, on a big stage, with cameras, big blinding lights and 300+ people waiting in silence for you to speak.
As well as triggering most of your biological fight or flight responses, it is also an enormous privilege and honour to have the undivided attention of that many people, for that amount of time.
If you are given this gift, have some humility in your preparation and don't just assume you can 'wing it'. You can't. This is going to be much more difficult than anything you've ever done before, so you need to prepare accordingly.
I've performed on many stages, and I've done a lot of public speaking, but doing a TEDx talk is something else.
When you give a TEDx talk there’s nowhere to hide. There's no lectern to hide behind or lean against, and it's just you, on a big stage, with cameras, big blinding lights and 300+ people waiting in silence for you to speak.
As well as triggering most of your biological fight or flight responses, it is also an enormous privilege and honour to have the undivided attention of that many people, for that amount of time.
If you are given this gift, have some humility in your preparation and don't just assume you can 'wing it'. You can't. This is going to be much more difficult than anything you've ever done before, so you need to prepare accordingly.
8. Protect your voice and be discerning about the feedback you get
During the 5 months before the actual event, there were a number of rehearsals and rounds of 'feedback' as we wrote our talks.
Many suggestions were made.
'You should say this..'
'You should make this joke..'
'You should stand like this..'
But what you actually should do, is write the bloody talk you want to give, that is true to you, and that actually sounds like you.
Just because someone makes a suggestion, doesn't mean you have to implement it - because they're not the ones who will be giving the talk.
During the 5 months before the actual event, there were a number of rehearsals and rounds of 'feedback' as we wrote our talks.
Many suggestions were made.
'You should say this..'
'You should make this joke..'
'You should stand like this..'
But what you actually should do, is write the bloody talk you want to give, that is true to you, and that actually sounds like you.
Just because someone makes a suggestion, doesn't mean you have to implement it - because they're not the ones who will be giving the talk.
9. Accept that some things are out of your control
Hair and make up artists fall through. The sound doesn't get recorded properly. The wrong caption gets added to your video.
It takes a huge number of people to put on an event like this, and even if you give your absolute all to your preparation, things will still go wrong, and there's not much you can do about it.
Just accept it.
Hair and make up artists fall through. The sound doesn't get recorded properly. The wrong caption gets added to your video.
It takes a huge number of people to put on an event like this, and even if you give your absolute all to your preparation, things will still go wrong, and there's not much you can do about it.
Just accept it.
10. Trust yourself
There is a particularly striking moment of terror during the TEDx journey that is almost impossible to describe but I'll do my best..
After they call your name, the applause starts and the curtain is pulled back by the stage hands for you to walk on stage. It's time.
Everything in your lizard brain is like: 'oh God no.'
But instead of freezing, your subconscious takes control, and your legs walk you out onto that big red circle in the middle of the stage.
Once the applause dies down, and you're ready to say your first words, it's time to completely let go and trust yourself.
Trust that your subconscious has committed your talk to memory.
Trust that you have done the work.
Trust that you know what you're doing.
Trust that everything will be ok.
- Linda ✌🏻
If you haven't seen my talk yet, you can watch it here.
There is a particularly striking moment of terror during the TEDx journey that is almost impossible to describe but I'll do my best..
After they call your name, the applause starts and the curtain is pulled back by the stage hands for you to walk on stage. It's time.
Everything in your lizard brain is like: 'oh God no.'
But instead of freezing, your subconscious takes control, and your legs walk you out onto that big red circle in the middle of the stage.
Once the applause dies down, and you're ready to say your first words, it's time to completely let go and trust yourself.
Trust that your subconscious has committed your talk to memory.
Trust that you have done the work.
Trust that you know what you're doing.
Trust that everything will be ok.
- Linda ✌🏻
If you haven't seen my talk yet, you can watch it here.