Imagine you added a singing part to your speech. What do you think – what percentage of your audience would be turned off by your performance?
Imagine you added an acting part to your presentation. The same question – how many of them would look away in shame?
Do you think the answer is 100%?
Isn’t it amazing that most of us walk through life with hard-wired negative preconceptions as our advisors of choice?
Who told you that it were 100%? Have you ever tried it? Have you ever sung on stage during a speech? Have you ever used drama in a presentation? Have you ever done a survey after your “dreadful” performances?
You haven’t done all that, have you? Still you feel that everyone on this planet would be disgusted, if you stepped out of the circle of normality.
Do you know who draws the line of that circle of normality? Masses do. But – has it ever occurred to you that normality doesn’t equal quality? I’d even argue that masses drag down any level of quality!
A Hollywood mainstream movie will never reach the quality of a three-time Academy Award winning Life is beautiful. A mainstream novel will never reach the level of Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha. A mainstream painting will never even come close to a Dalí’s melting watches.
In public speaking the benefit of doing something different will always beat the fear of doing something wrong. Break the circle of normality! Raise your level of quality! You will always turn off 5 to 10% of your audience – whatever you do. But it will never be 100%. That number only exists in your head.
Speak with confidence on stage. But also dare to sing, dance, and act on stage. Be different and those remaining 90 to 95% will appreciate it. More important even – they will remember you.
Imagine who you could be once you step out of the circle of normality!