Four years ago, I took a big, scary leap out of my comfort zone to bring my real self into my career – in the most public way possible!

I’m talking about my first TEDx talk, which today has over 1M views. But of course at the time of giving the talk, I had no idea how far it would travel. All I did know was that I was being called to talk about the topic of authenticity, and to do that with integrity I had to walk the talk.

So on that stage in front of hundreds of attendees, with views from all over the globe to follow, I told the story of my depression and my spiritual awakening that allowed me to become who I truly was, in my personal life and in my career.

Previously, my years as a physician and later as Director and News Anchor for Discovery Health called for me to present a different version of myself. I was still me, but I was wearing a mask, and I really wasn’t feeling good that way! Hiding parts of myself had led to a deep depression – and this was the message I knew I needed to share from the TEDx stage.

It turned out that not only was the message landing with people, but the delivery was too. I had gone onto that stage accepting that I needed to be open about my mental health struggles, in short, I was sharing my whole self in a vulnerable way.

As I’ve learned from this experience, and have since practiced at my many speaking and teaching events, being vulnerable is actually a super power for public speaking.

I think there are a number of reasons why…

Firstly, it’s not what people tend to expect from a public speaker. They go into the room perhaps expecting a well-executed and formal presentation. When they are met with a human delivering a message from their heart, it’s really quite disarming in the best possible way.

Another big reason that vulnerability is a super power is that it creates a lasting connection on the heart level.

Think about talks you’ve attended previously. Some speakers will be entertaining and professional, others not so great, but very few of them are memorable after the event is over. But when you can connect with somebody in a real, human way, that creates an emotionally charged memory – and those last!

Being memorable and somebody that people feel a connection to is a huge help for your business and brand. Think about why you are on that stage in the first place. You are there to share your unique gifts with the world – and you can best do that when people stick with you and continue to consume your content. This is how truly game-changing, heart-centred people can get their brand out there to the big, wide world and help more of their ideal clients.

Would you like to learn this skill from me?

So with that said, I’d love to offer you the opportunity to come and learn how to deliver a memorable talk with me in London – at the Early Bird discounted price until October 1st!

I call this weekend workshop Speak From The Heart because my training has a unique focus on delivering a talk with authenticity that will really make an impression.

The great thing about bringing your vulnerable side into the mix is that it takes away the pressure to be perfect. You can have a technical problem with your mic, you could be nervous and stammer a little bit – but what people will remember about you is how you made them feel!

Of course there is more to giving a great talk, and we will be covering it all. From pitch and pace to planning and structure – and even getting into the neuroscience of keeping the audience’s attention.

Want to learn more about the training?

Speak From The Heart takes place in London, October 19 – 21, 2018.
You can read more, watch a short video, and book you ticket here!

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Speaker Circle Combo Offer

If you are looking for even more speaker training, then you might be interested to know that I’ve teamed up with We Fill Events for a special offer.

We Fill Events offer a comprehensive online training course, The Speaker Circle. As I have teamed up with them and joined their training team, we are offering 50% off Speak From The Heart tickets when you take up the Speaker Circle training.

Take a look here for more details.