This past weekend, I had the opportunity to do my 3rd TEDx Talk. Many people have asked me about the process so please allow me to share my experience of it.
The Before:
There’s a lot that happens before the actual event. It started about 3 months ago with the process of applying, speaking with the organizers and conveying the idea that I wanted to share. There was a lot of back and forth to hone in on the specific idea that I wanted to get across. This is normal and one of the things I love about TED – the chance to work with organizers to make an idea stronger, resonate more and many minds all working together.
Imagine a super foggy day where you can’t even see the person in front of you. Then….how you feel by the time all the fog has lifted and all you see when you look up is sunshine and a blue clear sky. That’s how it felt as I continued to work on my talk. It feels muddled at the beginning but eventually, as you work on draft after draft and say it out loud, it becomes crystal clear.
So, once I became exactly clear on the CONTENT of the talk, the lovely reality set in that it needed to be completely memorized as there is no podium or notes allowed. For me, I say it out loud while recording it in a video and then play back the video to see what I liked, didn’t like and where specifically I need to work on. This process continues day after day!
The During:
The volunteers and supporters of the event all help to make sure you’re mic is on, video is ready, and your slides (if you have any) are ready to go. I always take a few minutes to repeat positive phrases in my mind and do the “power pose.” I always have the very first sentence in my mind.
I take a deep breath and start. You actually cannot see the audience – it appears black due to the lighting. I always find it surprising that the lines of my talk reveal themselves in succession which forces me to be in the present moment. The nerves are replaced with excitement and passion. Every time I walk off the stage I mentally pinch myself and think, Did I really get this opportunity to share my idea with the world?!
The After:
I found a cute quiet spot for dinner and as I was sipping on a glass of wine, I felt a sense of peace and extreme gratitude. For that few hours, I didn’t think about all my other work and tasks that I needed to get done the next day but rather enjoyed the moment, felt proud of myself and how hard I had worked and savored the evening.
Once the video is available, I’ll share it 🙂 Stay tuned!