When you are speaking to a group of people, keeping them interested and informed can be quite a task. There are many techniques and tricks that you can use to achieve this goal. However, there is something that most people do not think about until they are the one who is going to be speaking. That one thing is how to help stay self-motivated throughout the whole process.
Make Your Subject Matter Your Own
Once you choose the topic that you are going to speak on, this part of the process is a bit easier. Usually when you pick the topic you stay motivated about presenting the information to your audience. Of course if you are given an unfamiliar topic that you are to speak about this is not always the case.
The secret is to make the subject your own. This can be done in a few ways, one of which is to find something in this subject that makes you think twice, no matter how briefly and start there. If you feel something for the information that you are presenting then your audience will be feel your enthusiasm and listen a little bit more closely.
It is also important that no matter how plain or boring your topic may seem you should learn your subject matter. This allows you to look at all angles and create a presentation that will be informative. Plus, if you know what you are discussing you can find a way to make it more engaging for your listeners.
See the End Results
When preparing a presentation on a subject that was chosen for you it is helpful not to focus on what you are presenting but what the end result means to your future. What I mean by this is even though you may not particularly care for the subject you do care about what the presentation can do for you. Whether it is a good grade, a in with the boss, a big sale or a promotion that is on the line there is a point to the subject on which you are speaking.
The key is to visualize the result that you want while preparing the speech or presentation. You then fashion and craft the information into a presentation that will get the results that you need or want. This method helps to keep you motivated even when the end results are not as clear or cut and dry. Set an end goal and focus on that if you must.
Practice, Practice, Practice but Make it Fun
Sometimes staying focused and motivated in this whole process can be a challenge. One of the best ways to do this is to make it fun for YOU. Tell yourself joke, listen to other presentations on the subject, make up songs, anything to learn your topic and stay with it. What you gain from this has many different facets but knowing your topic and getting timing and the flow of your talk down are just a couple of the end results you can achieve.
As you can see there are many ways that you can turn even the most seemingly boring topic into a presentation that will be informative and fun for you and your listeners. For more information or if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.