May 2, 2024
In 2022, the World Champion of Public Speaking, Cyril Junior Dim, used a very powerful, but also very weird technique to prepare for his speech.
I’ll show you what it is so that you can use the same technique the next time you rehearse for a speech or presentation.
It was August 2022 when Cyril Dim walked through the streets of Nashville. Just in a few days, he was supposed to speak in front of hundreds of people at the annual world championship of public speaking.
For him, being in the US felt absolutely surreal. He was from Zimbabwe and had never been there before.
He knew that he’d probably never get the chance again in his life to participate in the world championship. So he wanted to get it right.
He needed a stranger for that. That’s when he spotted a couple sitting on a bench in a park, talking intimately.
At first, he thought, “I can’t do this. They’ll hate me for interrupting their date.”
But, he knew that this would make him crazy.
With his heart beating rapidly in his chest, he walked over to them and said, “Look, I’ve got a speech. It’s a short one. But it’s super important to me. Would you care to listen? I don’t want money or anything. All I need from you is seven minutes to tell you my speech and for you to tell me what you think about it afterward.”
A little overwhelmed, the guy from the couple said, “Hmm… sure, if it’s not longer than that.”
While he accepted, his date seemed much less keen. She said nothing, but her looks told Cyril she was about to tear him apart. She hated him for doing this. Still, Cyril started his speech.
But about a minute later, something curious happened. Cyril noticed how the tension in the woman’s face started to melt. Her angry face started to light up. Throughout the entire speech, she didn’t look down once. She almost didn’t blink.
At the end of the speech, Cyril looked at the two and asked, “So, what do you think?” While the guy was giving feedback, the girl was dead silent. She was speechless. But he could see that she was very moved by the speech. That’s when Cyril knew that his speech was ready.
One day later, Cyril delivered the exact speech at the 2022 Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking.
That night, he achieved his dream and became the world champion.
Giving your speech in front of strangers is incredibly powerful.
Why?
First, because it helps you deal with discomfort. Yes, it’s awkward as heck. A lot of people will say no, others will say yes, but will give you that mean face. You’ll feel nervous and embarrassed to do it. But you’ll learn how to deal with nervousness and feelings of judgment. It’s the perfect preparation for the real deal.
Second, you get better feedback. Friends are often too nice. “You’re so talented.” They often sugarcoat their feedback because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Strangers are ruthless. They’ll give you much better, much more direct feedback.
And lastly, you can get as many reps as you want. You don’t have to hire a coach or ask friends for a favor. You can go out any day, any time and practice with a stranger. It’s super flexible.
Sure, your ambition may not be to become the next world champion of public speaking, but you can use this technique to absolutely crush your next presentation:
So, the next time you prepare for a speech, do the same.
Rehearse your speech a few times by yourself.
Once you feel more comfortable, go into the street or a park in your city.
Then, approach a stranger (ideally someone sitting), and ask them if they want to hear your presentation.
But hey, in case you’re wondering, ‘how can I actually put together a powerful presentation or speech,’ you may want to check out this next article. Here, I’ll share my 5 Favorite Ways to Start Your Presentation.
Enjoy!
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