Go Big or Go Home!

Last week I went to Brisbane to meet with a colleague who I’m co-presenting with at a legal conference later this year. We started brainstorming ideas for our presentation and then I started to get a vision of how we could present the information in a way that would capture our audience. 

I shared my ideas……superhero costumes, full-volume music, a montage of ‘wow, bam, pow’ images on the screen, a slow strip of the mask and cape to reveal the leader underneath. I looked over at my colleague and saw a slightly concerned, nervous look on her face. (I must admit it’s a look I’m used to seeing!) We kept bouncing ideas off one another and by the end of our meeting, I think we were both excited about what we could create. 

The following day, this colleague sent me an email with a recent Harvard Business Review article attached, entitled “What it takes to give a great presentation”, written by Carmine Gallo, author of the awesome book ‘Talk Like TED.’ (Harvard Business Review, Carmine Gallo, 6 January 2020.)

One of the points Carmine makes is that great presenters create “wow” moments. He also quotes neuroscientist, A.K Pradeep,

“Novelty recognition is a hardwired survival tool all humans share. Our brains are trained to look for something brilliant and new, something that stands out, something that looks delicious.”

Oh I love this! Wouldn’t you love to create brilliant and delicious moments for your audience, your clients, your team members, your friends and family? We all need more of these moments in our lives.

With the stresses and busyness of everyday survival, give me something fun and playful, give me something memorable, give me something that I’ll remember amongst all the noise. 

So how do you do this? 

You have to take a risk and be bold. You have to be confident and back yourself. No second guessing. No half attempts. 

You have to think creativity. Challenge the status quo. Wow people. 

One of my favourite mantras that I often repeat over and over again is

‘GO BIG OR GO HOME!’

Will some people love it? Yes. 

Will some people hate it? Yes. 

Perfect! You’ve made people think and stimulated a reaction. You’ve formed a connection and created a memory. Think of the possibilities. 

As you risk more and step further outside your comfort zone, you’ll look for opportunities to do it more often. The thrill of the unexpected will overtake your fear. It’s totally addictive. 

Why play small my friend when you can play big? 

Champagne & Sunshine,

Midja x