Giving a Memorable Speech (A Speech)

A Story by ZackOfBridge

Meant to be spoken aloud with a voice like butter melting in a saucepan

S**T S**T S**T!...
Okay so...
can anyone tell me why I just said s**t?
No body?
Alright well I am calling on someone.
Get ready
1
2
3
You! Why did I just say s**t?
.......
Maybe you were thinking 'oh how delicious, he's forgotten everything he was going to say.'
Possibly, you have a drop of empathy
you thought, 'poor guy, he's nervous. I hope that doesn't happen to me.
On both accounts, you would be wrong.
I said s**t full of intent.
Its obvious that me coming up in front of you and saying s**t, 3 times no less, got your attention.
So what I have done is change you from a passive audience to an aroused audience.
Once I had your arousal, I engaged it, captured it, by asking you a question
and I made it known someone was going to be called on.
That got you up, involved, and it probably scared the crap out of you.
Just as I changed you from a passive audience to an aroused audience
I changed this informative speech to what seems to be an informative discussion
This now seems to be a conversation, you feel involved
What I am trying to do is form connections in your mind.
I don't want to be the guy who came up here to talk at you about creating a memorable speech
I want to be the guy who came up here and screamed s**t three times
I want to be the guy who then asked you about why I screamed s**t three times
And I want to be the guy who then commented on why you thought I screamed s**t three times
That's three separate connections
What I am doing is infiltrating your short term memory, anything can get in there but most things become mist, gone
Everything makes it into short term memory, but I want to make a lasting impression within your long term memory
And this is what everyone should do when delivering a speech
Make connections for the audience
I'm not saying go up and say s**t a bunch of times
I'm not sure how appropriate that would be in any other setting
I'm not even sure how appropriate it was in this one
But what I am saying is engage and create those connections
If your speech is a narrative, use metaphors, similes and adjectives
these are devices for connecting concepts we already understand to new concepts
Our brain and our memories work in these connections
Neural impulses, synaptic diddly-daddalies
Its like tying a boat to a dock
The more rope you have and the more knots connecting that boat to the dock
the more likely the boat is to stick around
and be there when you need it
And you see what I have done there?
I simplified a concept that could be complex using a simile
Cognitive sciences can be complex
boats, docks, and rope are not complex
We understand their functions, the way they look, our mind is prepared for them
you know what I mean when I compare the two
While the idea is important and there is no speech without the idea
it must be presented well, or it is not going to connect with the audience
Think about the speech as it relates to the audience
Do you have an idea that may be too complex for a common audience?
Dont be afraid to simplify, dumb it down without speaking down
If you speak down to the audience as if they are neandrathals, they will notice
If you speak to them like scientists or professionals when they are not,
they won't notice anything at all
If the idea is too simple, think about adding more research, give it substance and fat
research gives the impression of credibility
Don't be too vague and don't be too broad
This is accomplished by having confidence in your speech
understand your speech, know its structure, know where to throw your voice
connect your ideas using words like 'because', 'therefore', and phrases like 'for example'
connect the speech instead of using words like uh and um to find your speech
those uhs and ums are oppurtunity for your audience to flitter away
into tomorrow and yesterday
don't give them the chance
force them to be present, participant, and alive.
And above all else, if you are giving a speech which relies upon research and factual evidence
Makes sure the research and evidence are reliable
chances are someone in the audience is eager
to call bullshit
if not to you directly, to their friend or neighbor
this will undermine everything you worked for
just because you want your speech to be remembered
you do not want to be remembered for the speech that started on s**t
and ended on s**t.