A few months back, I had to do a live video for a group of students.
I had prepared everything that I was going to talk about–I wrote down the flow in my notebook and I had all my notes and points ready. I had also gone through everything that I was going to say.
After doing several live videos, I felt a bit more confident than usual.
I would usually rehearse for these sessions. I’d rehearse as if I were actually doing the session.
But that night I thought, ‘I’ve prepared everything for this live session. I don’t need to rehearse. I’ve done many of these sessions already.’
If you know me, I’m the kind of person who does not like preparing (it’s just not fun for me).
So I slept that night, thinking I was ready for the session. I did not rehearse for it.
The next morning came and I was live on video.
But even though I knew the flow and the content, I struggled. Because I had not rehearsed.
In my head the day before, some parts seemed to be fine. But when it came to presenting, it was different.
I found myself thinking during the session, ‘What am I saying? Am I making sense? I should’ve rehearsed last night.’
I finished the live session and it was okay. But I knew I could’ve done better if I had rehearsed.
You see, only when you rehearse out loud are you able to hear and process your thoughts.
Your speech may seem fine on paper and in your head, but when they are presented out loud, you may realise that some parts need more clarification and research. Some parts may need a story to make it more engaging. Or some parts may not even be necessary.
Rehearsing is so important–even when you may be very confident or you think you’re prepared.
You can’t predict how it will all play out by just practising in your head. The best way to prepare for a situation is to rehearse out loud as if it were actually happening.
Rehearsal refines your speech.
So that’s my tip for this week. If you have an important presentation–whether it’s a presentation at work or maybe a job interview–prepare everything you need AND rehearse out loud.
