My TEDx Experience by Thom Singer
TEDX UPDATE – The talk posted online. You can watch it here https://youtu.be/8sIL_4zOzG8
In this episode Thom Singer shares his experience as a TEDx Speaker.
For over five years Thom has thought about how cool it would be to deliver a TEDx Talk, but the opportunity never happened. He applied to several TEDx events, but was not selected.
Having attended eight different TEDx programs, and having watched over 200 TED Talks online, he understood that the TED “brand” is special, and he knew that if the chance ever came to speak on that RED DOT CARPET, that he could not treat it as just another speech.
Recently he got his chance. In preparation he put in about 50 hours and hired a “Short Talk Expert” to help him structure the message to ensure that he would be able to maximize his idea in a limited amount of time.
Along the way the gravity of this opportunity got in his head. While not “nervous” (Thom has presented over 700 professional level talks), he did over-think the whole thing and got himself worked up and worried about all that could go wrong. He did not want to choke or let the organizers down.
In the end he let go of any fear and hit the stage ready to share the message. He had lived the story, and he believed in the advice he was going to deliver. He even re-wrote the opening of the talk while standing in the wings.
When he reached the red carpet he took a few seconds to appreciate his surroundings and enjoy the moment. Then he just talked. He did not throw out the whole script, but he let much of it go as he just talked to the audience.
The whole experience was a blur. But he is proud that he never abandoned his desire to be part of the TEDx community. He does not expect his video to go viral, nor does he think it will change his life. But at the same time he knows he was impacted by his participation.
Check out episode #339 of “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” as he openly shares what happened to him as a TEDx Speaker.
www.ThomSinger.com