A Blog Designed to Help You Become a Better Speaker

As motivational speakers, our ultimate goal is not just to entertain or inform — it's to inspire action. Whether you're helping an audience navigate uncertainty, embrace change, or overcome personal obstacles, the power of your message lies in its ability to move people into action.

But how do we, as speakers, tap into the psychology of our audience to create lasting impact? The answer lies in understanding the emotional and cognitive responses that drive human behavior.

1. Appeal to Emotion, Not Just Logic

The human brain is wired to respond to emotions before logic. While facts, figures, and logical arguments are important, they don’t move people the way emotions do. Research in neuroscience tells us that people are more likely to take action based on how they feel in the moment, rather than what they think.

As a speaker, your goal should be to create an emotional connection. You want your audience to feel something — whether it's excitement, empathy, or inspiration. When you e...

Want to be a better speaker?

When you give a speech, you can share a story OR you can invite the audience IN to the story.

 I don’t mean having them help tell the story with audience participation or communicating with them directly.

 It is more about “setting the stage” to invite the audience into the story so they are feeling and experiencing it at as you share. Much like a movie.

 A simple way to start is to utilize something called “focal points”. Focal points are where you look when you’re speaking.

 As an actor, you are never to look directly into the eyes of an audience member unless it something stylized. If you look an audience member in the eyes, that person may feel put on the spot. Some people LOVE this. I experience that performing in comedy clubs. However, most people don’t. I’m one who not only doesn’t like it – but is terrified of it. You’ll never see me in the front row of a comedy club for that exact reason.

Rather than staring at your audiences’ random eyes, yo...

Yes, yes and maybe.

We’ve all experienced it. That cozy safe podium that separates us from the audience. Nice little microphone and what feels like a wall to protect our bodies from THEM (the audience).

We’ve also all experienced the dreary drudgery of trying to pay attention to a speaker who stands behind a podium for an hour and doesn’t move. For us visual learners who can’t learn just by hearing – we lose interest almost immediately.

 On the opposite end, we’ve seen the speaker who acts like they’re on crack rushing to all edges of the stage frantically pacing, moving and causing us in the audience – anxiety.

YES, YOU SHOULD MOVE…but only with a purpose.

 First, get out from behind the podium. I know it’s safe back there. Especially if your pants don’t fit, but it’s a barrier between you and the audience. It’s a physical barrier, visual barrier and emotional barrier. Time to get naked and step out so everyone can see you.

 DON’T MOVE for movement sake. We all “leak” energy....