Sweaty palms, racing heartbeats, feeling nauseious. What if I forget everything. What if the audience is bored. What if I I stutter.Welcome. Welcome to the world's most common irrational theater, public speaking. We all have been there.Presentations, meetings, speeches, the sheer thought of standing in front of an audience and speaking can make us want to completely disappear from this world. But today I want to share with you a little journey. A journey that taught me that public speaking is not that terri ...

If you told me three years ago today that I'd be standing on stage speaking in front of all of you, I probably would have laughed. Or more realistically, I would have thought you mistook me for someone else. Back then, I was the quiet student, the one who would rather blend into the background than speak up, especially when it came to anything spontaneous.Public speaking wasn't just uncomfortable. It was something I actively avoided. In group projects, I had a system.Do the work. let someone else present. T ...

Public Speaking Skills - Public speaking is a learnable skill, not necessarily a talent [5][6][7] - Effective communication involves conversation rather than performance [10][13][14] - Overcoming limitations and breaking free from self-imposed "boxes" is crucial for effective public speaking [24][29][30] Speaker's Journey & Insights - The speaker shares a personal journey of overcoming bullying and suicidal thoughts to find their voice [17][18] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of managing one's "powerhouse" (inner voice and confidence) [21][22] - The speaker advocates for value-added conversations to build strong connections with the audience [10][11] Practical Advice - The speaker introduces a three-step formula for effective public speaking (though not explicitly detailed in the provided content) [3] - The speaker recommends approaching public speaking as a conversation rather than a performance [10][14] - The speaker encourages breaking free from limitations and self-doubt to unlock one's potential as a speaker [29][30]

Keynote Themes - The speaker emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories and being seen and heard [1] - The speaker highlights the courage needed to speak openly, especially after experiencing life's challenges [1] - The speaker discusses overcoming adversity, including bullying, harassment, and loss, to find a new path [1] Turning Point & Career - A pivotal moment came when the speaker's mother encouraged her to pursue her passion for writing [1] - The speaker started a blog that quickly gained popularity, leading to a career opportunity [1] - The speaker is now a 24-year-old CEO who has worked with 100 brands and incubated 20+ profitable brands from zero to profitability within a year each [1] Business & CSR Activities - The speaker incubates multiple brands and offers services for free, without equity, as a CSR activity [1] - The speaker helps others share their visions and provides support to bring them forth [1] Message to the Audience - The speaker encourages the audience to share their stories and not let fear of rejection hold them back [1] - The speaker emphasizes that even small acts of courage can make a significant change in someone's life [1] - The speaker encourages the audience to show up and share their unique perspectives, regardless of age or experience [1]

Personal Transformation & Overcoming Fear - The speaker shares a personal journey from being shy, introverted, and insecure to becoming a confident public speaker, emphasizing that transformation is possible [1] - The speaker highlights the importance of cognitive reframing, which involves changing the way one perceives and interprets situations to see them in a more positive and constructive light [3] - The speaker provides three simple ways to reframe negative thoughts: adding "yet" to statements like "I'm stupid," viewing public speaking as a chance to grow, and focusing on personal growth rather than comparing oneself to others [5][6][7] Mentorship & Personal Growth - The speaker emphasizes the impact of a mentor, Mr H Koka, who helped him overcome his insecurities and transform his life [1] - The speaker learned valuable lessons about psychology, mindset, career skills, and life from his mentor's agency [3] - The speaker highlights the importance of focusing on future-oriented self, setting goals for personal and professional development [8] Impact & Legacy - The speaker emphasizes that the memories and feelings one leaves for others are more important than the exact words spoken [11] - The speaker encourages providing encouragement and support to others, as small acts of kindness can transform someone's life [11] - The speaker shares a Chinese proverb that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is right now, encouraging action and growth [11]

Personal Transformation & Growth - The speaker shares a personal journey from being shy and introverted to becoming a confident public speaker, emphasizing that transformation is possible for everyone [1] - The speaker highlights the concept of cognitive reframing as a tool to change perspectives and overcome challenges [3][4] - The speaker suggests practical ways to reframe negative thoughts, such as adding "yet" to statements like "I'm stupid" and viewing public speaking as a chance to grow [5][6] - The speaker encourages focusing on personal growth and future aspirations rather than comparing oneself to others [7][8] Mentorship & Impact - The speaker emphasizes the importance of mentorship, citing Mr H Koka as a key figure who helped him transform his life [1][2] - The speaker highlights the lasting impact of kindness and encouragement on others, suggesting that small gestures can transform lives [11] - The speaker shares a lesson learned about love, emphasizing the importance of being authentic and that genuine love values who you are [9][10] Overcoming Fear & Embracing Opportunity - The speaker encourages the audience to embrace opportunities for growth, even if they feel afraid or inadequate [1][6] - The speaker emphasizes that taking action, even imperfectly, is better than inaction [6] - The speaker uses the Chinese proverb about planting a tree to illustrate that the best time to start is now [11]

Key Takeaways on Soft Skills - Soft skills are crucial for career and business success, not just for LinkedIn profiles [2] - Soft skills can determine the success or failure of a project [3] - Soft skills are about effective interaction and collaboration, not just being nice [5] - Soft skills are increasingly important in the age of AI and automation, as they are difficult for machines to replicate [6] Developing Soft Skills - Public speaking can be improved through practice, starting with small updates in meetings [7] - Active listening involves understanding the speaker, not just hearing them [7] - Feedback should be sought not only on work but also on communication skills (clarity, audibility, helpfulness) [8] - Empathy is important; consider the other person's feelings before arguing [8] - Learning from others through books, talks, and observing great communicators is beneficial [9] - Focus on developing one skill at a time for better results [9] Importance in Professional Context - Developers are often promoted for their people skills in addition to their technical skills [6] - Well-pitched average ideas can outperform brilliant ones [6] - The ability to connect, collaborate, lead, and communicate is crucial for career advancement [11] - Soft skills are essential for turning good people into great leaders and good teams into unforgettable ones [12]

Public Speaking & Persuasion Techniques - The art of convincing involves using facts and other factors beyond just information, including body language, appealing to emotion, character, or logic [3] - Aristotle identified three fundamental aspects of persuasion: pathos (appeal to emotions), ethos (appeal to ethics and morals), and logos (appeal to logic) [4][5] - Effective public speaking involves a three-step tutorial: appearance and body language, delivery, and clarity [5] Key Elements for Effective Communication - Confidence can be shown through body language, such as standing upright, gesticulating, and making eye contact [6] - Assertiveness in delivery is crucial, including speaking loudly enough and at a natural pace, while emphasizing key words [7][8] - Clarity is essential, avoiding filler words like "maybe," "might," "can," "uh," or "perhaps" to maintain credibility [9][10] Common Pitfalls - Logical fallacies, such as the Texas sharpshooter fallacy (collecting unrelated data to prove a point), can weaken an argument [15][16] - Correlation does not equal causation; coincidental occurrences do not imply a causal relationship [17] - Overusing filler words can reduce credibility and indicate a lack of confidence [9] Impact & Importance - Public speaking and persuasion are crucial skills that can serve individuals in many aspects of life [20] - A statistic mentioned that 70% of adults in the USA struggle with persuasive speaking due to filler words [11]

[Applause] 23rd of September 2023, my father received an email from my school. It said my family and I were invited to the school awards dinner. He looked at the email, then at me. He was a tad bit confused and maybe even a little bit concerned. We thought the email wasn't meant for me. So, naturally, he asked me to check in with the school, and I did. I sent the most awkward email ever. Hi, just curious. Was this email actually meant for me? It'd be great if you could check and let me know as soon as possi ...

Core Message - Fear is presented as a common human experience that can be overcome [1][2] - Facing fears is portrayed as an opportunity for personal growth and resilience [4][6] - Overcoming fear leads to self-discovery and the realization of untapped potential [6] Overcoming Fear - The speech emphasizes the importance of confronting fears to unlock personal potential [2][10] - The speaker shares a personal anecdote of overcoming the fear of public speaking [4][5][6] - The speaker's experience demonstrates that facing fears builds confidence and diminishes their power [5][6] Inspiration and Motivation - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's life is presented as an example of overcoming adversity and achieving success [7][8][9] - Dr Kalam's quote highlights that failure is a part of the learning process [9] - The speech encourages the audience to step into their fears and inspire others [10]