May 2, 2009

Lose weight and improve your speaking skills!



I have several friends (ahem, I might be one of them) who struggle with their weight. Actually, "struggle" isn't the right word. "Struggle" implies that they're actually doing something to combat the weight problem. They complain a lot and make a halfhearted effort now and then, but I wouldn't consider that a strategy.

Complaining vs. taking action. One is clearly the better choice if you really want something to happen.

Do you complain about how much you hate public speaking and how terrible you are at it? What's the last action you took to try to improve?

Wishful thinking doesn't help you lose weight, nor does it make you a better speaker. You might make a halfhearted effort by taking a walk now and then or by having salad instead of french fries with your Big Mac, but that's not progress that will have a long-term effect.

Same with speaking. You can keep practicing, but if you practice the same mistakes over and over, you're not improving. If you keep throwing your presentation together days before it's due, you're not improving. If you read articles and books about public speaking and think that, by osmosis, you will get better but you never actually implement what you learn, you're not improving.

Losing weight in a healthy way for the long term takes discipline, motivation, changes to your diet and exercise habits, and a new way of thinking about your lifestyle and your body.

Becoming a better speaker takes discipline, motivation, changing the way you think about your habits, challenges and strengths, asking for honest feedback, and implementing what you learn.

Are you willing to step it up and do more than complain?

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2 comments. Please add yours! :

Anonymous said...

I love this post. I always wonder if they hate speaking why are they there. Now that they have said that, I am going to HATE listening to them!

Dr. Wright
The Wright Place TV Show
http://wrightplacetv.com
www.twitter.com/drwright1

Lisa Braithwaite said...

It's sad how many things people do that they hate. If you learn how to do it right, you might not hate it!

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