What does fearlessness look like to you? Is it skydiving? Saving someone from a fire? Or is it simply speaking your mind? That’s how being fearless is defined for Luvvie Ajayi. Her TED Talk, “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable” lays out her life experiences of trying to make the world a better place. How does she accomplish this? By calling out the problems in the world as she sees them. Ajayi does not let fear stand in her way. She instead sees that there’s nothing to lose when you live as your truest self.
In this TED Talk, Ajayi talks about her revelations that helped her live a fearless life, a life to the fullest. If you are wishing to do this with her speaking career, take some advice from the key moments in her talk.
Don’t Hold Back
One problem in polite society is that we are so used to the voices in our heads telling us not to do something. What if we get our feelings hurt? What if we offend someone? This is the power fear has over us. Ajayi hit a turning point in her life where she would not allow fear to control her decisions. This is a hard conversation to have with ourselves. But the more you truly embrace your message, the more impact it will have.
Don’t let fear hold you back from spreading your message. Some of the most powerful speeches have been given during times of fear. When a nation needs comforting, leaders must come forward to ease the suffering. This is never an easy task, but it has been done time and time again. Think about that when you consider your presentation message. Speaking your mind is easier when you place context around it.
“Fear has a very concrete power of keeping us from doing and saying the things that are our purpose. And I was like, ‘You know what? I’m not going to let fear rule my life. I’m not going to let fear dictate what I do.’”
Resist Comfort
Being comfortable is an easy trap to fall into, according to this TED Talk. Ajayi says comfort can only push the status quo instead of pushing towards progress. This lesson can be applied to your presentation message. Don’t repeat messages that have already been heard. This is playing it safe. And no one remembers a speech that sounded just like another one before it. Resist the safe side and take a chance on yourself.
Craft a message that is so closely tied to you that it cannot be replicated. Don’t directly follow the thought leaders, innovators and visionaries that inspire you. Chart your own path that will bring in a larger following of supporters. Audiences will respect and like you more when they know your message comes from your heart.
“I realize comfort is overrated. Because being quiet is comfortable. Keeping things the way they’ve been is comfortable. And all comfort has done is maintain the status quo. So we’ve got to get comfortable with being uncomfortable by speaking these hard truths when they’re necessary.”
Luvvie Ajayi’s TED Talk is filled with inspiring experience that will make you want to speak your mind more often. The great thing for presenters is they already have a stage to stand on. Own it by being fearless in delivering a message that is true to you and doesn’t follow others.
More posts from the Ethos3 blog:
