Suddenly, I had a bunch of cool stories sitting around in my head.
I knew them pretty well because I had spent hours reading the details of each story and writing it out in my own words.
Now, these stories were "at the ready" and I could use them in conversation.
Today, before I'm about to do a podcast interview or a live event, I scroll through any articles related to what I'm talking about.
The headlines are usually enough to spark my memory of a few stories.
When the presentation starts, I can drop a story in whenever relevant.
It makes me look much smarter than I am.
It seems like I can pull out an interesting story to make a point or answer a question. And nearly any point you want to make will come alive with the right story.
But it's only because I wrote about it in detail previously.
Another thing I noticed is that stories help people remember what matters.
Facts and numbers are boring. And, sadly, most people forget your important insights as soon as the talk ends.
But stories? People remember stories. And that helps them remember the main point too.
So that's my best public speaking tip.
If you want to be a better speaker, become a better storyteller.
If you want to be a better storyteller, write about great stories.
Finally, review what you wrote, so you're ready to use the stories in conversation when relevant.
Also, I share my writing in a short, free newsletter each week. I try to make each one useful.
Things that go viral, spread fast. And things that move fast tend to be lightweight.
In the case of information, this means virality prefers fewer bits of information to transfer from one person to another. Virality leans toward the bite-sized and immediately understandable.
Many people (and businesses) desire the reach and popularity that comes with virality, but the downside of prioritizing retweets, likes, and views is that it pushes you toward insights that can be explained in a viral-friendly size.