Beyond the Red Dot: What I Learned Becoming a TEDx Speaker

Last month, I had the honor of stepping onto the stage at the inauguralTEDx Watkins Glen event at the famed Watkins Glen International Speedway.

TED and TEDx stages are some of the most recognized speaking platforms inthe world. With only five and a half weeks to prepare, I knew I needed toapproach this differently than any other speaking engagement I had done before.The biggest accomplishment of the day wasn't simply becoming a TEDx speaker. Itwas what I learned about myself in the process.

If you're trying to get on a TEDx stage, thinking about applying, oryou've recently been selected, here are a few things I learned that I wish morepeople talked about.

Not all TEDx events are created equal.

A couple of months before I was selected for TEDx Watkins Glen, I waschosen as a semifinalist for another TEDx event.

The two experiences were completely different.

That's important to understand because TEDx events are independentlyorganized. The application process, expectations, preparation, communication,rehearsal schedule, and overall experience can vary significantly from oneevent to another.

So if you receive a rejection, don't automatically make it mean you'renot TEDx material. Sometimes one rejection simply leaves room for anopportunity that fits you better.

And remember that just because you're invited doesn't mean you have tosay yes. Pay attention to the timeline. Look at the expectations. Consider thelocation, schedule, organizers, and overall feel of the event. Ask yourselfwhether it works for your life and whether you can realistically give theprocess what it deserves.

The right fit can make the entire experience much less stressful and muchmore meaningful.

The speech is only part of your preparation.

Of course your talk matters but memorizing your speech isn't enough. Youalso need to prepare the person who is going to deliver it.

What happens if someone drops a plate during your talk? Someone sneezesloudly? You miss a word? You don't get the audience reaction you expected? Yousuddenly can't remember the exact sentence that comes next?

If you've prepared only to recite a memorized script under perfectconditions, one unexpected moment can throw you completely off. That's why somuch of my preparation happened away from the script.

I worked with my subconscious mind and my nervous system before I everstepped onto that stage. I visualized myself there. What would I see? Whatwould I hear? What would I feel?What would it feel like to stand under thoselights, look into the audience, hear my own voice and know that I belongedthere?

I wasn't only rehearsing the words. I was rehearsing the experience. Bythe time I walked onto that stage, my body had already been there many times,and that work made all the difference. I didn't feel nervous or anxious beforeor during the event. I was able to be present and enjoy an experience I hadworked incredibly hard to earn.

Your talk may not come out exactly the way it did in your living room,your car, the shower, or rehearsal. That's okay. Your goal isn't to become ahuman teleprompter. Prepare yourself well enough that when the unexpectedhappens, you can stay with yourself and keep going.

Take the pictures. Take the videos. Period.

Document the process. If there's a rehearsal, document it. Take thepicture by the TEDx sign. Take pictures with the other speakers. Get videobefore and after the event. Capture the audience, the venue, thebehind-the-scenes moments and the things you'll want to remember six monthsfrom now.

Don't rely entirely on the event photographer. They are there to capturethe event. They don't necessarily know which moments matter most to you or whatcontent you'll want later.

You may only get this exact experience once. Document it.

Don't be a speak-and-dash speaker.

Don't show up, give your talk and disappear. Stay, listen, and supportthe other speakers.

You have no idea what it took for the person standing on that stage toget there. They may have spent weeks or months preparing for those few minutes,just like you did. Part of being a speaker is also knowing how to be anaudience member.

Most events will give you the schedule ahead of time. Plan accordingly. Ifyour schedule is so tight that you have to leave immediately after speaking,consider whether that particular event is the right fit before you commit.

Being part of TEDx is bigger than the minutes you spend onstage.

Be gracious to the people behind the event.

Be prepared, be on time, be easy to work with, and thank the organizers.

These events require an incredible amount of work behind the scenes.Organizers and volunteers give their time, energy and, often, time away fromtheir own families to make the experience possible.

Don't let your gratitude end when the event does. A few days later, sendan email. Thank them specifically for the experience and the work they put intomaking it happen. Ask whether a testimonial would be helpful. Stay connected.

How you treat people when there is nothing left for them to give you saysjust as much about you as how you perform when the spotlight is on.

The biggest preparation happened before anyone saw me.

When I think back on my TEDx experience, I'm proud of the talk. I'm proudthat I stood on that stage. I'm proud that I can now say I'm a TEDx speaker,but I'm even more proud of the woman who walked onto that stage.

I prepared her, too. I did the subconscious work. I did the nervoussystem work. I visualized the experience. I practiced staying grounded insteadof simply practicing the words. And when the moment finally came, I didn't haveto convince myself that I was ready. My mind and body already knew.

That's the part of TEDx preparation we don't talk about enough. Yes,learn your speech. Practice it until you know it, but don't spend so much timepreparing the words that you forget to prepare the person who has to stand onthe stage and say them.

Long after the lights go down, the pictures are posted, and the video isreleased, who you became getting there may be the greatest return on the entireexperience.

‍