{"id":879,"date":"2024-02-07T19:16:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T18:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.twentytwo.digital\/ukbodytalk\/how-to-remember-your-speech-and-the-worst-habits-to-avoid\/"},"modified":"2024-02-07T19:17:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T18:17:17","slug":"how-to-memorise-a-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.twentytwo.digital\/ukbodytalk\/resources\/blogs\/how-to-memorise-a-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Memorise A Speech (and Bad Habits To Avoid!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

How To Memorise A Speech (and Bad Habits To Avoid!)<\/h3>\n

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Have you ever been in the daunting position of having to memorise a speech?<\/p>\n

We’ve all felt that fear. What if I forget what I’m planning to say? Or if my mind goes completely blank? Imagine if everyone’s staring at me while I stand there, saying nothing?<\/p>\n

People often ask us ‘what’s the best way to remember a speech’? They insist they’ve tried everything and their brain simply won’t take it in. However, people are often unaware that bad habits can prevent them from being comfortable with their presentation.\u00a0 By overcoming these habits, you\u2019ll release your full potential to connect with people, inspire them and make your ideas happen.<\/p>\n

In this blog, we look at top tips for memorising a presentation<\/a> – and which bad habits you should avoid.<\/p>\n

TIP #1: WRITE YOUR NOTES ON PAPER, NOT A LAPTOP<\/h3>\n

If you are trying to memorise a speech of any length, write notes with an actual pen and paper \u2014 not a laptop.<\/p>\n

Physically writing things down connects you with the information, cementing it in your memory. And don\u2019t write it out word for word or in full sentences. Remember: these are notes. They\u2019re just for you, so they only need to make sense to you.<\/p>\n

You can underline key ideas, highlight things, use arrows, etc. And if you\u2019ve got a bit of time, you can then try rehearsing the talk out loud, based on those notes, writing changes, arrows and underlining where you need to.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve got the page figured out, whenever you see it, you\u2019ll think, \u201cI know exactly what I\u2019m doing for this talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

TIP #2: YOU DON’T NEED TO MEMORISE EVERY WORD<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to memorise every word of their presentation.<\/p>\n

The average speaker talks about 140 words per minute. If\u00a0 you need to give a 30-minute speech, then you\u2019re potentially going to have memorize 4,000 words in sequence!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s simply not going to happen.<\/p>\n

Even if you succeed, you\u2019ll get stuck in your head during the sequencing process, and run the risk of losing your audience. More than that, you\u2019ll be effectively giving a performance rather than connecting with people.<\/p>\n

Think of it this way. Justin Timberlake performed the Super Bowl half-time show to nearly 300 million viewers. When asked if he was nervous about messing up, he said, \u201cYou can\u2019t focus on being perfect. Perfection gets in the way of greatness. It doesn\u2019t actually matter if you mess up. You\u2019ve just got to be out there, passionately connected with people.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, I always say, \u201cDon\u2019t aim for \u2018word perfect,\u2019 because it\u2019s more important you aim for connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

TIP #3: MEMORISE YOUR SPEECH WITH \u2018TRIGGER WORDS\u2019, NOT A SCRIPT<\/span><\/h3>\n

Rather than trying to remember your whole script, use ‘trigger words’ instead. These are short, simple words or phrases that can help you remember what you are planning to say. When you glance at a trigger word, your brain switches on and thinks, \u201cOh, yes. That\u2019s the big picture subject I wanted to talk about. Oh, yes. That\u2019s the detail I wanted to talk about. Oh, yes. That\u2019s the action I wanted to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trigger words can help to give us comfort that we’re not going to forget the important parts of our presentation, but also don’t hold us back by being too long to read. It could be something simple like bullet points that say things like ‘Last year \/ Goals \/ Case study’ – whatever it will take to get you to remember your key points.<\/p>\n

Using trigger words is not ‘cheating’ or a sign of being unable to memorise your speech.<\/p>\n

Experts use trigger words<\/h4>\n

I’ve seen top speakers like Tony Robbins<\/a> deliver compelling talks based on trigger words that are on large pieces of paper, taped to the floor in front of them. So while you could have them on the lectern with you, you could also place your trigger words anywhere in your line of sight during your speech. I just suggest you avoid holding them. Keep your hands free to speak more naturally with the audience. Pop your notes down somewhere and write the \u2018trigger words\u2019 big enough that you can easily see them from a short distance away.<\/p>\n

Of course, for a shorter talk, you can memorise your keywords. As long as you capture each of the main thoughts as you speak, and keep going in the right direction, you\u2019ll have a flow through what you\u2019re saying. And your mind can leap from one key idea to the next all the way through to the end of your speech.<\/p>\n

TIP #4: REHEARSE OUT LOUD (AND DON’T BE TEMPTED TO ‘WING IT’)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Some people think they may sound better by improvising their speech with no plan or structure.<\/p>\n

Or they may think to themselves, \u201cThere\u2019s no point memorizing this because I will mess up, so I\u2019m just going to go up there with no notes and hope for the best.\u201d This can be an issue with self-sabotage (if someone criticises you when you haven\u2019t prepared properly you can say \u201cwell, that wasn\u2019t my best work\u201d), but it\u2019s a bad habit nonetheless \u2014 and one that can leave a lasting, negative impression with the audience.<\/p>\n

For example, Ed Miliband<\/a> was the leader of the Labour Party in the UK. At a conference in 2014, he stood up to speak without any notes. He intended to mention the economy \u2014 a pretty crucial point for a political party with a strong interest in workers\u2019 rights \u2014 but he completely forgot. He walked offstage thinking he\u2019d done a decent job, but afterward, he was blasted on social media for not covering a key issue that was important to many people across the country.<\/p>\n

Winging it won’t help you deliver your best presentation. Great speakers<\/a> prepare.<\/p>\n

Instead, try to rehearse what you’re going to say out loud. If you want to sound natural, have your trigger words (above) to help you remember what’s coming next. If nothing else, make sure you have rehearsed what you are going to say at the very beginning and at the end of your presentation, so that you know you can start and finish with confidence.<\/p>\n

Remember, rehearsing also allows you to hone your body language, pitch and pace so that you can deliver your presentation with maximum impact.<\/p>\n

TIP #5: DON’T READ FROM YOUR SLIDES<\/span><\/h3>\n

People rely too heavily on slides, thinking they’re a quick way to memorise a speech.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.<\/p>\n

Whenever I\u2019m working with someone, I pull them away from the idea that notes on slides are a necessity. Not only are bullet-points boring, but they can come off as patronizing. People don\u2019t need you to tell them something they can easily read, and this type of \u201cspoon feeding\u201d can turn off even the most passionate audience.<\/p>\n

More than that, putting all your information on a screen above you makes your speaking redundant. Why should anyone pay attention to you if everything you\u2019re saying is in front of them already?<\/p>\n

THE GOLDEN RULE: STRUCTURE YOUR TALK TO MATCH THE WAY PEOPLE THINK<\/span><\/h3>\n

The best way to help you memorise a speech quickly is to follow a structure that flows in the same way that people think. This will not only be more compelling for your audience, but will help you to remember it too.<\/p>\n

It means breaking your content down into three elements: big picture, details, and actions.<\/p>\n