You Have an Idea Worth Spreading.  Why Is It Still Stuck In Your Head?

People ask me, “How do I know if my idea is good enough for a TEDx Talk?”  Here’s what I tell them.  “Imagine this.  A significant-sounding voice in your head says, “(Your Name)–You have fifteen more minutes to live as you on this plane, on this Earth. You must spend them on the stage.  It’s a big stage–the audience is everyone on Earth.  You must talk the entire time. What MUST you say to all the people–the most important things you can tell them–that could transform their lives for the better?”  THAT’S your TEDx Talk.  It’s your legacy speech.

Develop a TEDx Talk

Many people can name a couple of things they would say.  Some have no idea.  How do you develop a TEDx Talk concept from scratch?

It can be a paralyzing thought.

Really intimidating to think about, isn’t it? I know. Sounds huge. When I was training managers in business writing, I noticed a syndrome: “Blank Page Paralysis.” Now it’s blank screen paralysis. Nevertheless. I’ve written four books, three of them since 2006. And I fought off the paralyzing thought I was writing a book.

Finding Your TEDx Topic

So don’t think of it as, “Oh, no, I have to write my legacy speech.”  Here’s how you do it:

1. Write down your “rant.” Just sit down and write it. A “rant” is your burning opinion you just MUST share. We tell it to a friend. We put it on social media. It disappears into the ether. So write them.  Save them. File them.

2. Expand your rant. Resist the urge to write it perfectly – – the screen will remain blank. Broaden out the main idea of your rant with stuff you know from your career, your dues-paying activity, your personal relationships.

You have read my rants on this blog every month; they have made it into my books. Example: When I heard someone speak about their business, and they were not prepared, it was painful for me. I ranted on “Why You Should Never Wing It” Example: When I missed the gym during lockdown, I bought a stationary bike and needed motivation. So I wrote “Might As Well Jump.” Save it, so you can find it again. File it away—on paper, or the file on the computer.

3. Use it for an article or a blog.
4. Write another rant.
5. When you have 15 rants, look for a common theme. It will lead you to the organizing principle of your TEDx Talk. Each rant may also be a chapter in the book you decide to write.

Talk With Mimi

And talk to me about your speaking situations.  It may be a TEDx Talk or a keynote speech.  Whether it’s growing your business or speaking to your staff, you want nodding and smiling throughout, and your result at the end.

How do you know if you’re ready for your TEDx Talk?

Download Mimi’s NEW free “TEDx Preparation Checklist”