I’ve posted many variations on this blog, and probably will do so again, each and every year.
Not because I haven’t got anything else to say (regular readers will know there’s no danger - or hope! - of that.)
No, it’s simply because the insight is so important.
I’ve been away for a few days at the wonderful Swanwick Writers’ Summer School.
I was talking to a group of old friends, which is one of the joys of the event…
When one said something quite delightful:
– I love your teaching because you make it all seem so effortless
Now that was very kind, but it also made me laugh. A lot.
Why, you might ask, as indeed did they.
The reason is this:
- That appearance of effortlessness is entirely, absolutely, and 100% an illusion
For a successful lecture, or indeed talk, presentation, or any kind of performance…
There’s one critical, but often not at all obvious element.
I’ve often referred to it as the golden secret of success, and it’s this:
- Hard work
For one hour of a lecture, I probably put in five or six hours of preparation.
First of all, sketching out a plan…
Creating the narrative which runs through the session…
Working out how to illustrate it…
Make it interactive, and entertaining, as well as informative…
Ensuring the start is a big hook to keep everyone engaged from the off…
And the ending is emphatic and memorable, so people come back for the next lecture, or invite you to speak again.
And all that’s before I even put together the slides, and formally write the session.
And that, in turn, is before running through it time and again, and then time and again and again, and then time and again and again and again, et cetera.
Which all adds up to a lot of preparation and practice, and a lot a lot of hard work.
Which brings us back to the secret of making any form of performance seem effortlessly impressive…
Putting in an enormous amount of effort beforehand.
