Hey yall. It’s another Three Things Thursday.
This week I took a deep dive into course creation as I build out my Performative Speaking: A trial lawyer’s speaking secrets course. My brain refuses to rest as inspiration has fully set in. I see the possibilities for this course and want to make sure I over-deliver to the people who trust me with the course.
I’m competitive. No doubt about it. I see the quality of other courses (that I’ve taken) like Visualize Value’s courses and Write of Passage but I think to myself, I want to do better. I want my community to say that Performative Speaking was the best course they ever took. That competitive fire fuels these long days of work and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how we listen. It seems like more and more we fail to pay attention and really hear what a person is saying. Zoom calls highlight this point as the vast majority of people aren’t paying any attention to what’s going on. People look at other screens, their phones, or simply zone out. We need more active listening. It’s honestly one of the simplest ways to become more likeable and learn more in the process.
Now for Three Things
I put together a 1-page Performative Speaking Manifesto. Lucky for me, I’ve had some great interactions with incredible copywriters the past few weeks. From Oliver Cantin, Joshua Lisec, and Billy Bross. The ideas they have and the methods they use helped me write out this Manifesto. This also draws on my own lessons as a trial lawyer and how I create and deliver speeches. Copywriting and speech writing share a lot of similarities. Sometimes we forget how valuable other disciplines can be to study so that we can learn more about our own.
Great thinking leads to great writing.
Great writing leads to great speaking.
This visual from Jack Butcher
“The truth always carries the ambiguity of the words used to express it.” Frank Herbert.
Just a beautiful reminder that words matter and to make them clear and precise. We, as humans, have a bad habit of forgetting the power of our words. Only when we can define a thing with our words do we truly understand it.
I found that out as I worked to define Performative Speaking further this week. Create truth with the right words.
“I keep having vivid dreams of success. Then it’s time to sleep.” Conor McGregor
The final thing this week is Twitter. Many of you are here because you found me on Twitter. I want to briefly discuss my journey.
I started using Twitter in 2011. I used it as a personal journal that from time to time I would post something. I would follow the news or other accounts but mostly just acted as a spectator. That continued for about 9 years. It wasn’t until I came across David Perell’s How to Crush it on Twitter with Matthew Kobach in April that I started to realize its value. I took the lessons from the course and started applying them. I added 12 followers in June. I added 228 followers in July.
I built a group of people I connected with and we talked regularly. I started jumping into Direct Message conversations. I started setting up Zoom calls with those people. We formed a community. I found people who I believed in and they believed in me.
Then it happened. James Clear posted a question about which accounts to follow under 10k followers. One of my Twitter friends posted my name. Another one of my Twitter friends commented and endorsed.
To be clear…I did not ask them to do this nor did I know they would. Once that happened a few other people commented and backed up what those two friends said. Then Twitter went bonkers.
I added 1800+ users over the past week.
How do I approach Twitter?
I post often. The internet rewards being prolific.
I post on just a few main topics (speaking, pop culture, and twitter).
I engage with other people. I respond to every comment (if I miss one it’s completely unintentional.)
I try to be myself and provide value. Some days I miss the mark. Some days I nail it.
Just keep putting in the time, effort, and value. It will pay off.
See you next week.
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