10 signs you have a talent for public speaking, even before stepping on stage!
Without further ado.
You are curious.
There is no better trait. Creativity? No... Curiosity is what drives you. Are you curious about whether you can perfect something? How will it work? How long will it take? Do you feel excited at the thought of discovering new information about yourself or others...
You can tell a story.
It doesn't have to be anything fantastic (or made up), it can just be a few sentences about how you spent your day yesterday. But if you can tell something meaningful and connected, from beginning to end, with an attractive and humorous quip – you're already on the right track.
You can listen to others as they speak, and ask follow-up questions .
Patience, empathy, the aforementioned curiosity... The audience is at the center of the speech, and if you can adapt to them and they sense it, that's three-quarters of the way there.
You find language as a tool, a set of rules, a means of communication – interesting .
Find yourself thinking about linguistic questions: Why do we say this and not that ? Is there a better way to say something ? Do this and that have the same meaning? How can I say that but softer? Bonus points if you have a favorite word, either in meaning or sound.
You can think of several things at the same time.
It doesn't matter whether you see it as multitasking or whether you would describe it as an internet browser with multiple tabs open , if you have the ability to have your thoughts parallel (rather than linear), at least occasionally – that's something that will come in very handy in public speaking.
You don't mind the silence.
Writers are also said to be solitary social creatures. While you're preparing, and while you're speaking in public, there's silence around you. If it bothers you, you'll start too early and say too much.
You train.
... anything 😊 Training shows that a person is willing to improve their skills, knows that with effort comes progress, and has no problem investing the time. While I was teaching at the Faculty of Kinesiology, that was what I liked most about my students.
You like to dress up.
Not necessarily yourself , although that's not negligible either, but refining your projects. Cake decorations, ornaments on bread, details on paintings, symmetrical shoelaces, program codes without unnecessary steps... That's what makes a master.
You react well in demanding and stressful situations.
Public speaking is a demanding and stressful situation, almost always unpredictable.
We can hear from your texts that those are your thoughts.
“While I was reading your homework, I heard you talking to me” – a direct quote from all my Croatian language teachers. That's why I'm sad that people today rely so much on artificial intelligence, instead of developing their own thoughts and then practicing how to convey them.
While I'm compiling the second part of the list, read about five ways to use your authenticity in public speaking !