I dedicate today to Dr. Rob Gilbert who, through generosity and sage advice, gave me my start in the speaking business and continues to support my every endeavor.

There are no naturals. It’s ALWAYS about the work.

The other night, I was asked to offer remarks to a group of 14-year-old scholarship recipients who were looking forward to entering high school in the fall.

I am a professional speaker. 

I have spent a lot of money on my speaking business, including hiring some of the best coaches in the industry. I regularly confer with my mentor, Rob Gilbert, anytime I have a big gig or need new material, and I listen to his Success Hotline daily (and shamelessly steal from his messages).

I subscribe to speaking newsletters, attend speaker conferences and workshops, read speaker books, and seek the advice of anyone further along the path than I am. I know I have put in Malcolm Gladwell’s proverbial 10,000 hours in pursuit of speaking mastery.

I give talks to various organizations, sometimes for better than 60 minutes, without using notes.

For this event, I was asked to speak for just a few minutes as we had a 30-minute agenda, and there were other speakers and ceremonial duties packed in there with me. 

I spent some time during the week before the event thinking about what those young folks might like to hear and jotting down my thoughts. I also looked through my folders to see if I had anything I could use for this event. I don’t write a speech and memorize it. Speaking is more like jazz than it is like classical piano. I take a few points I want to hit and trust myself to expand on each with a good story or explanation. (Rob taught me that too!)

I asked my wife what she would have wanted to know before she entered high school, and she gave me some great stuff.  I called my friend Monseigneur Thomas Petrillo and asked him for his thoughts on the matter, and he also gave me gold.

Then, I took my wife’s, Thomas’s, and my own input and wrote out my notes. When I felt it had the flow and rhythm I wanted, I timed it out and cut the fat so it would be about four minutes. I went over it in my head and practiced it out loud at least ten times during my 90-minute ride to the event.

I delivered my remarks to a very enthusiastic and supportive crowd. When I finished, one of my colleagues, with lovely, complimentary intention, said,  “Wow, Frank. You’re a natural up there!”  I smiled and thanked him.

Own Your Sales Gene…

PS Success Hotline is a 3-minute motivational message offered by Dr. Rob seven days a week. I have been listening almost daily for 30 years! Call Success Hotline. It costs nothing and gives everything. 973-743-4690