Motivational Speaking

[Hydrotroop91]

After presenting my leadership interview with my fellow classmates went extremely well, I have decided that I would love to become a motivational speaker. Being in front of people makes me extremely nervous. But I also love teaching people new things and helping others.

I feel like I have been through so many experiences and would be able to relate to most people on level or another. I want to see people succeed and be happy. I feel like I am people driven and love seeing others doing well! This world can seem dark a lot for most people and I would like to be a light for someone. I would also be fine with just being a life coach or both!

I am currently in school for engineering, have a potential business to start, finding myself, finishing up my service in the military, and trying to get in a much better place. I know this will have to be put off for at least a year or two to get out from the military and away from my family to be more recovered and away from triggers. Plus I will be done with school by then.

What are some tips on how to do this? Where do I even start? Can this be done on top of having a career? And how can I be effectively helping others at the best of my ability?

 

[anthony]

I say good on you... if motivational speaking makes you feel good about you, then go for it. I think it can be done on top of a career... yes.

 

[shimmerz]

Great posting. I would love to do this. Am struggling with a 'nobody would want to listen part' but would be very interested in this thread. I say go for it. And keep up the thread so I can get some tips k? ;)

 

[Seasounds]

How great!
There are lots of ways to learn how to motivationally speak, and coach. I see one of my teachers, help these people refine their skills. If you want, PM me, and I'll give you her name, to use, if and when you want.

 

[MorningDove]

Start speaking about what you are passionate about. Do you have Toastmasters where you are? You can google them pretty easily.

 

[Hydrotroop91]

Looks like we do have a toastmasters on campus!! Yeah this is something I'd like to start in about 2 years! I love people and I love encouraging them! I have had so many people help me each day and want to show my thanks by helping others!! The list below is just some of the things I have dealt with.

Things I would be able to talk about but are not limited to:
My assault/harassment
Military Service
College and it's challenges
Self-Harm
Suicidal Thoughts
PTSD and other mental illnesses
Struggling with faith
Substance Abuse(alcohol with mine)
Questioning one's sexuality(hopefully I am starting to discover mine now)
Giving up on hope and people
Relationships
Family problems

These are all heavy hitting topics that people struggle with on a day to day basis and I want them to not feel so alone! I also want to be an example for others so that they do not have to figure things out the hard way like I have done. lol

 

[MorningDove]

I have always said it just takes one person at a time to pull you along, inspire you, nudge you to the next level of your evolution. I have been blessed with such folks since childhood. It is heartening to know you are looking to join the ranks!

 

[bell]

Okay, I'm going to start out harsh, but bear with me. While I do get paid sometimes to speak at different venues around the world, I'm not doing it full time or anything. But, since I am doing it and people approach me to do so, I'm going to weigh in.

First of all,

Yeah this is something I'd like to start in about 2 years!

... I'm sorry, but you can't just become a motivational speaker out of the box, so to speak. In order to become a motivational speaker, you first need someone, anyone, that wants to listen to you. Therefore, telling yourself you're going to "start in 2 years" either means you don't want it bad enough, you aren't good enough, or you aren't inspiring enough. (See, I told you, harsh.)

You need to start now if you want to be a motivational speaker in 2 years. You need to start a blog, get followers on social media, create a community. Because if you wait 2 years, you'll find yourself with a huge hill to climb, 12 Twitter followers (nothing wrong with that, but if you want to be a motivational speaker, that's a problem), and a pipedream.

I feel like I have been through so many experiences and would be able to relate to most people on level or another

So what's your story? Why should people listen to you vs. someone else? Why are YOU the one they should pay for, follow, or otherwise give their precious time to? These are the questions you need to be asking yourself. And, to be honest, saying you "want to be a motivational speaker" is a fool's errand to me, because hell, everyone wants people to listen to them! Who doesn't want to get paid for saying things that end in lots of exclamation points! However, until you figure out your story, no one is going to listen to you. Until you share your story, no one is going to listen to you.

Say you want a successful blog, say you want to inspire people with your story, say you want to connect to others who have a story like you. DON'T spend all your time saying you want to be a "motivational speaker" (rookie mistake) until you have something to be motivational about. You can eventually fold in different topics as time comes along, but right now with such a long list of topics you want to be a motivational speaker to everyone, not just your own tribe. You need to find your tribe first, then join the tribe, then add to the tribe, and then help lead the tribe. Or create your own tribe. You won't be a "motivational speaker" for reals until someone else deigns you that. So get busy sharing your story because you want to connect, not because you want to motivate.

If this is something you really want to do, I'd suggest looking at people like Chris Guillebeau, Michele Rosenthal, and Link Removed. Because eventually, if you build it, they will (probably) come. But you have to put the proverbial blood and sweat and tears in first in order to have the credibility, the backstory, and in many ways, the chops. As for the links, Chris has done a phenomenal job getting a massive following in a short time. The other two are PTSD related, so should be topically helpful. It wasn't until several years of writing that I got my first speaking gig, because by then I had enough (online) credibility for others to find me, I had carved out my own unique message, and I had done my time. Now, if you're serious about this, you need to start doing yours.

 

[Hydrotroop91]

Thank you! Those are some great tips! I set a time limit of two years because I want tobe done with college and my military career first. I have some professors I am working with that have been speakers. Right now I'm looking into getting my story in line. I figured that I would start out at the local high schools I taught at for a while.