Confidence Through Preparation: The Steve Jobs Method

Confidence isn't a gift. It's a result.

Most people wait to "feel" confident before they step on stage. They have it backward. You don't get confident to start speaking. You start speaking to get confident.

It's not about talent. It's about work. Specifically, it's about preparation, preparation, preparation.

The Myth of the "Natural"

We see a great speaker and think they were born that way. We see the ease. We see the charm. We don't see the hundreds of hours spent in an empty room talking to the walls.

Take Steve Jobs.

He is remembered as one of the greatest presenters in history. People think he was just "a natural." He wasn't. He would spend two full days rehearsing for a single 20-minute presentation. Every slide, every pause, and every joke was scripted and drilled.

He didn't leave it to chance. Neither should you.

Competence is the Cure

Anxiety is just your brain's way of telling you that you aren't ready.

If I asked you to walk on stage and recite your own phone number, you wouldn't be nervous. Why? Because you know the material perfectly.

Public speaking is the same.

• Know your first 60 seconds. If you nail the start, the rest follows.
• Know your last 60 seconds. Never stumble across the finish line.
• Master the middle. Don't memorize words. Memorize ideas.

Preparation kills fear. Preparation, preparation, preparation.

Stop Looking at Yourself

Public speaking is not about you. It's about the person in the audience.

When you are nervous, you are selfish. You are thinking about your sweaty palms. You are thinking about your shaking voice. You are thinking about your reputation.

Flip the script.

Focus on the value you are giving. Focus on the problem you are solving for them. If your message can help just one person in that room, it is your duty to deliver it.

You aren't a performer. You are a messenger.

Ready to stop playing small? Consistency is the only way forward. You can't think your way out of fear—you have to act your way out of it. The world's best speakers don't wing it. They follow a blueprint.

Stop waiting and start your transformation today. Join UltraSpeaking and become the speaker you were meant to be →