How to create your TED talk

My friend Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez dreams of giving a TED talk of her own some day. She asked me how I prepared to give my speech, and I told her I would write a post about it for her because indeed, I am a full-service blogger! Today, How to Create Your TED Talk!

I gave my TED talk in the summer of 2022, but the preparation really started years in advance.

Getting into TED

I’m a busy person, but things always slow down during the holiday season, and I use this time to reflect, learn, and consider changes I need to make to my business in the coming year.

One of my holiday traditions is to spend a day binging the best TED talks. I did this for years before I was ever invited to give a talk. I take notes on the styles of the best speakers in the world. How do they construct their speeches? How do they use surprise? Humor? Props? Video and other media? Why did they get selected for TED?

I didn’t do this every year to become a TED speaker; I did it to be a better speaker, period.

The invite

Many people dream of being a TED speaker. I was not one of them. I figured if it happened, it happened. It was never a goal or priority. I guess I’m just content with where I am right now.