Introduction and Overview
Hello there! Welcome to the wonderful world of improvisation.
Through the next seven blog posts I will strive to give you a basic working knowledge of, and a glimpse into, the world of quick thinking, extemporaneous speaking, confidence, and utter BS-ing. It's a wild ride, so fasten your seat belts ladies and gentlemen. Impromptu speaking of any kind is difficult, frustrating, nerve-wracking, and oh so rewarding. There's just nothing like the tension before you get your prompt, the low-key panic as thoughts go in a million different directions, and strutting out of that room when you're done knowing that you absolutely crushed it. *Cue background explosions and theme music as you walk away and don't look back*
According to a fellow teammate, Marcelo Gonzales, "They [these events] are opportunities to be creative, perform, and get better at showcasing your art in front of an audience. I like the creative freedom, but it requires a lot of practice. But sometimes seeing other people perform so much better than you can be disheartening."
This is so very true. Whenever I first teach someone how to do any of these events, they usually ask to see an example. So I give a demonstration and by the time I sit down they don't want to do it any more because they're intimidated. They tell me they will never be able to do that. I usually just laugh and tell them that I said the exact same thing four years ago. The first speech I ever gave for impromptu lasted a grand total of 2 1/2 minutes. The thing that makes any form of impromptu speaking unique is that you can't practice the speech, you can only practice the method. You will never see the same prompt twice so you have to work on extending your knowledge of possible topics and practice your prepping technique. The only way to see improvement is to be consistent and persistent in your practice.
There is one major thing you can rest assured of in every single one of these rounds though; Confidence is key. I know that sounds cliché, but it's the absolute truth. The difference between the speaker who got first and the one who got last is often how confident they were in their presentation. The best speakers can persuade you of anything, even if they aren't entirely familiar with the topic. If you don't buy it, the judge won't either. Fake it 'til ya make it.
Now you might be thinking "Ryan, how can I do well if I'm always faking it?"
I'm going to let you in on a secret: Everyone is faking it! There is not a speaker in that room that walked in there knowing what the topic was going to be. Sometimes you get lucky and know exactly what to say. Other times.....not so much. It's a toss up every time. But when you stand up, you are the expert. You make that judge hang on every word. One of the best kept secrets of competitors is that we can become an expert in any subject in less than 30 minutes. I say that sarcastically, but to a certain extent it's very true. I might have just heard of this topic for the first time right before I walked in that room, but the judge will never know.
So if you're ready to get started, let's kick things off with some Impromptu!
Through the next seven blog posts I will strive to give you a basic working knowledge of, and a glimpse into, the world of quick thinking, extemporaneous speaking, confidence, and utter BS-ing. It's a wild ride, so fasten your seat belts ladies and gentlemen. Impromptu speaking of any kind is difficult, frustrating, nerve-wracking, and oh so rewarding. There's just nothing like the tension before you get your prompt, the low-key panic as thoughts go in a million different directions, and strutting out of that room when you're done knowing that you absolutely crushed it. *Cue background explosions and theme music as you walk away and don't look back*
According to a fellow teammate, Marcelo Gonzales, "They [these events] are opportunities to be creative, perform, and get better at showcasing your art in front of an audience. I like the creative freedom, but it requires a lot of practice. But sometimes seeing other people perform so much better than you can be disheartening."
This is so very true. Whenever I first teach someone how to do any of these events, they usually ask to see an example. So I give a demonstration and by the time I sit down they don't want to do it any more because they're intimidated. They tell me they will never be able to do that. I usually just laugh and tell them that I said the exact same thing four years ago. The first speech I ever gave for impromptu lasted a grand total of 2 1/2 minutes. The thing that makes any form of impromptu speaking unique is that you can't practice the speech, you can only practice the method. You will never see the same prompt twice so you have to work on extending your knowledge of possible topics and practice your prepping technique. The only way to see improvement is to be consistent and persistent in your practice.
There is one major thing you can rest assured of in every single one of these rounds though; Confidence is key. I know that sounds cliché, but it's the absolute truth. The difference between the speaker who got first and the one who got last is often how confident they were in their presentation. The best speakers can persuade you of anything, even if they aren't entirely familiar with the topic. If you don't buy it, the judge won't either. Fake it 'til ya make it.
Now you might be thinking "Ryan, how can I do well if I'm always faking it?"
I'm going to let you in on a secret: Everyone is faking it! There is not a speaker in that room that walked in there knowing what the topic was going to be. Sometimes you get lucky and know exactly what to say. Other times.....not so much. It's a toss up every time. But when you stand up, you are the expert. You make that judge hang on every word. One of the best kept secrets of competitors is that we can become an expert in any subject in less than 30 minutes. I say that sarcastically, but to a certain extent it's very true. I might have just heard of this topic for the first time right before I walked in that room, but the judge will never know.
So if you're ready to get started, let's kick things off with some Impromptu!
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