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Darren LaCroix learned how to be funny the hard way by experience. He is a keynote speaker with a thriving publc speaking career. He authored books, CD’s, DVD’s, & other public speaking courses. He gives motivational speeches all over the world including Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.
I found your article inspirational. I am just getting back to speaking after a helath related hiatus. I am also taking up singing. I shall take you words to heart in both activities.
BTW Thank you for cleaning up the web site.
Sam Peters (age 74)
Great informaion Darren!! I tell this to my kids and my colleagues all the time. Here is the great idea that came from your thoughts. In my next presentation skills workshop I’m going to have the attendee’s get up and try to follow dance steps from an instructional DVD. Then tie this lesson to using their presentation skills as often as possible. Learning any skill is a process. The more you do, the more you get.
Thanks,
Mike Gerrick
Unlike you, I tried doing aerobics to music in a large class full of experienced women. It turned out that I was the entertainment and most were laughing hysterically as I fumbled my way through the routine. I agree that much practice is needed.
Darren:
Great article!! It is indeed very inspiring to know that basically anyone, with enough practice (lots of practice!!) can achieve significant goals in life. I am a Chemical Engineer (not a comical engineer), and also a current President of the local chapter of Toastmasters in Worcester, Massachusetts. I love to speak and share my ideas and thoughts with other people. Now, is it really essential to reach the 10,000 hours in order to consider yourself a master at something? I perfectly understand that the key to success, especially at public speaking is practice, practice, practice (or as you say Stage time, stage time, stage time), but is 10,000 hours the critical point to reach?
Thank you and great year 2009.
Alejandro.
Darren, thank you for sharing this! As a Lifecoach I keep telling my clients that whatever they do on a regular basis they will do better – even if it is to eat chocolate 😉 As a Toastmaster I keep on challenging my fellow members to challenge themselves. Yet, so far I have failed to challenge myself when it came to studying Chinese. This morning I had decided to study it daily for 30 minutes – and then I read your article. Outch! I will have mastered Chinese when I will turn 70! So I have to decide to either speed up a little or not striving for mastery. Not decided yet, but as a result I have asked to be Timer in the Chinese meeting in my bilingual Toastmasters club in March. Outch! I never was afraid of public speaking, I joined Toastmasters as I enjoyed it. But now I have the feeling I might get an idea of how that feels. Let’s see how far you will have come with your abs by end of March and how far I will come with my Timer’s report without embarrassing my Chinese Fellow Toastmasters.
Thanks for the challenge Darren. All the best!
DARREN,ANOTHER GREAT PIECE OF WISDOM. THE AMOUNT OF HOURS YOU NEED TO PRACTICE MAKES SINCE. I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT BREAK THROUGHS. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW SOON A BREAK THROUGH WILL COME.
THIS AN EXCELLENT CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW YEAR.
THANKS
T.WAYNE GATEWOOD
THE BUILDER
I believe your statememts that the more times you present, you will get better and better and those 10,000 minutes will have paid off.
I am taking your advice and present as much as I can and people are asking me to come and speak at their TM clubs, seminars and groups.
Thank you again for an interesting and learning newsletter.
Patricia Cotton
Another fine newsletter. I seem to always print out each Stage Time and read it carefully. This one is on a subject I’ve been delving into recently. Great job. The paper by Anders Ericsson called “The Making of an Expert”, available from Harvard Business Review, also has great things to say about the value of coaching and mentoring.
Here is an excerpt:
“Research on world-class performers … has shown that future experts need different kinds of teachers at different stages of their development. In the beginning, most are coached by local teachers, people who can give generously of their time and praise. Later on, however, it is essential that performers seek out more-advanced teachers to keep improving their skills. Eventually, all top performers work closely with teachers who have themselves reached international levels of achievement.”
Sounds like the Darren LaCroix story.
As always Darren, great information told in a way that inspires.
I realized that I failed to mention that the article “The Making of an Expert” by Anders Ericsson also discusses the concept of deliberate practice and the 10,000 hour concept. It is Dr. Ericsson’s research that is being used as a basis for much of the recent interest in this subject.
Thanks Darren.