When you read a book or go to a seminar, what is your purpose in spending that time?
For me, it is to make a change, to have a higher understanding of the subject, and to be more successful at it.
Although I crave “getting things done,” I am basically lazy. So when books have exercises, I usually tell myself, “I’ll go back and do them later.” Do you do that?
When I’m taking a day to relax — have a “Darren Day” — I want to do something meaningful with that time. On my last Darren Day, I sat by the pebble pool listening to the water splash and to a live musician. I brought the audio book I had been listening to and the print out the workbook. As I went through the exercises, I was shocked at how much more clarity I had gleaned from the material. Wow! Very cool.
There is a reason for exercises in any program. I know this, because when we do our Get Paid To Speak Boot Camp, more of a transformation occurs in the “thinking” of our students during the exercises than from just listening to us speak.
I am now making a commitment to myself to spend at least a half-hour each day doing the exercises in order to create that improvement I desire. Will you?
If you want to be funnier or compete in a humorous speech contest, then get my Make ‘em Laugh 4 CD set and DO THE EXERCISES!
Stage time,
Darren LaCroix