TED talks

For some reason, we are comfortable conversing with friends and family but when it comes to talking in front of others our nerves get the best of us.  It is easy to watch speech after speech and criticize them because the elements of a successful speech are common sense. But when our turn rolls around, all of those "common sense" elements are thrown aside as we let fear take control. 

I chose to watch the TED talk "Diana Nyad: Never, ever give up."

http://www.ted.com/talks/diana_nyad_never_ever_give_up.html

I actually had to watch the video twice because the first time through I was so immersed in her story that I forgot why I was watching it in the first place.  The second time around I made sure to focus my attention on the specific elements of the speech.  The fact that she was obviously able to capture my attention so quickly was one of the better aspects of her speech.  Throughout the speech she told the story of how she accomplished her dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida (a 100-mile swim).  Although this is probably not a dream her audience shared with her, she made the story relatable to everyone.  She used her story to relay messages that we have heard many times "chase your dreams" and "never give up”; messages that the audience could take from and apply to their own dreams.  Also, Diana gave a conversational, relaxed speech that did not seem rehearsed.  Her thoughts and ideas flowed as she spoke.  I think Diana's body language also enhanced the casualness of the speech.  She seemed relaxed and used the entire stage to walk around and talk to each section of the audience.  It was obvious how passionate she was about the topic of discussion.  There were moments where she seemed to go back in time and recreate the scene through descriptive words and details so the audience could visualize it with her.  It was clear when she had a specific thought that she wanted the audience to hear because she would pause to gather everyone’s attention then speak in a louder, firmer voice to enhance the importance.  Diana used key elements like a hook, relevance, relaxed pace, and clear description to create an overall successful speech.