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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule

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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email them to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance

No. 168: Talent May NOT be Enough – You Need Practice to Excel! (FREE PDF: “There are Different Types of Public Speakers”)

Malcolm Gladwell conceived the 10,000-Hour Rule, based on which he said:

“Studies suggest the key to success in any field has nothing to do with talent….It’s simply practice. 10,000 hours of it. 20 hours a week for 10 years.” – (Source: click here)

I agree with him!

I became self-employed in Jan 2002 i.e. almost 12 years ago. Today (compared to when I began), I actually work VERY MANY HOURS LESS, for MUCH GREATER compensation, from relatively few, carefully selected clients, who GREATLY VALUE the solutions I provide.

During this decade-long journey, I’ve also received invaluable re-education about life, and about stuff we are taught in school: MOST OF WHICH DOES NOT WORK.

A WORD OF CAUTION:

Just in case you didn’t know it, please be informed that we’re no longer in the Industrial Age, when juicy lifetime jobs awaited eager candidates taught via formal schooling, to be “dedicated employees”.

Many who hold jobs today, are not sure how long they will last.

In my case, to arrive at this phase where I work fewer hours, to earn much more, from only few clients/buyers, I had to first of all pay my dues by putting in my own 10,000 hours of practice that Gladwell referred to.

Over time, I developed the proficiency needed to get more done with less effort, and less time, and using less resources.

But I NEVER had to go back to school to learn that!

At least not in the formal sense of it. Instead, I embraced my passion for self-tutoring or self-education, by seeking out people and resources that could boost my ability to do MORE of the practising I needed to do, to achieve mastery.

Today, even though I now excel, that journey continues. It never ends. I remain committed to practising more and more, so I can get even better than I currently am. And that is the key to my continuing success, despite many potentially traumatizing bouts with adversity over the years.

As an expert in your field, your ability to speak acceptably can dramatically increase your chances of excelling in virtually any field that requires interpersonal interaction.

Even if you often work alone and remotely, there will come those times when you need to interact or communicte verbally with clients/buyers or prospects.

How well you do in such situations can determine how successful you become.

It is a Known Fact That People With Effective Speaking Skills Tend to be Great Influencers

As an expert, you need to win clients/buyers over to give you business, and repeat business. That requires “influencing” them to decide in your favour – which mainly requires communicating by speaking!

Even if you plan to take up (or remain) in paid employment as an expert in your chosen field, “public speaking proficiency” would still be a worthwhile goal to aim for.

The truth is that talent alone is unlikely to make you excel as an expert in your field, and especially as an expert-who-speaks.

There will be times, for instance, that you need to CONVINCE a prospect that your offer is better than another s/he is considering. S/he may call you to ask questions in a bit to reach a decision. What you say, and how you say it, can make or mar yor chances of closing that sale.

Also, there will be times you have to handle customer complaints, or out-of-scope requests from clients. Again, how you say what you say, to each person will determine how well you succeed in the long term, with them.

Now, let me add here, that even though you are not to be agreable and not upset or offend clients, you must also communicate in a way that ensures you do not shoot yourself in the foot, by being too eager to please.

Neither is good for you.

Instead, speak with respect and consideration, but also assertively. Where/when appropriate, have the courage to confront without being combative.

Keep it up, and you will reap long term success in your interpersonal relations with those you serve.

It will not be easy however…

You will need to do the hard work of studying “how to speak effectively”, and you WILL have to exert yourself to apply what you learn about speaking effectively. You will keep doing that, for as long as it takes, until your mastery becomes apparent to you, and those who hear you speak.

Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a small classic loaded with powerful time tested ideas that have empowered some of the world’s most successful experts-who-speak.

It costs little to nothing – [In fact, here’s a FREE PDF version someone put online based on scanned pages of the print copy] – so get it and use it!

Here’s a WAKE UP CALL: There are NEVER ANY SHORTCUTS to Authentic Success!

At least not to lasting success that is authentic – in ANY field – including speaking.

Today, we live in a knowledge driven economy. Learn what works, then perfect the process of DOING it. And sustainable success WILL be yours.

This applies to any field – including yours.

To acquire speaking competence to boost your ability to excel at what you do, I recommend you make practical use of the massive library of speaking ideas and resources you have access to today. Some can be found here on tayosolagbade.com.

Many others can be found online via search engine results pages. You just need to make out time to find and use them. If you are truly serious about becoming a competent public speaker, this should NOT be a difficult commitment for you to make.

Final Words: Understand that there are DIFFERENT kinds of speakers

If you’ve been following me a while, you know I advocate that competent experts boost their status and earnings, by offering speaking services in a unique niche.

Sticking with doing what you do alone can be limiting. Talking (and writing) about what you do can get you much farther in a shorter time – and you’ll end up with more in your pockets in the process.

Smart experts who go on to achieve long term success understand the need to include speaking and training/coaching services (and even book publishing) to earn additional streams of income.

To fail to do that, would be to short change yourself.

Do you get well paid by serious clients to serve them with your expertise?

If yes, do you monetize your knowledge and know-how by writing articles/books for sale, and also offering paid learning events/services (through which you can also sell your written works)?

If no, then you’re doing yourself – and your target audience – a great disservice!

Now it is crucial that you do NOT fall into the trap of thinking my reference to speaking is with regard to “motivating” others.

To many people, especially in my part of the world have a narrow understanding of what public speaking entails. Motivational speaking is what most of them readily associate public speaking with.

After I encountered this mental block with several people – including those who mis-introduced me as a motivational speaker at events, I decided to offer “education” to reorientate those who are willing to learn.

About 3 years ago, I wrote a PDF report titled “There Are Different Types of Public Speakers (Introduction to Public Speaking for Business Marketing”. If you’d like to get a copy of that report, click here to visit my website and signup for access to the download page (click now).

It explains why you, as an expert, would be doing yourself, and the world a great favour by speaking (and writing) – for a fee – about what you do – on a regular basis.

My example: Look through the blocks of text on the right of this newsletter page…

Apart from thumbnail images relating to Burt Dubin’s products and services, there are links to speaker one sheets for learning events I offer my primary target audience: farm business owners.

What I offer has very little to do with motivation, and more to do with best practice farm managament education and problem solving. Same goes for the speaking services I offer on best practice parenting, career development, writing/blogging etc!

If you’re not sure how to get started, get help…

Sometimes, reaching out to those who have done it before you, can make your journey easier.

A mentor or coach can help you get there faster.

If you decide you need help, I recommend you sign up for Burt Dubin’s Speaking Success System for experts-who-speak, and those aspiring.

Purchase Burt’s Mentoring at Any of the Three (3) Levels Described Below:

Budget Delight: [www.burtdubin.com/tools/underground_mentoring.htm]

Mid Range: [www.burtdubin.com/tools/177monthly.html]

Top Shelf [www.speakingsuccess.com/speaking_success_system.html]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class). At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc).

During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple

Why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed and Get Paid as a Professional Speaker) and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost http://burtdubin.com/tools/signup_form.html

Learn about Burt’s speaker mentoring products (books, audios etc) below…

If you need help purchasing ANY of Burt’s products (like “Presentation Magic”), call me on +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic, my base) or +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria)  or email tayo@tksola.com

Have a great week :-))

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Plus, you learn a proven shortcut to top level speaking business success across corporate markets.

So, with diligent persistent application of what you learn you’ll start (as Burt says)…”bringing home high speaking fees”…whether you speak or not…in a matter of weeks….

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The best part is: every cent of your fee to purchase this product counts toward your membership in Burt’s Inner Circle.

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CLICK HERE to get full details of what it takes to make yourself a true speaking business champion in Burt’s Boot Camp V: Inside Speaking Business Success Secrets

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Get Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring
for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)