A BAD MOTIVE CAN’T ACHIEVE A GOOD END… (PROVERBS 17:20 The Message)
Category Archives: Words
10 TIPS FOR SPEAKING TO IMPACT LIVES – 2
Okay, thanks for staying with me. Did you get those first three tips I gave? If you missed that, you can check it here.
#4. Forget about yourself, your looks, your diction etc.
FOCUS ON YOUR AUDIENCE. I believe the dictum, “People see who you are before they hear what you have to say.” Therefore, I make every effort to look and dress my best for any speaking or preaching engagement. I invest hours in preparation of my material to the best of my ability. But see, once I take the podium or whatever it is, I forget about myself and put all of my focus on my listener and audience. At that point, I care less about how my tie is knotted, is my pocket-square in place, or whether my outfit is well-fitted on me, all that is before I take the podium, not once I’m there. All my focus now, is my listener, how to help them, how to benefit them.
#5. Never open your mouth to speak except you have immersed yourself in your subject matter.
Here I am talking about KNOWLEDGE. But don’t assume you alone know, be humble! You really do yourself and your audience a dis-service if you address them when you’re ill-prepared.
Knowledge gives you authority and confidence on the stage. That is why I always study well before I take the floor to address any group on any subject whatsoever. I bring to every speaking opportunity a minimum of fifteen hours of study. How have I been able to achieve that? I have made my life into one long-drawn out preparation. I am always gathering material for talks – reading books, clipping articles both electronically and from print issues, watching videos and listening to audio programs. Tedious, yes! But it has come to be fun, and much more it pays off. However do not forget point number three above, you don’t do this to impress people but to help them. People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care! TO BE CONTINUED
10 TIPS FOR SPEAKING TO IMPACT LIVES-1
Over my last two decades of preaching, teaching and public speaking, I have been privileged to receive loads of positive feedback. People tell me of how they have been blessed, how useful what I’ve shared has been to them and I’ve even gotten to hear many stories of life transformation as a direct result of those speeches and sermons. Thus, there is nowhere I have spoken yet that they have not wanted me back!
This prompted me to ask myself recently, “What is it that I do in speaking to impact lives?” “What suggestions would I have for fellow speakers or a beginner who also want to make a difference in people’s lives?” This is my answer, encoded as it were in these ten (10) points:
#1. Never say what you don’t do.
In the Bible book of Acts, the physician Luke wrote about “All that Jesus began both to do and teach…” (Acts 1:1) This talks of your INTEGRITY as a speaker. Notice he mentions “do” first before “teach”. What you “teach” should come out of what you “do”!
You are actually your message. Your speech becomes hollow and dead on arrival when it is not backed up by your character. Oh! I know a lot of speakers teach fancy things that they don’t do. That’s hypocrisy, but if you want to be impactful as a speaker, your speech and life must match!
See, over the past few years, I have come to know that you cannot take people beyond your own level of experience. What you do is what gives force to what you say. The beloved apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:1-3 that they declare only what they have heard, seen and handled, which is why their ministry was profitable and impactful.
#2. Never speak about what you aren’t passionate about.
This talks about PASSION. I learnt several years back that the day your message moves from a speech to an obsession is the day you begin to impact lives. As a matter of principle, I never speak about any subject I don’t feel strongly about. John Wesley prayed, “O God, set me on fire that the whole world might come and watch me burn.” If a message is not burning in my heart I don’t teach it!
Passion is contagious. When your message moves you, it will move your audience. The converse is equally true. And without that passion, you can’t change lives.
#3. Never speak to impress people. Focus on making a difference in their lives.
Speak for CHANGE. “How will my discourse benefit my listeners?” This is a question I routinely ask myself whenever I’m opportuned to speak. Of course, I believe in myself and the potency of my message material to influence my listeners positively but ultimately I know that it will be a perennial waste of all of our precious time if all I am focused on is that they be impressed about how good or knowledgeable a speaker I am. That’s why I never aim for esotericism or those pie-in-the-sky kinds of sermons and speeches. I keep it simple. If my five year old son cannot understand what I am talking about, then what in the world am I doing spewing that out of my mouth! Expert speakers make complex things simple while amateurs make the simple complex. Why? He wants to sound ‘deep’ and impressive. But the truth is; it works the other way round. If people can understand you, you will impress them. TO BE CONTINUED
HAVE YOU WATCHED THESE MOVIES?
I wouldn’t consider myself a movie connoisseur or aficionado but one of my definitions of a great evening is one when my wife and I can find time to relax, huddle up and enjoy a good movie. And over the last few years it has become increasingly difficult to either catch on TV or on DVD a good, clean, family-safe movie with a strong message espousing great values. Anything short of that is not “entertainment” for me!
That was why I could not but commend Sherwood Pictures when I came across their movies. In times like these, they are a breath of fresh air. From Flywheel to Facing the Giants, from Fireproof to Courageous, these movies pack a solid message of the gospel in a strong, subtle yet clear, and convincing yet entertaining way into a great story line. These movies will encourage your faith and challenge you in your walk with God in your business, career, marriage and family. Plus, they’re great evangelistic tools too, non-believers can relate to these stories.
I’m not being paid for this but if you share my views, I encourage you to watch these movies if you haven’t. My wife and I were so blessed, encouraged, impacted and challenged that we decided to tell others about it. If you have watched any of these movies, can I hear your views here? Do have a happy weekend and a blessed new month of June.
7 GREAT GIFTS TO GIVE TO YOUR FRIENDS – 2
Good morning! Hope you’re having a blissful weekend. So, let’s get moving with this. We’ve established that LOVE GIVES. But what kinds of gifts am I suggesting?
Number One: GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME
Invest time in your friendships.
Spend time with your friend. Schedule it into your agenda. We only find time for what we count important. Then use that time in mutually beneficial activities – reading, praying, playing (yes! playing); anything edifying.
Or just sit in each other’s presence. Talk! But much more, listen. Discuss together. Allow time for deep intellectual and emotional intercourse. Whatever we do not cultivate dies! Or, not so? Friendship only grows when time has been invested in it. Spouses need to be aware of this. Give time, and you reap a rewarding relationship.
Let me ask you today: how much time are you willing to invest in your significant relationships? And how?
You will succeed!
P.S. You may also like to read some other stuffs I’ve posted on friendships here:
Yomi Olufiade 