Chapter 51 Chapter 5 Eloquence Improvement——Your Youth "Talk Show"

I have always believed that vitality, vigor, and enthusiasm are must-haves for a speaker.For a speaker, exuberant energy is very attractive. After the First World War I went to London to work with Lowe Taumas.He was in the midst of a series of brilliant lectures on Allenby and Lawrence of Arabia to a packed audience.One Sunday, with nothing to do, I walked into Hyde Park alone.Near Marble Arch, I saw speakers with various doctrines, politics, and religious beliefs expressing their opinions freely.At that time, three speakers were giving speeches: one was a Catholic, explaining the infallibility of the Pope; one was a socialist, talking about Karl Marx's doctrine; Four wives is reasonable.I stood in the distance and carefully observed the three groups of people surrounding them.

I found out that the guys who preach polygamy have very few audiences.And the other two speakers had a growing audience.I asked myself what the reason was, could it be because of the different topics?I think not.I observed and realized that the problem itself came from three speakers.The man who talked about how a man should have four wives is actually not such a person himself, he may just be satisfying his own psychology; but the other two speakers are almost trying to argue for their own views , selflessly immersed in their respective topics.They seem to be speaking desperately, waving their arms and making fierce gestures, their voices are high and full of conviction, exuding enthusiasm and vitality.

I have always believed that vitality, vigor, and enthusiasm are must-haves for a speaker.For a speaker, exuberant energy is very attractive.In my public speaking classes, I hire instructors who must possess the virtues of energy, liveliness, and enthusiasm.Because people like to gather around energetic speakers, just as wild geese like to gather around autumn wheat fields.Young friends, you are in your youth, and vitality is your unique capital. As long as you master some proper skills, you can firmly grab the attention of the audience with a very dynamic speech. I have repeatedly emphasized that it is extremely important that the speaker must have a deep feeling for his topic.Otherwise, you can't expect your audience to believe what you have to say.If you have actual contact and experience with the subject and are passionate about it—like a hobby or recreational pursuit; Don't worry about the lack of enthusiasm in the speech.

More than 20 years ago, I experienced a speech that I still cannot forget. I called it "Bluegrass Versus Hickory Ash". in front of the eyes.I have heard many convincing speeches, but this one was different. The speaker used his sincerity to overcome common sense: In a well-known sales company in New York, a first-class salesman presented an unusual He said that he was able to make "bluegrass" grow without seeds and roots.He sprinkled hickory ash in the freshly plowed field and in a blink of an eye bluegrass appeared!So he firmly believed that hickory ash was the determining factor in making bluegrass grow.I gently told him that his extraordinary discovery, if true, would make him a millionaire overnight, because bluegrass seeds are worth a fortune, and that it would make him one of the most eminent figures in human history. scientists.But in fact, no one has ever accomplished such a great mission, and no one has been able to complete the miracle of growing life from inorganic matter.

I told him that the mistake he had made was so obvious that there was no need for rebuttal.Other students also think so, only he himself is convinced of this.Without even thinking about it, he immediately stood up and told me that he was not wrong.He exclaimed that he hadn't cited evidence, just stated experience.So he went on, and expanded his original exposition, put forward more materials, cited more evidence, and his voice revealed sincerity. I had to tell him again: he couldn't be right, the odds of him being right were zero.He immediately got up again and offered to bet me five bucks and have the USDA settle the matter.

At this time, a surprising situation happened: many students in the room began to believe his point of view.I believe that if there is an on-the-spot vote, more than half of the people will not agree with my point of view.I asked those who changed their minds what made them change their original opinion.They said in unison that it was the speaker's enthusiasm and confidence that made them doubt their common sense. That being the case, I had no choice but to write to the Ministry of Agriculture at the risk of being ridiculed.I told them that I was really embarrassed to ask such a boring question.They confirmed my answer: it is impossible to make bluegrass or other things grow from hickory ash. They also said that they had received another letter with the same problem not long ago, and it turned out that the salesman The clerk really believed in his discovery, so he immediately wrote a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture.

This incident taught me an important lesson - if a speaker really believes in something and talks about it passionately, he can convince people that it doesn't matter even if he claims he can grow bluegrass from dust and ashes of.Since erroneous views can produce such strange effects, then what kind of convincing power should the beliefs summarized and sorted out in our minds, which are correct common sense and truth, produce! A speaker will almost always doubt whether the chosen topic will interest the audience.In fact, the way to get them interested in your topic is very simple: ignite your enthusiasm for the topic, and you will not be afraid that you will not be able to arouse people's interest.

Here is an example. Not long ago, I heard a student in Baltimore warn that if we continue to use the current method of fishing stonefish in Chesabick Bay, the stonefish will become extinct. It will not take long to see arrive.He paid close attention to this matter because it was no small matter.He was so eager.Before he spoke, I was as ignorant as any of you about stonefish in Chesapeake Bay, and had no interest.However, before this speaker has finished speaking, I am afraid that we will all be willing to jointly petition the legislature to enact legislation to protect the stone fish. Someone asked former US ambassador to Italy Richard Washburn Jould how he became such an interesting writer.What's the secret to success?He replied, "I love life so much that I can't sit still. I just feel compelled to tell people that." When you meet a speaker or author like that, you can't help but be attracted to him.

In London, I was once at a lecture with a well-known English novelist, and Mr. EF Bunson remarked that he liked the last part of the lecture more than the first.I asked him why, and he said, "The speaker seems to be more interested in the last part, and I always rely on the speaker to provide me with enthusiasm and interest." Everyone is like this.So you have to keep that in mind. An example can also be given to illustrate the importance of careful choice of topics. There is a gentleman in our training class in the capital Washington, probably named Mr. Fu Ling.At the beginning of his training, he lectured us after a hasty and superficial collection of information about the capital of the United States from a pamphlet published by a newspaper.Although he lived in Washington for many years, he couldn't cite a personal experience to explain why he liked this place, so it sounds like this-dry, disordered, stilted, just stating a series of dry and uninteresting fact.Everyone was sad to hear it, and he himself was in pain when he talked about it.

Two weeks later, the unexpected happened: one of the perpetrators wrecked his new car parked on the street and fled without a trace.This made Mr. Fu Ling miserable, and he felt very angry. Since this incident was his personal experience, when he talked about the car that was hit badly, he was eloquent and angry, just like Wei Su Like the volcano erupting.Two weeks ago, the students felt irritated and bored when they listened to his speech, and they writhed restlessly in their chairs, but now they gave Mr. Fu Ling a warm applause. Young friends, if you choose the right topic in your speech, you will be equal to half the battle.You are so young, and you have many life and study topics to talk about, such as studies, ideals, beliefs, etc. You must have strong beliefs in your own life, so you don't have to take pains to find topics everywhere.They are usually on the surface of your consciousness, and you think about them from time to time.

Not long ago, hearings by legislators on the death penalty were shown on television.Many witnesses were called to present both sides of the much-debated issue.One of the witnesses was a Los Angeles police officer.Eleven of his fellow police officers had died in gun battles with criminals, so he had thought about the issue a lot, and he had developed a strong conviction that the death penalty was needed.He was full of truth and believed from the bottom of his heart that he had every reason.Eloquence has always come from the beliefs and feelings of the speaker.Sincerity is based on faith, and faith comes from the love of what one has to say in the heart and the calm thinking of the head. "These hearts have their own reason, because the reason is not self-knowledge." In countless training classes, I can often confirm Ma Sitong's sharp words.In my memory, there was a lawyer in Boston who had an outstanding appearance, fluent speech, and a unique gift for speech, but after listening to his speech, his classmates said: "What a smart guy." He gave people a kind of vanity surface impression.Behind his beautiful words, there seems to be no real emotion.And another salesman of an insurance company, ordinary-looking, small and inconspicuous, stopped talking from time to time, thinking about what to say next.But when he spoke, no one would doubt his sincerity. It has been a hundred years since Lincoln was assassinated in the box of the Ford Theater in Washington.The words of his life, sincere and sincere, will always remain in our memory.Many of his contemporaries were far ahead of him in terms of how much legal knowledge he had mastered. No one can ever surpass a speech delivered on the steps of the Capitol in Washington. A student once said to me that he did not have any strong beliefs or interests.Of course you might say that too, and I'm somewhat surprised.I would say keep yourself busy and get interested in things! "For what, for example?" he asked. I almost despaired of it, and I said, "Just the pigeons." "Pigeon?" He didn't understand. "Yeah!" I told him, "the pigeons. Go to the square and see them, feed them, go to the library and read about them, and come back and talk about your pigeons." Unexpectedly, he really did this. In his second speech, he started talking about pigeons with the fanaticism of a bird breeder.And when I wanted him to stop, he was talking about forty books on pigeons and he had read them all!His speech became one of the most interesting speeches I have ever heard. Here is another suggestion: try to learn more about the topics that you currently think are good.The more you know about something, the more passionate you become. Percy H. Huaining, the author of "Five Principles of Sales", tells salesmen that they must never fail to understand what they are selling.Mr. Huaining said: "The more you know about a good product, the more enthusiastic you will be about it." The same applies to lecture topics-the more you know about them, the more enthusiastic you will be about them.