Champions Corner: Remember that Passion trumps Perfection

The most important advice I can give you in regards to becoming a World Class Communicator is this: Passion always trumps Perfection. Consider the last youth play or performance you attended. The young people you saw may not have been the best actors or actress in the world, but the fun they had on stage was well worth your time in gold. Why? Because they performed with a passion and excitement. As a result, you did not care if little Johnny missed a line, or if Miss Mary sang off key. You just enjoyed watching them enjoy themselves. This type of enjoyment is contagious. Here is another example. Do you have one of those friends that when they are trying to tell you a joke, they start cracking up laughing before they can get to the punch line? Of course we all have. And what do you start doing? You probably start laughing right along with them because of the joy they are showing telling the joke. The same thing can happen when you speak. Once you start speaking with passion and enjoyment, your audience will fall in love with your passion and not even notice your imperfection when speaking.

According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a well-known communications researcher, the meaning of your message is communicated by the following percentages:

7% = Words you say

38% = Tone in which you say it

55% = Body language

As you can see by these results, 93% percent of your message is going to be communicated by expressions of your passion, that being the way you say it and the enthusiasm the audience sees.

The Champion's Corner: True Story

When I was 16 years old I had a dream that changed my life forever. I dreamt that I had died. In this dream I then found myself in a large auditorium with thousands of empty seats and me sitting in the middle. It was pitch black. I was alone, scared, and could not believe my life was already over. Suddenly I heard a loud noise like a boom and a movie screen in front was playing. What I saw both amazed and terrified me. It was me, a story of my life being shown. I saw myself growing up as a child, crippled and unhappy. I had no friends, I had no smile. I watched myself walking down the street kicking trash and all alone. Although I was only 16 when I had this dream, the dream continued through my life until I was old and alone with a permanent look of sadness and dissatisfaction chiseled in my face. As I watched this movie my eyes began to tear in disbelief and sadness. Suddenly the movie was over. Immediately on another screen. A second movie started. It was me again. But this time it was me in a better brighter light. I was so happy and full of life. People all around me were energized by my enthusiasm. As the movie went on, the better it got. I saw myself grow up, having a family, and living a life of both success and significance. This time as I watched my eyes were not full of tears but wide open filled with a pride and excitement. I looked around and I was no longer in a empty auditorium, but a full one. With people fully engaged and inspired by my life on the screen. Then just as fast and abrupt as the movie started it ended and the room once again went pitch black. I shouted NOOOOO!! And I woke up. From that day forward at age 16, I decided I was going to live my life of the second movie with no regrets, understanding I have one life to live!

So what about you? How is your movie going to play out? Remember that the best way to predict your future is to create it.