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Best Speeches of 2014

My 4 Favorite Speeches of 2014

By Communication, Motivation No Comments

I watch TED talks every week. Sometimes, I lose track of time as I watch speech after speech soaking up knowledge and critiquing a speaker’s style.

In 2014 I heard four different speakers who each moved me in different ways. Here are my four favorite speeches in 2014 and why:

Dananjaya Hettiarachchi: The 2014 World Champion of Public Speaking rocked the stage in Kuala Lumpur at the Toastmasters International Convention. He had the world captivated with his message and is doing a great job representing the organization!

Edward Snowden: What I loved about this speech is how we can utilize technology to get our voice heard. We no longer need to be on stage to share a message. This speech is inspiring, futuristic, and insightful. You can see the government’s response to Snowden’s speech here. In my opinion, whether you agree with Snowden or not, he did a much better job presenting. You can tell why how you present makes just as much of a difference as what you present.

Simon Sinek: I may or may not have a man crush on Simon Sinek. He is genuine, full of knowledge and uses his voice to create better leaders. His books are fantastic and his speaking style and ability is of the quality of Ziglar and Robbins. His speech inspires me to be a better leader and motivates me to “up my game” as a speaker!

I realize there are no women on this list and I am going to do a much better job this year keeping my eyes open for amazing females who rock the world with their voice!

What were some of your favorite speeches of 2014? If you know of someone who moved you last year, please share in the comments below! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

How to Deal With People Who Are Better Than You

By Family & Personal Life 2 Comments

There is this feeling I get sometimes when I think, “Wow, that person is way better at that than I am.” Instead of getting angry or upset I do one of four things, and you may want to try these, too:

Reach out to them. Reach out and see what you can learn from them. Who knows? They might give you insight, advice, or strategies to become better. I can’t tell you how many people I have emailed or called and asked them how they do something and they just gave me the answer!

Copy them. If you find something they are doing that you like or that you know you could do better, copy them! Who is to say you can’t do it better?

Follow them. I utilize my lists on Twitter, adding people who are better than me to lists like “Speakers” or “Leaders” or “Mentors” so I can see what they are doing and how I can improve.

Share Them. Share with others what they are doing and why they inspire you. Show them that you are following them and you like their style!

People are not better than you; they are just bigger than you (with their reach). If someone else is doing something, that means you can do it also. Keep pushing yourself to new limits and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

The MLK Day GIVEAWAY

By Motivation 20 Comments

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King I want to provide a free copy of his

For those looking for a transcript of his “I Have a Dream Speechhere it is, word for word:

Always use your voice to make a difference. Your voice is the most powerful tool on the planet. You might not be alive one day to see your actions and words change the world, but think of the impact you can have if you start speaking up! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

How to Make a Sizzle Reel

By Motivation 3 Comments

How do you show leaders you are capable of speaking to their teams? How do you prove to meeting planners you should be their next conference keynote speaker? How do you illustrate your ability to add tremendous business value, share inspiring stories, and make your audience’s lives better? You make a sizzle reel!

We live in an awesome time to be speakers. Twenty years ago you had to get everything on tape, pay big bucks for editing, produce a VHS tape, pay for postage, find physical addresses for meeting planners, and wait for weeks and weeks to know if your package even arrived.

Now with free video-editing software, quality cameras under $500, and a little thing called the internet we can save money, time, and energy while having a global reach! The time is now for you to start thinking of creating a sizzle reel if you are a speaker.

Here is how you make one:

Start Collecting Videos of You Speaking. I have two ways I do this. I bought a semi-nice handheld camera that I ask someone in the front row to operate. In exchange, I usually give them a product off of my table at the end of the night. In my contract I ask for a copy of all video that is being recorded on sight; sometimes I request my own videographer (which can cost a couple hundred bucks but is well worth it). Doing so gives me plenty of options for camera angles, audio, and is insurance in the event of any technical glitches. Start collecting videos… yesterday!

Collect Videos Testimonials. I messed up in this area in the beginning. I had/have great video testimonials, but I cheaped out by purchasing a camera with poor sound capturing ability. Bad idea! It is worth the extra money to buy the microphone or the camera that collects good sound. Remember, how you present yourself can determine how much you get paid. Low quality equals low prices. High quality equals high prices! These testimonials are crucial for our continued success as speakers.

Those who sign up for the blog today (right-hand corner of this page), I will send you the four best questions you can ask for a video testimonial that illicit the best responses. Those who are already signed up for the blog, I will include them in my monthly newsletter!

Collect Photos of You Speaking. More importantly, collect the photos of you speaking on the spot. Do not wait for the photographer to send them to you or send you a dropbox link. I have waited hours after a speech so the photographer can give me their photos. I would estimate only 1 out of 10 times did I actually receive the photos from a photographer who said, “I will send them later!” or he or she would not send me the ones I actually wanted. If you hire professional photographers, that is a different story; but, often the best photos I get are candid shots by people in the audience or volunteers at the conference.

Use Editing Software or Hire an Editor: I have done both. I use iMovie, and I have also hired an editor. Either method works. It really depends on how much time you have, how awesome your video editing skills are, and how much money you are willing to pay. Skilled video editors are everywhere. Find them using Craigslist, Fiverr, Elance, your local college journalism students, and a long list of professionals in your area. Just Google “Video Editor + City Name” to find an editor near you.

Over the course of the next six to twelve months collect as many videos, photos, and testimonials as you can. Organize them so you can easily find them again when you want to edit the photos yourself or share them with your editor.

Take time to put your sizzle reel together. Share it with your friends, family, community, and clients. Let them see you sizzle on stage and the value you can bring to groups, teams, and leaders around the world! Happy sizzle reel making and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

9 Reasons “Those” People Always Win

By Motivation One Comment

You know those people who always win? They seem to have everything, accomplish everything, and do everything! Well, here are nine reasons why “those” people always win:

They start. They don’t care about knowing how to do it; they learn along the way. They are not held down by waiting until everything is perfect before starting. They get started and get closer to becoming perfect. It’s like Jim Rohn said, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great!”

They keep going. They fail… oh, boy do they fail, but they take that failure, learn from it, and move on. They keep going when times are good, when times are rough, and when times are uncertain. They always keep moving forward while appreciating the past!

They have a positive attitude. Negative things come their way on a regular basis, but they have learned to find the positive in it. They have learned how to learn from the negative rather than let it consume them. Their attitude is infectious. They work hard to build up others along the way!

They evaluate their performance. Whether they win or lose they are constantly seeing what they can do to get better, be better, and do better the next time. They look at wins and losses in the same way, as opportunities for improvement. They ask others for feedback, and they work to incorporate the suggestions the next time.

They hangout with other winners Winners hang out with other winners! You think Michael Jordan hangs out with a bench warmer? No, he hangs out with Michal Phelps and Oprah! Whom you surround yourself with is whom you will become. Take a mental note of the people with whom you socialize; it’s time for some people to acquire new friends!

They believe in themselves. They are constantly believing in themselves and their abilities. They might not know how to do it, but they have the drive and will to learn how. They say “I can” and “I will” on a regular basis.

They invest their time. They are not spending their time, they are investing their time. While others are watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping in late, they are up early, reading books, practicing, and getting out there!

They focus. They are not trying to do five things at once. They are all in. They focus and put their attention level to the test by pushing all of their brain power to accomplish the task at hand! They focus, focus, focus!

They delegate. They know what their strengths and weaknesses are, and they do something about it. They utilize their strengths and delegate their weaknesses to others. They surround themselves with a strong team who can take on any challenge and look at instilling the same qualities in their teams as the ones listed above!

Constant winners don’t wait for things to happen. They make things happen! They take the above nine things and work on them everyday! Ask yourself… are you a winner? As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

How to Live Before You Die

By Family & Personal Life 5 Comments

Last Monday, my aunt passed away. My cousins lost their mom, my uncle lost his wife, and my Aunt Becky and mom lost their sister.

Death hasn’t occurred too much in my family. I am not a religious person, so I can’t say with certainty what happens after this life. But what I can say, what I am reminded of when someone we love leaves this earth, is that we should live life before we die. Here’s how…

Soak up Your Family. How much time are you spending with those you love?

Fall in Love. What are you doing to make more room for love in your heart?

Smile More. How much do you smile?

Travel Often. Where in the world do you want to go? Go there!

Share Your Feelings. Don’t hold them in. Share what you feel and believe!

Take a Break. Take time to breathe in the air and really see your surroundings. Give thanks for what you have!

Live Your Life, Not Someone Else’s. Are you living the life that is true to you?

Create a Bucket List. What do you want to do before you die?

Actually Start Your Bucket List. What are you doing to check things off the list?

Volunteer More. How do you give back on a regular basis?

Make Money but Don’t Let it Consume You. Money gives us options, but are you too consumed with it?

Be Adventurous. When is the last time you have done something adventurous and fun?

Create Something That Helps Others. What are you doing to offer your talents to the world? Will the world be better off once you leave?

Dream… Then Go After Them. Please, please dream! The world belongs to those who dream and take action! The bigger your dream, the more you give the world! So please, please dream!

There is a saying that, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die!” I don’t know what the next life will look like, but for now I want you and me to live our lives before we leave this earth!

I want more people to have fun, enjoy family time, and work to accomplish something bigger than themselves! Live life, live today, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Thank You, Ryan Avery!

By Motivation 2 Comments

It took me almost two years, a bucket full of emails, and a few “Benjamins” to secure RyanAvery.com.

It’s all possible because of Ryan Avery…

I reached out to him saying I would like to purchase it; he thought about it for a while before answering with “not right now!”

For months I checked in with him offering to set him up with RyanAverysMusic.com or RyanAveryTheMusician.com, but he was adamant about keeping the domain.

After reaching out to him at least four times, he finally agreed and offered me the domain for sale. In this post, I am saying a huge… THANK YOU!

Thank you, Ryan, for believing in me and giving me the domain. It has helped my business, and I hope I can continue to support you and your music. You have no idea how much it means to me! I give thanks for your generosity on a regular basis! For those interested, I recommend checking out his music. It’s awesome! You can also check out his popular songs “Diamond in Disguise” and “Sleeping on The Interstate“.

GIVEAWAY: For fun, I will give a copy of Ryan’s new album to one lucky winner who comments below listing your favorite (or personal) blog or website and telling us what it is about. I will share the winner in the comments below in the next 48 hours!

For those of you looking to secure the domain of your dreams: be patient, be persistent, and offer the other person value – as much value as you can! Always approach each new venture with a plan to make it a win-win situation.

Ryan Avery the Musician, I thank you so much, again, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan Avery the Speaker

Attractive

6 Reasons You Should Be More Attractive

By Motivation 3 Comments

This sounds harsh, but it is true! Prettier people have it easier than ugly people! I am not only talking about your appearance, I am talking about having an attractive attitude, outlook, and energy! The good thing about our individual beauty is that we can do a lot to improve the way we look and feel without changing our core values.

We also need to do a good job identifying what attractive looks like to “us” and not “them” because being attractive is more about a feeling than a look. It’s more about confidence than about your cheekbones or chic clothes! Being attractive is all about how you feel!

So here are… Six Reasons Why You Should Be More Attractive:

1) You get paid more: According to Daniel Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin, and author of the new book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful, says a good-looking person will earn, on average, $230,000 more over the course of a lifetime than someone who is perceived as less attractive.

2) More people like you: More people want to be around attractive people than they do ugly people–both physically ugly and emotionally ugly! If you don’t agree, look at any magazine on the shelf. You will see a supermodel who gets paid millions or politicians without brains, but a little more beauty can help win an election!

3) You feel more confident: This is the most important one. Remember: being attractive is a feeling, not a look! Plus, if you want to be a leader, you have to look and feel as though you have confidence. Simon Sinek says the only things a leader needs are followers. Well, you can’t and won’t get those followers if they don’t have confidence in what they see in you!

4) Things are easier for you: I mean all you need to do is read all eight reasons from this Business Insider article to see why!

5) You appear to be friendlier: According to PickTheBrain.com those who smile more bear less stress, a smile is a universal sign of happiness, and smiling helps us get promoted! And if you think it is all about looks, think again. According to Orbit Complete, 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they wear make-up! When you seem happier, less stressed, and confident, more people are going to want to be around you!

6) You are more likely to get a job: According to the 2011 Economic Letters attractive people are 10.3% more likely to be considered for a job compared to 7.6% for less attractive people. Have you ever wondered why some companies ask for your photo in a job application? Are you guilty of looking at someone’s social media before you hire them and judge them based on their looks? I have been guilty of this myself!

In two days I will post an article called “Six Ways to Be More Attractive“. I believe everyone is attractive in his or her own right, but all first have to believe they are! As sad as it is, pretty people (both inside and out) have it better! The good news is we all have the opportunity to look and feel more attractive on a daily basis! As always…

Dream BIG,

Ryan

Question: In your opinion, why do you think we put so much value on being attractive?

New Sizzle Reel

By Motivation One Comment

Here is a look at my new “sizzle” reel for my keynotes in 2015! Stay tuned for a post on Monday to show you how, you too can create one, and the benefits it will bring you and your business! I hope you are having a great start to your new year! Let’s go after our BIG dreams in 2015! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

 

Top 10 People I Met in 2014

By Motivation 5 Comments

Here are the top ten people I am glad I met in 2014 and why!

This is the person that...

Alan Wiener, Holocaust Survivor – I had the chance to interview Alan and he said I could ask him any question I wanted to about his years spent in concentration camps and losing all 100+ members of his family. The thing that stood out the most was his attitude, humor and ability to find the positive in everything. He ended with saying “Instead of being bitter, I chose to be better!”

This is the person that...

Tom Rhodes, Comedian – He taught me how to laugh and make other people laugh on the spot! I went to his show with a friend of mine and he was so good at improvising and being his true self on stage! I left that night thinking, “Wow… I have a lot of work to do!” Make sure you are always working to be better at what you do!

This is the person that...

Sean Stephenson, Motivational Speaker – Sean had the best opening and closing of a speech I have ever seen! It was one of the most motivating stories I have ever heard and he got me fired up to bring my A-Game when speaking on stage! What are you doing to be the best at what you do?

This is the person that...

Jim Jacobus, CSP – Jim was my buddy at the NSA Convention this year and I could not have had a better person to be partnered with! I came to him at the beginning feeling low in my career as a speaker and he supported me, encouraged me and gave me a line I will always remember, “Always be happy, never be satisfied!” Thanks Jim!

This is the person that...

Geoffrey Tumlin, Communication Consultant – Geoffrey wrote one of my favorite books on communication called, “Stop Talking, Start Communicating” and I read it several times this year. We had the chance to have lunch while I was speaking in Austin, TX and his insights, friendship and passion for communication left me feeling inspired and motivated to improve my abilities as a speaker and coach! 

This is the person that...

Darren Rowse, ProBlogger – I met Darren at a conference I attended in Portland, OR where he spent the day talking about how to grow your blog. He was the one who inspired me to put together the 31 Days of Kindness Challenge and while he was on and off stage he demonstrated what it means to be a leader in your niche! What are you doing to build your community on and off line? 

This is the person that...

Alan Weiss, Million Dollar Consultant – Meeting Alan is like you meeting one of your heroes. One of the first keynotes I ever watched and studied was Alan’s and I remember saying to myself, “One day I want to be as good as him!” I had the chance to meet him this year and learn from him during the NSA Convention! Biggest thing I took away from him was, “Go for it! You already don’t have the business, the contact, the relationship… so reach out. You can’t go into a meeting and come out worse off than you already are so you better reach out and start growing your business!”

This is the person that...

James C. Humes, Author and Speaker – I was introduced to James by my mentor Randy Harvey who gave me his book “Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln” when I was competing for the World Championship. I interviewed James at his house this year and it was the best interview I had! He taught me about the power of speech and why communication is king! #SpeechisPower

This is the person that...

Chris Guillebeau, NYT Best Selling Author – There are a few leaders I like to follow on a regular basis and Chris is one of them. He ads a lot of value to the world, continues to reach new and bigger goals and is a genuine guy filled with a lot of passion! Remember, you become who you surround yourself with, so make sure you have the right people motivating you in your life! 

Continue to meet people in your life who inspire you, who make you stronger, better and more successful! Surround yourself with those people who bring out the best in yourself! I hope you have a great New Year and I am looking forward to seeing what we accomplish together in 2015! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Top 10 Articles of 2014

By Motivation One Comment

Thank you to every Todayer who reads, shares and likes articles on RyanAvery.com! This year, more than 50,000 people visited the site from 100+ countries!

You have consistently inspired me to grow as a leader, become a better writer and to strengthen my abilities as a speaker. If I have helped you do the same with one of my articles this year, then I feel we make a good team!

In celebration and reflection of my 5th year of blogging, here are the top 10 articles of 2014:

#10 – 6 Reminders Why You Should Take a Risk

#9 – How to Get Over The Past and Focus On The Future

#8 – Avoid These 3 Things When Speaking on Stage

#7 – 5 Lessons Learned Being a World Champion

#6 – What Made Maya Angelou Successful?

#5 – What is the Best Investment to Make in Today’s Economy?

#4 – 9 Speaking Tips for Non-Native Speakers

#3 – The Absolute 5 Worst Types of People to Sit Next to on a Plane

#2 – The Pros and Cons of Changing the Name of NSA

#1 – 31 Days of Kindness

I look forward to writing more articles in 2015 and continuing to build a community of Todayers; those who take advantage of today, plan for tomorrow and go after their goals! Happy New Year and thank you again for reading, sharing and leaving your comments along the way! As always…

Dream BIG,

Ryan

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