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17 Speeches in 17 Days with 17 Photos!

By Adventure 15 Comments

I spent 17 days delivering 17 speeches in China and Hong Kong these past few weeks.

I want to say thank you to D85 and D89 for hosting us and making these events happen. You were so gracious and kind. You and your teams could not have been better to us! Thank you also to McGraw-Hill, SAP and the IFC for hosting corporate events and Speaker Leader Champion talks!

Below are 17 photos from our adventures speaking in China!

Great Wall

Our first stop was Beijing! We ventured to the Great Wall and found it to be a life changing experience. We also were pretty much the only white people and this caused everyone to look at us. So several times we got stopped by people and they asked if we could take photos with them. It was hilarious. It made me think of how that would work in the United States if we saw someone that looked different than us and we went up to take their photo! Do you think people would be flattered or offended? Thank you Felix for an awesome time!

Food

This was one of my favorite meals while we were in China. However, here is a tip: You see that bowl of dumplings to the left? Well when you bite into them you need to be carful! Why? Oh well you know, because they are filled with juice and if you want to have juice fly all over the table and everyone gets soaked in it, then it is a good idea! Again, sorry to everyone at the table for making a mess! I now know how to eat dumplings! Thank you Susan and Beautiful (That is her name translated into english) for a wonderful day in Shanghai!

Speaking

This was one of the coolest “21-Century” speaking opportunities I have had so far. I spoke on top of the 68 floor at the IFC in Hong Kong while my speech was being live-streamed at their offices in China, Singapore and Australia. We interacted, they asked questions and I taught a workshop about how to deliver a winning presentation. Does this mean I have spoken in these countries now?

Ryan Avery speaking in China

The room fit 110 people according to the fire ordinance! No worries though, we fit 200+ students in this room while I delivered my talk at the Beijing Foreign Affairs lecture hall. Speaker Leader Champion just got picked up in Mandarin and will be available in China staring May 2015!

SAP

After getting done with almost a two-hour training to corporate managers at SAP headquarters in China, what else should you do besides a thumbs up selfie? Thank you Flat for making this one happen!

Shangahi

This was one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in. It was located in Shanghai with a view of the skyline, a rooftop deck and glass pool on the 28th floor! I spent every morning and night here looking out at the city. China has shown me that we in the United States do not know what it means to have a “BIG” city!

Scuba Diving

I went scuba diving indoor with three whales while I was in Qingdoa. What scared me the most was the size of their teeth! I didn’t know whales had teeth. Did you? I also learned a valuable lesson about the importance of communication as the Mandarin-Speaking instructor reminded me before I got in the water that “we must pee in the pool!” We had a long conversation about me not wanting to pee in the pool and after a while I realized he was trying to saying “we mustn’t pee in the pool” It really is the little things that make a BIG difference in communication! Ryan (was his name also), I had a blast diving with you and thank you for taking me here!

Food

The food. Again the food was spectacular! We tried some items that I would usually never try in the United States like jelly fish, pig intestines and I saw more chicken heads on a plate than I would have liked to but other than that the Chinese know how to cook and cook well!

Confernce

Master Your Stage! The D89 Fall Conference was spectacular! So many new friends and their leadership team is fantastic! They had one of the best conferences I have ever been to. They showed us a great time and I hope we can visit D85 again in the future! D85 also inspired me to learn another language and I am now committed to being fluent in Spanish by the end of 2015!

Confernce

Sail Your Dream – The D85 Fall Conference! I have to give major props to the leadership team in D85 as they really set the stage for what Conferences are like in China. Full of fun, entertainment, education and did I mention fun? I had such a blast spending time with members and leaders in D85 and can’t wait to be back!

Emperail City

I am not going to lie, we may or may not have watched Mulan before we went to China! When we got to the Forbidden City that is all I could think about and that it was no longer a cartoon but real life! This was probably one of the best monuments we went to while in China as it always seemed fake to me but now I was actually getting to walk in the same place that more than 30 emperors walked over a 400+ year time period! Amazing!

Ritz

Chelsea and I celebrated on top of the 118th floor at the Ritz Carleton in Hong Kong for our last night there! It was a bit cloudy/foggy but the view was still breathtaking! Thank you Cecelia for an amazing evening and day around Hong Kong!

The gifts

We now have so many amazing memories to take back with us and also so many amazing gifts. After each speech they gave us a gift that was either edible, usable or artistic! We have already enjoyed the treats and hung up the art! A huge thank you to Derek for getting us a suitcase to bring back home and to Yang for the wifi hotspot that saved us so many times!

The shopping

Oh the shopping! We shopped probably too much while we were there. You can get suits perfectly tailored to your body for $250 USD. You can get iPhone cases, scarfs, hats, bowls, art and anything you want on the streets of Hong Kong!

The translation

We saw a lot of funny English translations while we were there but this one had to be the funniest! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

My name in Mandarin

I may or many not have freaked out when I saw my name in Mandarin on this sign and a lot of people looked at me like I was crazy. This photo made me so happy even though I had no idea what it said, I felt like I was a real international speaker!

The pizza

I know I said I liked Chinese food, and I really do! But this pizza literally made me salivate when I opened the box! Derek asked me what I wanted to eat before I taught one of my last workshops and jokingly I said pizza. Well, he knew just the right spot and got me the best pizza I have ever tasted! It was amazing!

China and Hong Kong were a blast! Thank you again D85 and D89 for an unforgettable experience. During our time there I hope we inspired hundreds of Toastmasters to continue their journey in our wonderful organization and your fantastics Districts. I hope we inspired many more to use their voice to make a difference in the world. I hope we get to come back in the future and please know that you and your teams gave Chelsea and me memories that will last a lifetime!

As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

What would you do without social media?

By Motivation 2 Comments

(DISCLAIMER: This post was written without my editor’s approval and I have been traveling for more than 24 hours! Edited posts will resume next week).

I just landed back in the United States after 17 days in China and Hong Kong! The trip was fantastic and I will be sharing stories and speaking strategies on the blog all next week.

I am five minutes away from bed because I have been up for almost 32 hours but before I do I wanted pose a question to you:

What would you do without social media?

In China, without a VPN, you cannot access social media. I have not had Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram for three weeks and truthfully it has been a bit freeing. What did I do without social media?

1) Focused: My mind was clear to not think about “What did he post?” or, “I wonder what she did this weekend?” on all my accounts. Instead I thought about my goals, dreams and what I wanted to accomplish in 2015.

2) Engaged: I didn’t have a need to bring my phone with me or set it on the table when I went out to eat. So instead of checking my texts, Facebook posts and Twitter updates I engaged in quality conversation and felt connected to everyone I was talking to at the table.

3) Enjoyed: I looked at scenery, skyscrapers and food without the intention of posting it online or looking at it through a screen but rather looking at it with my eyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time away from social media and I think this is something I am going to look into doing more of on a regular basis. So the question is, what would you do without social media? What are the pros and cons to using social media in your world? 

As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

The Best Business Question You Need To Be Able To Answer!

By Leadership, Motivation 2 Comments

What is the best business question you need to be able to answer when determining your worth to a client or customer?

What value do I bring?

What is your answer to that question?

Can you quantify it?

Can you show and illustrate what value you bring to those who buy your product, service or ideas?

Until you know the answer to this question, you will never know what you are worth, what position you should be in, or what you should charge!

Take time this week to find out what value you, your team or company bring. Write it out and know the value!

Keep making things happen and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

GIVEAWAY: 2-Hour Public Speaking Training

By Motivation 7 Comments

My blog readership has grown and more people are sharing my articles than ever on social media. So for fun, and to say thank you, I want to give something away today!

HOW TO WIN: Those who have signed up for the blog (in the right-hand corner of this webpage) or who sign up in the next 24 hours, will be entered to win a copy of REFLECTIONS: 32 Strategies to Win the World Championship of Public Speaking. I will post the winners names in the comment section below by Sunday!

BONUS: I will pick THREE winners this time instead of one because I really appreciate all of you who have continued to follow me on my journey and support what we are doing! My goal is to continue building up a community of Todayers!

TODAYER: Someone who takes advantage of today, plans for tomorrow and works towards accomplishing their goals!

Thank you again and I hope you have a fantastic weekend! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

How to Accept a Business Card in China

By Motivation No Comments

In the United States, we often quickly whip out our business card, hand it over with one hand and watch the recipient place it directly in their pocket without barely looking at it! This is the opposite of what you want to do while you are in China.

There is etiquette to giving and receiving a business card.

First: When giving a business card, always hand over the card with two hands touching the top corners and handing it over to them where they can read your name (as shown in the above image).

Second: When receiving a business card make sure to grab the bottom with two hands, review it, look at it for a second or two. Then provide at least one compliment about them, their position or the card itself.

Third: Don’t place the card in your back pocket or any place that would indicate you do not care about the card. If you put it in your front pocket, or suit jacket or wallet, make sure you are looking at the card when you are placing it there to show them you care about it and will follow up shortly.

Here is a quick tip that can make a big difference when you are doing business the next time you are in China or working with someone from China. Keep using your voice to make a difference and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

10 Chinese Proverbs to Remember

By Adventure One Comment

We are having a blast in China. People are teaching us so much and I feel like everyone has a proverb, quote and profound answer for every question I ask. It is amazing!

After doing some research here are 10 of my favorite Chinese proverbs and quotes: 

1) When you drink the water, remember the spring.

2) A bad workman blames his tools.

3) A clever person turns great troubles into little ones and little ones into none at all.

4) Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream. – Lao Tzu

5) Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

6) By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. – Confucius

7) Dig the well before you are thirsty.

8) Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.

9) Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment. – Lao Tzu

10) To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.

Do you have a favorite or one that is not on this list? Share one in the comments below! Hope you are having a great day and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

3 Things To Avoid When Speaking in China

By Motivation No Comments

China has been a terrific trip so far! We have explored the Great Wall, enjoyed dishes that include jellyfish and pig intestines, scuba dived with whales and met with so many amazing people.

During my first five speeches here I have learned three things you should avoid before, during and after you speak in China!

1) Never sign in red ink – In the United States I sign all of my books with a red Sharpie. Here in China, that is considered bad luck to write in red. Whoops! Luckily someone had a black one near by I could use!

2) Never give a gift wrapped in white – Gift giving and exchanging is common here and Chelsea and I wanted to make sure we brought gifts from Oregon to those who have helped us during our trip. Well, white is a symbol of death here so never wrap your gifts in white paper. Use gold, red or a vibrant color.

3) Never use four when making a point – Four is unlucky as well because the word for “death” in Chinese sounds like “four.” So if you are speaking and have four stories, or four points, or four takeaways, consider making it three, six or eight! (Although I think eight would be too many, eight is a very lucky number in China). 

Avoid these three things when speaking and traveling in China and you will make a lasting impression. For those of you who have been to China or spoken in China, what are other things we should avoid? Remember to keep making things happen and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.S. I still have no access to Facebook, Twitter and any social media while I am here (I get back on November 12th). 

How to Start a Speech When Speaking in China

By Motivation 2 Comments

Hey  Todayers,

In 17 days I am giving 15 speeches here in China! We are already off to a great start at our first stop in Beijing!

Speaker Leader Champion will be released in China in May 2015 and McGraw-Hill put on an event while we were there to about 200+ students at the University of Foreign Languages! It was awesome to see so many young people interested in public speaking!

Speaker Leader Champion will be released in China in May 2015 and McGraw-Hill put on an event while we were there to about 200+ students at the University of Foreign Languages! It was awesome to see so many young people interested in public speaking!

I wanted to make it a point to start every speech with a couple sentences of Chinese. It has been a combination of a lot of practice, asking several friends to listen to my pronunciation (which apparently sounds like I am from Japan) and me being scared I am saying a completely different word because of their focus on tones.

Here is one of the venues from yesterday. We also spoke at Motorola for HR managers and during the D85 Toastmasters event! Thank you to D85 and D89 for bringing us out here!

Here is one of the venues from yesterday. We also spoke at Motorola for HR managers and during the D85 Toastmasters event! Thank you to D85 and D89 for bringing us out here and for McGraw-Hill in China for coordinating this event!

If you want to know how to start a speech when speaking in China, I would highly recommend you learn some Chinese.

This catches the audience’s attention, shows that you care and lets them know you are interested in being there! It worked for me during all three of my speeches yesterday. Here is what you can say:

Ryan Avery Speaking in China1) Hi Everyone!
2) How are you doing today?
3) My name is (BLANK)
4) I am happy to be with you!
5) This is my first time speaking in China!
6) I have already enjoyed great food!
7) I am having a great time here!

8) I don’t speak Chinese (So I will speak in English now)
END: Thank you everyone!

We are off to the Great Wall today! I will post an “adventures of public speaking” video this Friday and I look forward to sharing more with you soon! Enjoy the rest of your week and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

p.s. We can not access Facebook, Twitter or Instagram in China so we will not be able to share this on our social media accounts or communicate via social media.

How to Feel Productive Everyday

By Motivation, Videos No Comments

I was going through my first published YouTube videos and found this one on

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.s. If you watch YouTube videos, make sure to subscribe to AveryToday’s channel!

How to create a to-do list that works

By Motivation, Videos 3 Comments

Here is how you can improve your to-do list so you can accomplish your short-term and long-term goals! Make sure you have a balance between what you are doing to maintain your lifestyle and items you are doing to improve (gain) your lifestyle. If you like this method share it using one of the social media icons below!

Adventures of Public Speaking: Philadelphia

By Motivation, Videos 4 Comments

What leadership lessons can you learn when the airlines lose your luggage, a creepy guy sleeps next to you on the floor and you have to pay over $1,000 in one-way tickets to make your speech on time? Adventures of public speaking…. oh the places you will go! What was the worst travel experience you had and what lesson did you learn from it? 

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