World Champion »

Aug 15

The 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking is…

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

We have a new 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking for Toastmasters International!

They just crowned the 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking in Las Vegas and wow…what a contest!

Every year thousands of people across the globe watch live to see who will be crowned the World Champion of Public Speaking.

With a speech titled, the Power of Words, Mohammed Abdullah Qahtani, took the stage and came out victorious!

More than 30,000+ people from 135 countries competed this year for the 2015 World Championship of Public Speaking and now Toastmasters has a new reigning Champion.

Congratulations Mohammed Abdullah Qahtani!

From all of your Toastmaster peers and friends, we wish you the best of luck on your new journey as the 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking.

Represent us well, help grow our organization and keep using your voice to make a difference! As always…

Dream BIG,

Ryan

Let the world know about the new 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking! Spread the news by clicking on a social button below!

Jan 26

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3 Reasons Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Will Fail

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

Many of us set New Year’s Resolutions and after March 80% of us give up on them! Why? Here are three reasons your New Year’s resolutions will fail:

You Have Too Many of Them. Quit trying to accomplish five things at once! It’s overwhelming! Instead, try putting all of your energy into accomplishing just one thing. If you are spread too thinly, you could easily lose focus and eventually give up.

You Jumped on a Band Wagon. You decided to do something because your friends or family are doing it and not because you really want to do it! If you don’t believe in it, it will be easy to quit or forget. Do something that you really want to do and that makes you feel good. Forget the wagon!

You Are Doing The Same Thing. Come on… what is the definition of insanity again… “doing the same thing, expecting different results!” Just because it is a new year does not mean it is going to be easier, or that you are going to be more motivated. It means you must do something different. You have to hang around different people. You have to write your goals down and share them with your family and friends. You have to identify the consistent behaviors that hinder you from accomplishing your new year’s resolution and change those behaviors. Like they say, “If you don’t like change, you will like irrelevance even less!” Change your ways and you will change your world!

If you want to, you can share with us what your new year’s resolution or goals for this year are in the comments below. Come on… put some positive pressure on yourself and let us hold you accountable! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Dec 17

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2 Things Everyone Should Experience Before They Turn 22

By Ryan Avery Motivation 4 Comments

I have been getting questions from college students so I thought I would share my opinion on what you should do before you graduate! For those of us over 22, we can share this with our friends, family and neighbors who are asking the question, “What should I do before I graduate?”

My hope for everyone under age 22 is that you get to experience these two things:

1) Travel to another country. Go and see that your way is not the right way; it is just the way that works well for you. The more we travel, the more we get to see how different–but how alike–we all really are. Don’t let the biased media tell you what to believe; feel, taste, smell, see, and hear the attractions rather than merely viewing them through an LCD screen. Travel to another country and see what else is out there. It will open your eyes and keep you curious, connected and grounded with other humans sharing our planet.

2) Do something that makes its own money: Taste what it feels like to make something or provide a service for which people will pay. Do something where you can prove to yourself that no matter what happens in your future you can always do something with your brain that can make you your own money. Who knows? Maybe you will find out you are meant to be an entrepreneur, or that you don’t like it at all! The point is to have a memory when times get tough, that if you made $1 you can make $1,000!

For those of you who are over aged 22: What else would you say is one of the most important things someone should do while they are age 21 or younger? As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.S. If you are about to graduate, and reading this article… Congrats! Keep working hard and go after your dreams!

Jul 28

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Chelsea’s Quotes – Volume I

By Ryan Avery Motivation 10 Comments

I have had several people come up to me after my speeches and ask if I was going to post “Chelsea Quotes” again?

For those of you who followed us on our 50-City North American tour, every week I posted quotes from Chelsea (my wife) while being on the road. Some made you think, most were strange and a lot of them made me laugh and I hope they made you do the same.

I wanted to bring it back because lately she has been full of good, motivational and funny quotes so every now and again I will post some of Chelsea’s best quotes. Oh, how much fun it is to work with you spouse!

“Babe you can’t leave these windows open at night. What if someone crawls up here and murders us?”

* in relation to us living on the 5th floor in one of the safest cities in America and her actually being serious

“Well, you shouldn’t have married such a funny wife.”
* in relation to me asking her to stop making me laugh while I was sick

“You should incorporate dance into your next keynote.”
* in relation to her being serious after watching this video

“Do it, or I will pour honey on your knees.”
* in relation to me not wanting to take a shower

“Guys with gold pinky rings… realllllllly freak me out!”
* in relation to…I 100% agree

“My PMS is really intense today so I am going to need you to tread lightly which means I need you to go away.”
* in relation to me just standing there

“I’d watch Jurassic Park.”
* in relation to the first thing she said when we woke up

“Do you know where a donut shop is around here?”
* in relation to her asking a stranger this question while she had a huge cookie in her hand and the stranger for sure judged us!

“Um, what is more American than a cinnamon roll?”
* in relation to… EVERYTHING!!!

This is my life. I am so thankful Chelsea is my wife because everyday she makes me laugh, pushes me to be better and I know I won’t ever have a boring day as long as I am with her. Take some time to write down some of the quotes you hear this week, they are fun to look back on and can be a great way to reflect on memories.

Take time to tell those who matter most to you, that you love them and are thankful they are in your life!

As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Question: What was your favorite quote from Chelsea this time and do you want me to continue to do articles like this every now and again?

May 15

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How to stop talking and start communicating!

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

I had the opportunity to have lunch with one of my new favorite authors,

He is a military man with a good heart and has dedicated his life to study the art of communication. His new book gives, “…counterintuitive strategies for learning how to interact productively and meaningfully in today’s digital world.” Something we all can improve on!

His book is filled with dozens of tips and insightful strategies and here are three ways you should stop talking and start communicating.

Lose your friends!
Tumlin explains that, “Important relationship are being trumped by people you barely know!” Just because you hit the “like” button does not mean you are connecting. Humans are social animals. We need to feel connected. Tumlin writes, “Today it is possible to accumulate scores of friends and still feel lonely, be connected to hundreds of people and feel like no one is listening and spend hours at work, sending and responding to countless messages, but still feeling unproductive.” It is because we are focused on technology and not people. “The problem with a more tech-centered view of communication is that it encourages us to expect too much from our device and too little from each other.” You should start communicating more on a human bases so you can build real relationships, feel connected to others and feel like your voice is actually being heard! If you are feeling disconnected from others, lose your “friends” online who don’t add meaning or value to your life and focus on those around you. Tumlin says, “The main reason to prioritize isn’t to squeeze people out of your life; it’s to make sure that the most important people stay in it.”

Stop talking
In my opinion, communication is the foundation to all of your success. To many people are talking rather than effectively communicating! Talking is you getting your voice heard. Communicating is having all parties who are part of the conversation understand what it is you are saying! The better you are at being able to effectively communicate what it is you want, the quicker you will be at receiving and reaching the goals you have for yourself, your company and your family. Think about a relationship you have built over time, that you lost one time due to one or two sentences? If you stop talking and start planning on ways to react to certain situations, you might be able to build better relationships and create lasting ones. Stop talking and don’t focus on what you want to say, focus on what you want to accomplish. The better communicator you are the better relationship you build and the better life you have.

Ignore your (telltale) heart
When communication problems arise, many of us just want to start talking instead of preparing what we want to say. According to ProFound, last year, productivity losses resulting from miscommunication costs companies $37 billion, or about $26,000 per employee per year, in the US and UK alone. We need to learn strategies and techniques that can help us improve our listening skills, ask the right questions to produce the right answers and minimize miscommunication across multiple communication channels like email, texting, face-to-face and social media. When we are able to effectively communicate to others, we improve productivity, we create clarity and we save money. All strategic communications (including the unexpected ones) benefit from preparation. Take time to think about what you want to say and how you want to say it to minimize conflict, confusion and miscommunication between those you are speaking to.

If you are looking or a book to read, pick up a copy of Stop Talking, Start Communicating and learn how to improve all areas of your life. Connect with Geoffrey and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

May 05

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

By Ryan Avery Adventure 10 Comments

This week I have been on ten planes. I like to travel and every time we take off, I still enjoy the thrill of flying and being 30,000+ feet in the air!

However, whether you travel a little or a lot or whether you like planes or not, there are certain people that are horrible to sit next to.

These are the five worst types of people to sit next to on a plane and how to deal with them (yes, I have experienced them all):

The Bloody Nose
I am ready for my three-hour flight to the East Coast and as the first wheel leaves the ground, the guy’s nose next to me turns on like a bloody faucet. His blood starts splashing all over his shirt, legs and no one has a napkin! I am freaking out because I can’t stand blood but also trying not to make this guy feel embarrassed. This is the worst of them all for me!

How to deal with it: ALWAYS carry a napkin with you. Now in my computer bag, I have several napkins just in case this ever happens again I can assist the person sitting next to me and avoid any blood splatter on my pants!

The Electric Shaver
As I close my eyes to try to get some sleep during my red-eye flight, I hear that familiar “buzzzzzz” go right next to me and see my good ol’ seatmate is shaving his scruff on the plane! Are you serious? I kept finding little black hairs on my pants the entire trip! Not cool man, not cool.

How to deal with it: I wish I could tell you I said something, but truthfully I was so shocked and was processing what this guy was thinking that I couldn’t say anything. I literally was speechless. Next time this happens however, I will be ready to politely ask the man (or hairy lady) to wait to do that in the bathroom because I don’t wont their little hairs all over my bag and pants!

The Horrible Breath
I can take bad breath sometimes but not the constant flow of it in my face from the energetic person who wants to tell you their entire life story in two-hours. When you are sitting on a plane, you are pretty close to each other. Make sure you check your breath every now and again!

How to deal with it: Have a variety of mints and gum with you to offer them. Make it look like you want a piece first. I pop one into my mouth and then ask “would you like some gum or a mint?” this has worked 90% of the time because most people don’t like to say no and they enjoy the satisfaction of scoring a free piece of candy!

The One With BO
Oh you know what I am talking about. The one who you can smell two seats up and the one who smells like they shower using man sweat, sock juice and small bits of sewer water! The one who you try to avoid at all cost because you don’t want to get a headache from their bad odor body fumes!

How to deal with it: If it is a long flight and there are open seats, I asked to be moved. This might sound rude or mean, but this one I don’t deal with. I didn’t spend hundreds of dollars to sit next to someone who smells like they just worked out and rolled around in dirty laundry. Make sure to do it politely and go back to tell the flight attendant what is going on.

The Sick One
Whether they are throwing up their stomach or have a contagious cold, sick people should not be allowed on the plane. I am serious. You are risking infecting everyone else! If you know you are sick AND contagious, please don’t fly!

How to deal with it: Repeat the “How to” step under “The One with BO” plus make sure to carry a packet of E-mergency, travel sized Purell and wash your hands immediately when you step off the plane.

These are the five worst people that I have sat next to on the plane. What is your least favorite and are there other types of people I am forgetting? Let me know down in the comments below.

Enjoy your next flight and may you sit next to someone who does not have a bloody nose, already shaved before they got on the plane, who has minty fresh breath, smells well and is healthier than Popeye! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Apr 11

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7 Things You Need To Break The World Record for The Largest Book Signing In History

By Ryan Avery Motivation, World Records No Comments

We are working to get ready for the World Record on April 16th. Want to know what it takes to break the World Record for the Largest Book Signing in History? Here you go:

1) 100 Sharpies
Thanks to my uncle and his connection with Sharpie, they have supported this event and provided us with 100 red (branding matters) sharpies to sign more than 5,000 books in 11 hours.

2) 5,000 copies of your book on hand waiting to be sold and signed
Thanks to the CSU bookstore and McGraw-Hill Publishing, we have 5,000 books on hand waiting to be signed. I don’t think I have ever seen 5,000 of the same book before, it is a total of three pallets and more boxes than I can count!

3) Close to 100 volunteers
From Toastmasters International, Alpha Kappa Psi, NRHH and CSU support all the way from friends and family, several CSU clubs and the Fort Collins Lions Club, this event takes almost 100 volunteers to put together! Not to mention all the teams, departments and organizations who are helping spread the event through their channels!

4) A social media team
I call them “Team 34” because it sounds amazing and well… there are 34 of them. They have come together to help spread the message across social media, to their fans and following and have posted during the pre-event, have posts ready for the day of the event and will shout out once it is over! They are amazing and give legs to the social aspect of this World Record!

5) Marathon energy
It will take more than 10 hours to sign continuously to break the record and create history with you. I will be smiling, standing, eating very little, talking, taking only 20 minutes worth of breaks and doing exercises so I don’t break my wrist! It will be a lot of energy, but worth it when we create history together!

6) Training schedule
I have been practicing like I would for a marathon. I have been practicing smiling for hours at a time (even when I do my ab routine. Try smiling the entire time you do P90X abs!), signing my name thousands of times a day, standing for long periods of time and I even taught myself how to sign with my left hand. There is a major training schedule involved with this record because to get to 5,000 signatures without permanent damage, you need to be smart about it!

7) Most importantly…. 5,000 people!
We can’t do this record without you! If you have ever wanted to be part of history, we need 5,000 people to show up onsite or online on April 16th and be part of history! You can pre-register now and we will send you an email with the order link to purchase your book on that day! Help us create history and get your names in the record books! If you need three reasons why you should join us, click here! Or, if you are ready to be part of history, Register below:

Sell Tickets Online through Eventbrite

This is what you need to break the World Record for the Largest Book Signing in History! Join us on Wednesday April 16th and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.S. Please share this article on your social media accounts or via email with your friends and family. Together we can do this!

Feb 21

Love1

World Record for the Largest Book Signing in History with Ryan Avery

1,000 Signatures and counting…

By Ryan Avery Motivation, World Records 4 Comments

I have started my training for the World Record on April 15th. 5,000 signatures in ten hours will be what it takes to take home the gold.

I wanted to see how many times I could sign my name before my wrist got weak and I got to about 1,000. Then I switched to my left hand and as you can see from the photo above… I have a lot of work to do before then… especially with my left hand signature.

At first, 5,000 signatures seems doable… then you try it and you tell yourself you better get training!

So today I am putting together a training schedule to get ready for this record. It will include signing my name more 100,000 times, writing 500 letters, doing push-ups everyday and working with one of those 5-pound hand grips with a spring.

If I want to do this, training is a must.

This week I am in Fort Collins meeting with campus and community organizations to help market the event and get people on board to break a World Record at CSU! Remember to stay in touch by signing up for the blog at the top right hand corner of this page and email me at ryan@averytoday.com if you have ideas or contacts that can help with the event!

Once I get my training schedule completed, I will share with you my plans to get ready to sign 5,000 books on April 15th! Together… we will break a world record!!! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan Avery