November 4, 2025 • 16 mins
Full Show Notes Here: https://linkly.link/2KJvT
In this conversation, Alyece Smith emphasizes the importance of overcoming self-doubt and the necessity of applying to speak at events like TEDx. She encourages aspiring speakers to recognize that every successful speaker once faced similar insecurities and that persistence is crucial in sharing their message. The discussion highlights the empowerment that comes from taking action and the impact one's message can have on others.
Mentioned in this episode:
ADHDpreneur Academy – Build sustainable focus systems
Focused & Free Membership – Accountability for real rest
Flow First Book Waitlist – Learn the framework behind sustainable productivity
Follow Alyece: Instagram → @socially.ausomeWebsite → sociallyausome.comPodcast → The ADHD CEO
In this conversation, Alyece Smith emphasizes the importance of overcoming self-doubt and the necessity of applying to speak at events like TEDx. She encourages aspiring speakers to recognize that every successful speaker once faced similar insecurities and that persistence is crucial in sharing their message. The discussion highlights the empowerment that comes from taking action and the impact one's message can have on others.
Takeaways
Every TEDx speaker you've ever seen was also someone sitting where you're sitting right now.
You don't need permission to speak.
You need to apply. The worst thing that happens is they say no.
Eventually, they say yes, and your message will reach people who desperately need to hear it.
Take up space or be more qualified or more polished or more certain.
Apply anyway, despite your doubts.
Your message will reach people who need it.
Persistence is key in public speaking.
Don't wait for permission to share your story.
Every 'no' brings you closer to a 'yes'.
Sound bites
"Apply anyway, despite your doubts."
"You don't need permission to speak."
"Take up space and share your voice."
Chapters
00:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Public Speaking
00:29 The Emotional Experience: Standing on the TEDx Stage
TEDx, public speaking, self-doubt, persistence, personal growth, communication, empowerment, motivation, storytelling, confidence
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
It has been an emotional week. I stood on that red dot with my
kids by my side. After all the pivots, all the
late nights, all the meltdowns, mine and theirs.
Therapy sessions, business launches, self doubt spirals.
One of those full circle momentswas happening that you just
can't put into words. Last week I got to share my
heart on a Ted X stage at Missouri S&T about my ADHD flow.
(00:22):
Why our brains create momentum, not perfection.
And it was everything I dreamed of it more.
The energy, the people, a message.
Every single bit of it remains reminded me that what we go
through isn't wasted, it's preparing us for the impact
we're meant to have. We got home super late the night
before Halloween. I heard emotional event full of
snacks and stories. And today, I'm going to tell you
(00:43):
exactly what you need to hear about getting your own Ted X.
Yes, yo-yo, yo with the least. Say it right.
No cap. ADHDCEO.
Yeah, We run this track systems that slap brains built
(01:05):
different. We make sales in our sleep.
Yeah, the hustle's efficient. This ain't fluff.
Nah, this is strategy raw for the ADHD minds breaking.
Never your law. Hit subscribe.
You'll miss a single show. We're running non dopamine.
Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go. All right, I showed up on that
(01:28):
stage with enough nervous energyto like, power the entire stage
lighting system I'm not getting.And standing on that red dot
felt so surreal. Like how did the girl who used
to get in trouble for talking too much in class and up here
with a microphone being encouraged to talk?
And there were definitely a lot of moments like, oh, crap,
what's my next line? A lot of impulsive hand
gestures. But the truth is, I tripped over
(01:51):
my own excitement and my own feet multiple times.
But my talk was literally about changing the systems and I got a
chance to practice that in real life.
Because ADHD, brain or not done,is always better than perfect.
And showing up with a shaky voice, a racing heart, sweaty
palms, it's all still showing up.
So I was on that stage remindingmyself our brains crave
(02:12):
momentum, not perfection. And for me, I wanted to share my
experience and my tips, you could say on securing your talk
because I know you have a talk inside you.
So you're scrolling through youre-mail and maybe there's an
invitation, right? TEDx organization, 1 speakers.
And your first thought is like excitement.
(02:34):
But then immediately you go to, it's not me.
Someone else is more articulate.Someone else has it all figured
out. Someone is more successful than
me. Someone else can apply for this.
And I used to think that too. But here's the pattern that I
see with ADHD entrepreneurs. We're idea machines.
We execute, we solve problems. But when it comes to visibility
(02:56):
or to calming, you know, space and claiming space for you to
take up, to putting ourselves out there, we freeze.
And it's not about capability. It's about the story we've been
told about who gets to speak, who gets to be on stage, about
who deserves the microphone. And the cost is your expertise
(03:17):
stays in your business, your message reaches 12 people
instead of 12,000 or 12 million,and the world misses what you
could teach. And the TE DX world is packed
with people who said yes before they felt ready.
Today I want to dive into my experience.
So here's the deal, I after I posted on social about getting a
(03:39):
Ted talk, I had so many people reach out or like Oh my gosh,
how did you do it? How did you get the talk?
Who picked you and the truth? No one.
OK, no one. I applied so early in 2025, I
did a podcast episode with Phenom who is absolutely
incredible. You can go back and find that
episode and I'll link that in the show notes too.
(04:00):
In talking with him before the episode, you know, I told him I
was like, man, you've done 2 TedX's.
That's absolutely incredible. And we were just chatting.
He was like, yeah, what's holding you back?
Because I expressed to him that I was super interested.
I just didn't think that I was ready yet.
And he challenged me to just apply.
Go for it. And so the big secret that I
(04:22):
guess everyone's been looking for is how did I get it?
I applied. I applied.
And the reason I held myself back from applying for so long
was I didn't feel like I was qualified.
And that is honestly a limiting belief I see so often in my
community, I see so often in people I work with and people in
(04:43):
my programs. But that is not the case than
anything else. And you think that TEDx speakers
are all these polished people who've already won, but who've
already arrived at something. But what I learned when I gave
my talk was this election committee doesn't care about
your resume. They care about your
perspective, your lived experience, your unique angle.
And so when I applied, I had twothoughts.
(05:05):
I've built something in the ADHDentrepreneur space and I have
something to say about it. That was the bar, not
perfection, not a published book, not 20 years of expertise
or experience. So if you're running a business,
if you've sold a problem, OK, you've solved the problem.
Somehow you've come up with solution.
If you've learn something in thetrenches, you are qualified.
(05:27):
Your ADHD brain specifically gives you a perspective no one
else has. And so I want you to, right now,
pause this episode, download it so you can come back to it, but
write down three things you've learned that surprised you.
Because I promise you, one of those is a TEDx talk angle.
Now, another thing I see. And when having these
conversations with people asking, you know, they're like,
(05:48):
I'll figure out what to say later.
Our ADHD brains have a reputation for leaving things to
last minute. We work on dopamine.
And honestly, we sometimes deliver our best work that way.
But TEDx is a little bit different, OK.
The application process forces clarity.
You have to articulate your ID in an application, sometimes in
a sentence in a pitch. When I did my application, they
(06:11):
wanted a pitch video that was 2 minutes on the dot and they tell
you we stop watching after 2 minutes.
So you have to get really, really clear on how to condense
your idea very quickly. And that process, it's actually
genius for our brains because itcreates urgency and structure.
But we often over explain to make sure people understand us.
And so you have to get really clear on what your talk is
(06:32):
about, what your ideas are aboutin order to condense it to two
minutes. And so I built my Academy
specifically because I realized people with ADHD needed
frameworks that don't feel superrestrictive.
And the application process for TEDx is kind of like that.
It's a container, and it forces you to think before you're on
stage. The talk itself became easier
(06:52):
because you've already done the hard thinking.
And so when you got your ideas down for a TEDx, you know, spend
15 minutes writing your talk idea as if you're pitching it to
a friend. Not polished, but raw, because I
assume most Tedx's will do this.But once accepted, I was
assigned a coach and we worked over the next couple months.
Because your talk is limited in time, you don't get an hour up
(07:15):
there to explain. And so a lot of what we did
working with my coach, Lisa, whowas absolutely incredible, by
the way, was really getting my ideas and a structure that were
understandable to anyone that watches it without trying to
over explain the idea because you're super limited on time.
And so, yeah, I had these thoughts like what if they say
no? And if I'm being fully
(07:36):
transparent, I applied for threeand I only got accepted for one.
And that's tricky because it it's, you know, rational.
They may say no on some applications.
The acceptance rate definitely isn't 100%.
But what doesn't make sense is using the possibility of no as a
reason to not apply. And so that's fear really
dressed up as logic. And so when I was building like
(07:58):
my unmasked community and Telegram, OK, And I'll put the
link to the show notes for thoseof you who are in that
community, I had to get really uncomfortable with putting
myself out there. I had to get comfortable getting
uncomfortable. I had to get comfortable with
rejection, with judgement, with people saying that's not for me.
And it really is freeing when you can get to that point
(08:19):
because the people who did say yes, they find exactly what they
need. And so TEDx saying no doesn't
mean your idea isn't good, it means it wasn't the right fit
for that event. Some of these events have
certain themes and things like that, but that year, that
committee applied to another one.
Research 3 TEDx events that you want to go to in your area, or
(08:40):
outline 3 specific ideas you have and find a TEDx that fits
them. Because if you believe you have
to be famous to deserve a platform, that myth is what
keeps people with real things, things to say in silence.
And you don't need a podcast with 100,000 listeners.
You don't need an Instagram following.
You need an idea worth sharing. And Ted X specifically selects
(09:02):
the those fresh voices for people who aren't already on
every major platform. They want the person who's been
quietly doing good work, not theinfluencer recycling trends.
And so your business doesn't have to be at some certain point
necessarily to get chosen. I was telling myself I'm not
successful enough. Define successful by what
measure? That BS is wrapped up in
(09:24):
comparison. And it holds you back because I
know entrepreneurs running sustainable, profitable, purpose
driven businesses who think they're not successful enough to
speak publicly. Meanwhile, they're out earning
the average employee doing work that they love and building on
their own terms. And so that's the story we're
telling. The sustainable hustle, so to
speak, the impact of her income.Speakers are born not made
(09:47):
wrong. Speakers are terrified people
who decide to speak anyway. I was not natural public
speaker. Actually back in corporate in my
my working days, I wasn't I was the person who was creating the
presentations, but I wasn't the person allowed to give them.
Now, do I think that was was right?
No, because I, I do think I was a decent speaker even then.
But going through this process of TEDx, I thought way too much
(10:11):
before I talked. I rewrote my notes obsessively.
But when I got on that stage, something really shifted because
I knew my material and because Iwas speaking from a place of
passion, not performance. And so I do remember the day
that I submitted my application for Missouri SNT and I talked
about again, not doing it for months until my friend I did an
interview with was like, yo do it today.
(10:34):
Ideas floating around in my head.
But I kept waiting for permission for this like perfect
for this like perfect moment forsomeone to tell me I was ready.
And it wasn't until I realized no one was coming to give me
permission. Now Phenom kind of did that in a
way of pushing me, but I hit submit on that application and
11:47 PM on the deadline, OK with a talk idea I was still
(10:57):
nervous about with an application that wasn't perfect
with imposter syndrome screamingin my head.
And I got selected not because Iwas the most polished, not
because I had the best credentials, because I sent it
in. So in case you've never listened
to any of my episodes, I like tobe very tactical.
So I'm going to give you 5 strategies to go from I want to
to I did it. If you haven't already
subscribed to the podcast, I would do it right now because
(11:20):
I'm about to drop some serious gold Nuggets on you and you're
not going to want to miss these strategy one, separate the
application from the performance.
OK, your brain is probably mashing these ideas together.
The application has to be perfect, so the talk will be
perfect, so the outcome will be guaranteed.
That's not how it works. The application is simply the
door, nothing more. OK, it's a description of your
(11:41):
idea, not the idea itself, not the whole talk.
And this is really why Inside focused and free my membership.
You know, we do daily trainings,mini trainings, and they're not
really like tactical always. A lot of times they're
motivational or inspirational orjust get your ass out there and
do it. But we break big projects into
stages so you don't overwhelm yourself.
(12:02):
The application stage is separate from the research
stage. It's separate from the writing
stage, it's separate from the practice stage.
So right now, only focus on the application.
Go to the TEDx website, pick oneevent, download the application
or find the Google form for it, read it and apply.
It's that that simple strategy #2 use your ADHD hyper focus
(12:23):
strategically. So here's what neurological
advice gets wrong. All right, this is, this is so
common. Honestly, it's so, so common.
But getting into flow and movingfast is what our brains do best.
And so thinking we're not built for incremental or we're not
built for intensity. We're only built for intensity.
(12:43):
Use that. Pick a three hour block, block
your calendar, close everything.Write your entire application in
that session. Let your brain do what it does
fast, getting into flow and moving fast.
You don't have to edit it today.You just have to get it out.
Write it down. Commit to it like it's a client
meeting strategy #3 find your unique angle.
OK, not someone else's story. So TEDx is packed with talks
(13:05):
about productivity, motivation, success.
They don't need another one, butthey do need your angle, your
perspective, your business story, your community
breakthroughs. We help you inside Myspaces.
Excavate what's already different about your approach,
what you've you accidentally discovered the other people are
still struggling with. That's your talk.
Write down three things people always ask you about.
(13:27):
They're probably your talk angles.
Strategy 4. Accept the good enough
submission. So perfectionism is it kills
everything. And I know because I almost
didn't submit mine for another year.
I was writing and rewriting and editing and trying to make it
perfect to impress them. But the committee doesn't see
the perfected version. They see the version you said if
you spent another month perfecting it, you might miss
(13:49):
the deadline, or you might decide it's not good enough and
never send it. Send the 80% version that's
ready right now. And then strategy #5 remember
that rejection isn't personal, OK?
This one matters because it's going to happen eventually and
you need to be ready for it. You might apply to a Ted X and
not get selected. That's not about your idea.
It's about timing, about committee performance, about
(14:11):
specific lineups they're building.
That's why the Unmasked community exists.
Partially because I needed a space where people understood
and felt understood that not every opportunity is the right
fit. If you get rejected, it's not
the end of the world. Immediately apply for another
one. Don't let it stop your momentum.
I want you to remember that every TEDx speaker you've ever
seen was also someone sitting where you're sitting right now,
(14:34):
wondering if they're good enough, trying to put together
the perfect application, but they applied anyway.
So you don't need permission to speak.
You don't need permission to be take up space or to be more
qualified or more polished or more certain.
You need to apply. The worst thing that happens is
they say no and you apply to another one.
Eventually they say yes and yourmessage will reach people who
(14:56):
desperately need to hear it. There's someone in your audience
right now who needs your perspective on your solution on
building what you help them build on doing things
differently that persons waitingfor you to show up.
So here's my permission in case you needed it from someone.
Apply, apply. I absolutely cannot wait for my
talk to go live and probably will be two months from now.
(15:20):
Make sure you're on my e-mail list so you can get all the
information about that. If you're not already on the
wait list for flow first thinking my book that's going to
be coming out is built around what I talked about in my talk,
I cannot wait to release this book.
Make sure you track the show notes for the link to jump on
that wait list. And until next time, as always,
if you got any value out of thisepisode at all, please leave us
(15:42):
a review. It's the absolute best
compliment you can give. Take a screenshot of you
listening to this thing. Throw it in your stories.
Tag me at socially dot awesome on IG.
I want to share you. I want to celebrate you for
plugging into your business. And until next time, make it
simple, make it social. Make it awesome.
Awesome.
It has been an emotional week. I stood on that red dot with my
kids by my side. After all the pivots, all the
late nights, all the meltdowns, mine and theirs.
Therapy sessions, business launches, self doubt spirals.
One of those full circle momentswas happening that you just
can't put into words. Last week I got to share my
heart on a Ted X stage at Missouri S&T about my ADHD flow.
(00:22):
Why our brains create momentum, not perfection.
And it was everything I dreamed of it more.
The energy, the people, a message.
Every single bit of it remains reminded me that what we go
through isn't wasted, it's preparing us for the impact
we're meant to have. We got home super late the night
before Halloween. I heard emotional event full of
snacks and stories. And today, I'm going to tell you
(00:43):
exactly what you need to hear about getting your own Ted X.
Yes, yo-yo, yo with the least. Say it right.
No cap. ADHDCEO.
Yeah, We run this track systems that slap brains built
(01:05):
different. We make sales in our sleep.
Yeah, the hustle's efficient. This ain't fluff.
Nah, this is strategy raw for the ADHD minds breaking.
Never your law. Hit subscribe.
You'll miss a single show. We're running non dopamine.
Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go. All right, I showed up on that
(01:28):
stage with enough nervous energyto like, power the entire stage
lighting system I'm not getting.And standing on that red dot
felt so surreal. Like how did the girl who used
to get in trouble for talking too much in class and up here
with a microphone being encouraged to talk?
And there were definitely a lot of moments like, oh, crap,
what's my next line? A lot of impulsive hand
gestures. But the truth is, I tripped over
(01:51):
my own excitement and my own feet multiple times.
But my talk was literally about changing the systems and I got a
chance to practice that in real life.
Because ADHD, brain or not done,is always better than perfect.
And showing up with a shaky voice, a racing heart, sweaty
palms, it's all still showing up.
So I was on that stage remindingmyself our brains crave
(02:12):
momentum, not perfection. And for me, I wanted to share my
experience and my tips, you could say on securing your talk
because I know you have a talk inside you.
So you're scrolling through youre-mail and maybe there's an
invitation, right? TEDx organization, 1 speakers.
And your first thought is like excitement.
(02:34):
But then immediately you go to, it's not me.
Someone else is more articulate.Someone else has it all figured
out. Someone is more successful than
me. Someone else can apply for this.
And I used to think that too. But here's the pattern that I
see with ADHD entrepreneurs. We're idea machines.
We execute, we solve problems. But when it comes to visibility
(02:56):
or to calming, you know, space and claiming space for you to
take up, to putting ourselves out there, we freeze.
And it's not about capability. It's about the story we've been
told about who gets to speak, who gets to be on stage, about
who deserves the microphone. And the cost is your expertise
(03:17):
stays in your business, your message reaches 12 people
instead of 12,000 or 12 million,and the world misses what you
could teach. And the TE DX world is packed
with people who said yes before they felt ready.
Today I want to dive into my experience.
So here's the deal, I after I posted on social about getting a
(03:39):
Ted talk, I had so many people reach out or like Oh my gosh,
how did you do it? How did you get the talk?
Who picked you and the truth? No one.
OK, no one. I applied so early in 2025, I
did a podcast episode with Phenom who is absolutely
incredible. You can go back and find that
episode and I'll link that in the show notes too.
(04:00):
In talking with him before the episode, you know, I told him I
was like, man, you've done 2 TedX's.
That's absolutely incredible. And we were just chatting.
He was like, yeah, what's holding you back?
Because I expressed to him that I was super interested.
I just didn't think that I was ready yet.
And he challenged me to just apply.
Go for it. And so the big secret that I
(04:22):
guess everyone's been looking for is how did I get it?
I applied. I applied.
And the reason I held myself back from applying for so long
was I didn't feel like I was qualified.
And that is honestly a limiting belief I see so often in my
community, I see so often in people I work with and people in
(04:43):
my programs. But that is not the case than
anything else. And you think that TEDx speakers
are all these polished people who've already won, but who've
already arrived at something. But what I learned when I gave
my talk was this election committee doesn't care about
your resume. They care about your
perspective, your lived experience, your unique angle.
And so when I applied, I had twothoughts.
(05:05):
I've built something in the ADHDentrepreneur space and I have
something to say about it. That was the bar, not
perfection, not a published book, not 20 years of expertise
or experience. So if you're running a business,
if you've sold a problem, OK, you've solved the problem.
Somehow you've come up with solution.
If you've learn something in thetrenches, you are qualified.
(05:27):
Your ADHD brain specifically gives you a perspective no one
else has. And so I want you to, right now,
pause this episode, download it so you can come back to it, but
write down three things you've learned that surprised you.
Because I promise you, one of those is a TEDx talk angle.
Now, another thing I see. And when having these
conversations with people asking, you know, they're like,
(05:48):
I'll figure out what to say later.
Our ADHD brains have a reputation for leaving things to
last minute. We work on dopamine.
And honestly, we sometimes deliver our best work that way.
But TEDx is a little bit different, OK.
The application process forces clarity.
You have to articulate your ID in an application, sometimes in
a sentence in a pitch. When I did my application, they
(06:11):
wanted a pitch video that was 2 minutes on the dot and they tell
you we stop watching after 2 minutes.
So you have to get really, really clear on how to condense
your idea very quickly. And that process, it's actually
genius for our brains because itcreates urgency and structure.
But we often over explain to make sure people understand us.
And so you have to get really clear on what your talk is
(06:32):
about, what your ideas are aboutin order to condense it to two
minutes. And so I built my Academy
specifically because I realized people with ADHD needed
frameworks that don't feel superrestrictive.
And the application process for TEDx is kind of like that.
It's a container, and it forces you to think before you're on
stage. The talk itself became easier
(06:52):
because you've already done the hard thinking.
And so when you got your ideas down for a TEDx, you know, spend
15 minutes writing your talk idea as if you're pitching it to
a friend. Not polished, but raw, because I
assume most Tedx's will do this.But once accepted, I was
assigned a coach and we worked over the next couple months.
Because your talk is limited in time, you don't get an hour up
(07:15):
there to explain. And so a lot of what we did
working with my coach, Lisa, whowas absolutely incredible, by
the way, was really getting my ideas and a structure that were
understandable to anyone that watches it without trying to
over explain the idea because you're super limited on time.
And so, yeah, I had these thoughts like what if they say
no? And if I'm being fully
(07:36):
transparent, I applied for threeand I only got accepted for one.
And that's tricky because it it's, you know, rational.
They may say no on some applications.
The acceptance rate definitely isn't 100%.
But what doesn't make sense is using the possibility of no as a
reason to not apply. And so that's fear really
dressed up as logic. And so when I was building like
(07:58):
my unmasked community and Telegram, OK, And I'll put the
link to the show notes for thoseof you who are in that
community, I had to get really uncomfortable with putting
myself out there. I had to get comfortable getting
uncomfortable. I had to get comfortable with
rejection, with judgement, with people saying that's not for me.
And it really is freeing when you can get to that point
(08:19):
because the people who did say yes, they find exactly what they
need. And so TEDx saying no doesn't
mean your idea isn't good, it means it wasn't the right fit
for that event. Some of these events have
certain themes and things like that, but that year, that
committee applied to another one.
Research 3 TEDx events that you want to go to in your area, or
(08:40):
outline 3 specific ideas you have and find a TEDx that fits
them. Because if you believe you have
to be famous to deserve a platform, that myth is what
keeps people with real things, things to say in silence.
And you don't need a podcast with 100,000 listeners.
You don't need an Instagram following.
You need an idea worth sharing. And Ted X specifically selects
(09:02):
the those fresh voices for people who aren't already on
every major platform. They want the person who's been
quietly doing good work, not theinfluencer recycling trends.
And so your business doesn't have to be at some certain point
necessarily to get chosen. I was telling myself I'm not
successful enough. Define successful by what
measure? That BS is wrapped up in
(09:24):
comparison. And it holds you back because I
know entrepreneurs running sustainable, profitable, purpose
driven businesses who think they're not successful enough to
speak publicly. Meanwhile, they're out earning
the average employee doing work that they love and building on
their own terms. And so that's the story we're
telling. The sustainable hustle, so to
speak, the impact of her income.Speakers are born not made
(09:47):
wrong. Speakers are terrified people
who decide to speak anyway. I was not natural public
speaker. Actually back in corporate in my
my working days, I wasn't I was the person who was creating the
presentations, but I wasn't the person allowed to give them.
Now, do I think that was was right?
No, because I, I do think I was a decent speaker even then.
But going through this process of TEDx, I thought way too much
(10:11):
before I talked. I rewrote my notes obsessively.
But when I got on that stage, something really shifted because
I knew my material and because Iwas speaking from a place of
passion, not performance. And so I do remember the day
that I submitted my application for Missouri SNT and I talked
about again, not doing it for months until my friend I did an
interview with was like, yo do it today.
(10:34):
Ideas floating around in my head.
But I kept waiting for permission for this like perfect
for this like perfect moment forsomeone to tell me I was ready.
And it wasn't until I realized no one was coming to give me
permission. Now Phenom kind of did that in a
way of pushing me, but I hit submit on that application and
11:47 PM on the deadline, OK with a talk idea I was still
(10:57):
nervous about with an application that wasn't perfect
with imposter syndrome screamingin my head.
And I got selected not because Iwas the most polished, not
because I had the best credentials, because I sent it
in. So in case you've never listened
to any of my episodes, I like tobe very tactical.
So I'm going to give you 5 strategies to go from I want to
to I did it. If you haven't already
subscribed to the podcast, I would do it right now because
(11:20):
I'm about to drop some serious gold Nuggets on you and you're
not going to want to miss these strategy one, separate the
application from the performance.
OK, your brain is probably mashing these ideas together.
The application has to be perfect, so the talk will be
perfect, so the outcome will be guaranteed.
That's not how it works. The application is simply the
door, nothing more. OK, it's a description of your
(11:41):
idea, not the idea itself, not the whole talk.
And this is really why Inside focused and free my membership.
You know, we do daily trainings,mini trainings, and they're not
really like tactical always. A lot of times they're
motivational or inspirational orjust get your ass out there and
do it. But we break big projects into
stages so you don't overwhelm yourself.
(12:02):
The application stage is separate from the research
stage. It's separate from the writing
stage, it's separate from the practice stage.
So right now, only focus on the application.
Go to the TEDx website, pick oneevent, download the application
or find the Google form for it, read it and apply.
It's that that simple strategy #2 use your ADHD hyper focus
(12:23):
strategically. So here's what neurological
advice gets wrong. All right, this is, this is so
common. Honestly, it's so, so common.
But getting into flow and movingfast is what our brains do best.
And so thinking we're not built for incremental or we're not
built for intensity. We're only built for intensity.
(12:43):
Use that. Pick a three hour block, block
your calendar, close everything.Write your entire application in
that session. Let your brain do what it does
fast, getting into flow and moving fast.
You don't have to edit it today.You just have to get it out.
Write it down. Commit to it like it's a client
meeting strategy #3 find your unique angle.
OK, not someone else's story. So TEDx is packed with talks
(13:05):
about productivity, motivation, success.
They don't need another one, butthey do need your angle, your
perspective, your business story, your community
breakthroughs. We help you inside Myspaces.
Excavate what's already different about your approach,
what you've you accidentally discovered the other people are
still struggling with. That's your talk.
Write down three things people always ask you about.
(13:27):
They're probably your talk angles.
Strategy 4. Accept the good enough
submission. So perfectionism is it kills
everything. And I know because I almost
didn't submit mine for another year.
I was writing and rewriting and editing and trying to make it
perfect to impress them. But the committee doesn't see
the perfected version. They see the version you said if
you spent another month perfecting it, you might miss
(13:49):
the deadline, or you might decide it's not good enough and
never send it. Send the 80% version that's
ready right now. And then strategy #5 remember
that rejection isn't personal, OK?
This one matters because it's going to happen eventually and
you need to be ready for it. You might apply to a Ted X and
not get selected. That's not about your idea.
It's about timing, about committee performance, about
(14:11):
specific lineups they're building.
That's why the Unmasked community exists.
Partially because I needed a space where people understood
and felt understood that not every opportunity is the right
fit. If you get rejected, it's not
the end of the world. Immediately apply for another
one. Don't let it stop your momentum.
I want you to remember that every TEDx speaker you've ever
seen was also someone sitting where you're sitting right now,
(14:34):
wondering if they're good enough, trying to put together
the perfect application, but they applied anyway.
So you don't need permission to speak.
You don't need permission to be take up space or to be more
qualified or more polished or more certain.
You need to apply. The worst thing that happens is
they say no and you apply to another one.
Eventually they say yes and yourmessage will reach people who
(14:56):
desperately need to hear it. There's someone in your audience
right now who needs your perspective on your solution on
building what you help them build on doing things
differently that persons waitingfor you to show up.
So here's my permission in case you needed it from someone.
Apply, apply. I absolutely cannot wait for my
talk to go live and probably will be two months from now.
(15:20):
Make sure you're on my e-mail list so you can get all the
information about that. If you're not already on the
wait list for flow first thinking my book that's going to
be coming out is built around what I talked about in my talk,
I cannot wait to release this book.
Make sure you track the show notes for the link to jump on
that wait list. And until next time, as always,
if you got any value out of thisepisode at all, please leave us
(15:42):
a review. It's the absolute best
compliment you can give. Take a screenshot of you
listening to this thing. Throw it in your stories.
Tag me at socially dot awesome on IG.
I want to share you. I want to celebrate you for
plugging into your business. And until next time, make it
simple, make it social. Make it awesome.
Awesome.
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