Finding Speaking Resources That Actually Work

For the last few years (literally), I’ve looked far and wide for speaking resources that actually work.

And I finally found what I was looking for. ⬇️

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

A few years ago, I started writing online. Doing so brought me more opportunities than I ever could've imagined.

Like reaching you with my ideas!

But as I internalized the power of the written word, I realized the weight of the spoken word — a skill I was far from mastering.

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

In fact, I remember recording a demo and @thesamparr told me to stop uptalking.

If you don’t know what that is, you might be uptalking too!

It was such valuable feedback because I truly had NO idea that I was doing it.

What else was I doing that I had no perception of?!

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

In the coming months, I paid close attention to how other people spoke, and noticed what a massive spectrum there was.

There were so many smart, talented people who just never learned how to speak effectively.

And most had little conception of how much this was impacting them.

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

Just think about how much hinges on your ability to speak convincingly and compellingly!

🤝 Try getting a job. You need to speak your way in.
📈 Try negotiating a raise. You need to speak your way up.
🥂 Try going on a date. You need to speak your way to the next.

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

So I went in search of resources...

To the tweet below, I got hundreds of replies.

I tried some — even did a bootcamp that cost thousands!

But I didn’t feel more capable by the end, bc we spent more time talking about speaking, instead of speaking.https://t.co/gMJNlpOXtj

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

Later on, I even worked with a coach!

But I was still looking for something that gave me reps.

Not the kind of theory that leaves you sounding like an emotionless lecturer or a course where you spend more time listening than speaking.

So, I asked againhttps://t.co/6s5GKAVl5v

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023

Luckily, I *finally* found something worth sharing: @Ultraspeaking.

I just completed a cohort and came away legitimately more confident than when I started.

Which is pretty miraculous considering it was just a few weeks, and I've now been searching for resources for years. pic.twitter.com/qC46dX5KHv

— Steph Smith (@stephsmithio) June 8, 2023