Untitled (intentionally)
A few thoughts on what to share about when you don't know what you want to share.
“Being at ease with not knowing is crucial for answers to come to you.”
—Eckhart Tolle
After a relatively sleepless night resulting from endless thunderstorms and an out of commission air conditioner, it is difficult to choose a topic today. My trusty list of possibilities lacks inspiration at the moment. And my mind is anything but clear.
So I am going to turn to a recent experience for inspiration — the kind of inspiration that lives in the minds of those who are early in their journey and open to just tossing something out to see how it lands.
Let’s go…
From DepositPhotos.com
Last week I had the privilege of watching 11 young people step up the microphone in the Delaware 4-H State Public Speaking Contest. Ranging in age from 8 to 18, they explored a wide array of topics in their virtual presentations. As the sponsor of the awards for the contest, it is always interesting to see the choices they make and to watch them grow as some win their county contest again and return to the state contest in future years.
As one who entered the county contest as a kid on five separate occasions, wrote the speech, rehearsed in front of the mirror, then never attended out of fear, I am always impressed with their confidence and commitment. But I am even more impressed by the wide-ranging topics they choose and the creativity they bring to their messages.
In fact, one of the winners this year is the inspiration for today’s issue…
Sometimes Not Choosing is the Best Choice
If my hastily written notes are correct, the speech I am referring to was titled “Untitled.” The message was informative, entertaining, and helpful which is not an easy combination to deliver for anyone, let alone a 13-year old boy.
It was an inspired choice with a practical insight — when you are not sure what to write or speak about, sometimes the best way to proceed is to talk through the options. In “Untitled” that is exactly what the young man did. He walked us through his thinking as he revealed his debate about the topic for his contest speech.
There were many things I loved about the path he chose…
He allowed himself to be vulnerable in sharing his uncertainty.
He entertained us with his revelations of those things that cross one’s mind when feeling pressured to decide.
He reminded us not to take things (or ourselves) too seriously.
I say “Well done” on all counts.
The lessons within the message
As I listened to “Untitled” I found myself drawn to the valuable lessons the young speaker revealed…
Admitting that he started without a clue regarding what to talk about was a powerful way to connect with the audience — who has not faced a moment when the blank page stared back and you knew not what to do? The speaker decided what he wanted us to think, then took us on a journey to deliver that result.
Sharing the innermost doubts that emerge when choosing a topic for a high stakes situation touched us on an emotional level — who has not felt tension when facing a situation where the stakes were high? The speaker decided what he wanted us to feel, then led us to recall similar moments when we felt as he did.
Encouraging us to ignore the fears of not coming up with the right title or topic showed us a way to do something different — who has not searched for a way to begin when struggling to take the first step? The speaker decided what he wanted us to do, then showed us how he had done it successfully to motivate us to try it.
BOOM!
A powerful lesson for those who choose to step to the front of the room, speak up in a meeting, or put their thoughts into written form for others to read — always guide your audience toward what you want them to think, feel, or do!
By the way, he won his division and on Saturday I had the chance to hand him his trophy (from a distance of course). I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next year, and I grateful for the lessons he shared with us — without them, today’s edition might never have been completed.
Today’s Takeaways
The next time you feel stuck choosing a topic to write or speak about, consider starting with “Untitled” and see where it leads you. I had absolutely no idea where to take my readers today when I say down at the keyboard. So I typed “Untitled” into the heading area, trusting something would emerge from the recesses of my mind worth exploring. Midway through the first paragraph, the topic became clear and the words flowed. I highly recommend giving the approach a try now and then!