Simon’s #1 Rule of Public Speaking

It’s no secret that the internet is bursting with all sorts of advice on public speaking, some of it backed by science (don’t forget to breathe), some of it poetic (“train the butterflies in your stomach to fly in formation and use them positively”), and some of it downright strange (see: “picture your audience in their underwear”).

However, questionable advice always thrives online due to the high demand for it. At the end of the day, public speaking is incredibly difficult and undeniably stressful, especially without practice. If you struggle with public speaking, we’d like to help.

Our founder and Chief Optimist, Simon Sinek, has studied the art of effective public speaking for nearly two decades and performed countless talks to audiences of all sizes. When asked to distill his most powerful tip for public speaking—the one that rises above all the rest—his answer is simple.

“I have one very important rule in public speaking, and that’s that you have to show up to give,” he says. “Very often, before I walk out on stage, I will say to myself out loud, ‘You’re here to give.'”