A few weeks ago, I attended a two-day public speaking training. I was excited to learn as much as I could, and woke up early.
The event started at 9:00am, and I arrived at 7:45am. When I walked in the room, I was suprised to find I was completely alone.
The trainers arrived at the room at about 8:00am and began preparing everything.
They seemed suprised to see me there so early, and asked me, “Why are you here so early?”
I smiled because it was hard to explain. Why did I decide to get there so early? Even earlier than the trainers?
It was because a year earlier I had read an article about a successful football player and his secrets to stay at the top of his game. Of course, the article shared the usual ingredients: hard work, discipline, etc.
But, one of his secrets really caught my attention.
He said he arrives at training ground several hours before his fellow teammates. He trains by himself in the gym or outside on the pitch until his team arrives. Then he trains with the team and continues his training after everybody else leaves.
His name: Cristiano Ronaldo.
After reading this, I decided to start applying it to my life right away.
Since then, I’ve practiced it every time I have an important meeting, event or training (even amateur football training).
And I learned many things using it.
For example, in that training a few weeks ago. I decided to be there earlier to try to get a look behind the scenes.
When the trainers arrived at the venue and asked me “Why are you here so early?”
Excitedly, I answered: “Because I want to learn! How can I help?”
I learned from them that arriving earlier to the venue allows you to:
- get comfortable with the room
- adapt the stage set-up to your needs
- check the sound
- make friends with the technicians
- make friends with your trainers, trainees and fellow participants
- prepare mentally to deliver on stage
Learning this, helped me later when it was my turn to go on stage. I was very comfortable, feeling as if I were talking with friends in a bar. This feeling allowed me to calmly enjoy the training to the fullest.
But, it was after the training when using the secret really paid off.
The two trainers; John Zimmer, Florian Mueck and I decided to go to for a drink near to the venue to relax after the event.
They shared amazing stories and we laughed a lot.
We soon became closer friends, and I continued learning from them.
Flo was the person who encouraged me to start this writing about my public speaking journey, and John helped me to edit my speech for the next day.
The next day, once again, I was the first to arrive and the last to leave. The extra effort, and the extra time paid off for me, just as it did for Cristiano Ronaldo
The next time you attend a training, or an important event, I suggest showing up early, and to stay late at the end.
Be the first to arrive, and the last to leave.
You will soon reap the benefits.
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