The Anatomy of a GREAT Talk: Patrick McGinnis “How to Make Faster Decisions”
Do you suffer from FOBO — the Fear of Better Options?
In this talk, Patrick explains how it’s easy to become paralyzed by indecision. Investor and writer Patrick McGinnis shares the dangers of “FOBO” — the fear of better options — and how to overcome it.
A while back, I introduced you to the FRAMEWORK we use with our clients to create their talks. It breaks down the presentation into different key elements that contribute to an overall great talk. This is NOT A FORMULA — it’s a simple framework– the box which holds the sand– so that you can create your unique, authentic talk!
This framework has helped people write TED-style talks, keynote speeches, 5-minute pitches as well as full day-long workshops. It can be adapted to the context of your presentation while guiding you to cover the most important elements for effectively connecting with your audience.
THE FRAMEWORK
Let’s take a look at how Patrick’s powerful talk fits in with the framework!
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
MINUTE 00:01
“You’re probably familiar with FOMO.”
INTRODUCE YOUR IDEA
MINUTE 01:16
“That’s short for “Fear Of Missing Out.” It’s that feeling you get when it seems everyone else is doing something better than what you’re doing now. But there’s another FO you need to know about, and it’s far more dangerous. It’s called FOBO, and it’s short for “Fear Of a Better Option.”
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
MINUTE 00:18
“We live in a world of overwhelming choice. Even decisions that used to be simple, like choosing a restaurant or making everyday purchases, are now fraught with overanalysis. Technology has only made the issue more pronounced. If you want to buy a pair of white shoelaces online, you have to sort through thousands of items and read through hundreds of reviews. That’s an astounding amount of information to process to just buy two pieces of string that cost less than your morning latte.”
PRESENT THE EVIDENCE/DATA
MINUTE 01:16
“Luckily, there is a way to overcome FOBO. Here’s a secret. With any decision you make, you first have to determine the stakes, as this will inform your decision-making strategy. When it comes down to it, you only really face three types of decisions in life: high stakes, low stakes and no stakes.”
MINUTE 01:31
“Let’s start with no-stakes decisions. These are the minor details of life, where there is almost never an incorrect answer, and in a few hours, you won’t even remember making the decision. A good example of this is choosing what to watch on TV. With thousands of shows, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, yet no matter what you pick, the consequences are basically nonexistent. So spending more than a few moments on FOBO is a massive waste of energy. You just need to move on.”
MINUTE 02:14
“That brings us to low-stakes decisions. These have consequences, but none are earth-shattering, and there are plenty of acceptable outcomes. Many routine things at work, like purchasing a printer, booking a hotel or choosing between possible venues for an off-site are classically low-stakes in nature. Some thinking is required, but these aren’t make-or-break deliberations, and you’ll probably forget about them in a few weeks. Here, you can also outsource decision-making, but you want some critical thinking involved, as there are some stakes. This time, you’ll outsource to a person.”
REMIND THE AUDIENCE OF YOUR IDEA
MINUTE 03:10
“Before we get to work, let’s establish a few basic principles to guide you through the process. First, think about what really matters to you, and set your criteria accordingly.”
REVEAL THE NEW REALITY
MINUTE 04:04
“If you follow this system, you will usually end up with a decision on your own. On the rare occasion that you get stuck, you will outsource the final decision to a small group of qualified people who you trust and who are equipped to provide you with guidance on this particular topic. Engage a group of five or less, ideally an odd number of people so that you have a built-in tiebreaker if you need it.”
INVITE YOUR AUDIENCE TO TAKE ACTION
MINUTE 04:24
“Now that you’ve made your choice, one last challenge remains. You have to commit. I can’t promise you that you’ll ever truly know if you’ve made the perfect decision, but I can tell you this: a significant percentage of people in the world will never have to worry about FOBO. Unlike the billions of people who have few options, if any, due to war, poverty or illness, you have plentiful opportunities to live decisively. You may not get everything you want, but the mere fact you get to decide is powerful.”
If you are saying to yourself… easier said than done, this formula looks great, BUT not sure how it can work for you, then download the 7 STEPS TO WRITE YOUR TALK framework and let me walk you through it. DOWNLOAD NOW
LIVE WORKSHOP, MARCH 5th & 6th, New Bedford, MA-> THERE ARE STILL A FEW SPOTS OPEN FOR OUR MARCH WORKSHOP WHERE YOU WILL WALK AWAY WITH YOUR SCALABLE BUSINESS MODEL. LEARN MORE!
In Clarity,
Dolores Hirschmann is an internationally recognized strategist, Clarity coach, TEDxOrganizer, Speaker & Author. She has over 20 years experience helping entrepreneurs, companies & organizations realize their potential — by guiding them to CLARITY — to define their CORE IDEA, message and market strategy needed to reach their next level of growth. As a Speaker Coach Dolores guides speakers to go from successful professionals to thought leaders in their field. If you would like to learn more visit: www.mastersinclarity.com or download her free resource “STAND OUT THE TED WAY”
