Don't Just Motivate, Equip: Give Your Audience the Steps to Win

I've attended plenty of workshops and conferences over the years, both online and in person. Some of these events were catered to disabled people with titles like "Get The Job You Want", "DeafBlind Can!", "Be a Successful Deaf Entrepreneur", and "Deaf Advocacy Now".

But here's the thing: I'd come home from one of these conferences pumped up and ready to take on the world, only to hit a wall. I had this grand vision of where I wanted to be, but no clue how to start the steps to get there.

I could see the top, where all the cool stuff happens, but getting there? It felt like trying to climb a ladder with giant gaps between the rungs. You keep reaching, but there's nothing solid to grab onto. Frustrating, right?

The Impact of Pep Talks

Alright, let's talk about pep talks. You know the scene right? Speakers pumping up the crowd about all the amazing things they can achieve. They list off several people who have achieved incredible success stories and practically scream at you, "You can do it too!"

It's like they sprinkle motivation dust all over the place.

Seriously though, there's something magical about those pep talks. You walk out of there feeling like you can conquer anything. Your energy levels skyrocket, and you're buzzing with excitement about what's possible.

But Then Comes Reality

Here's the thing though – that pep talk high? It's like a sugar rush - super intense - but it doesn't last forever. You get back to your everyday life, and suddenly that mountain of goals you were ready to climb feels a whole lot steeper when you realize they really haven't given you any tools to turn that feeling into action.

Provide the Practical Steps

Speakers...here's the thing. We, the audience, love that motivational kick you provide. But let's be honest, the real magic happens when you take that inspiration and translate it into actionable steps.

We're not just looking for a pep talk; we're looking for a roadmap. People pay money to attend these conferences and workshops – they deserve to walk away with practical tools they can use to turn their goals into reality.

Here are some ideas on how to provide the steps:

• Break Down the Journey: Outline the key steps in achieving a particular goal. Smaller steps are more attainable than just showing the finish line.
• Offer Resources: Recommend helpful tools, apps, or websites that the audience can use to support their journey towards their goals.
• Share Practical Strategies: Provide concrete tips and techniques that people can immediately implement. It needs to be relatable and accessible to your audience.
• Offer Interactive Sessions: Create small interactive sessions at the audience's table for hands-on learning. Have assistants share and explain the steps to the participants.
• Offer Skill Building Exercises: Offer practical exercises that teach skills relevant to their goals.
• Offer After Conference Sessions: Offer coaching or further training for your audience after the conference is over. You could offer one-on-one skill training, Online coaching sessions, or more resources. These can be included in the conference fee or a separate package.

Remember to target your material to suit your audience. For instance, you might want to tailor some of the resources or skill-building exercises to address potential challenges faced by various groups of disabled people.

Don't just pump them up - empower them with actionable knowledge.

In Conclusion

Pep talks are like rocket fuel for your audience's motivation, but that's just the starting point. Sure, they'll get revved up and ready to go, but it's what you do before the hype fades that's truly important.

By providing those practical steps alongside the inspiration, you equip your audience with the tools they need to turn that initial spark into lasting success.

Remember, empowered individuals become empowered communities, and that's where real change happens.

So, keep that fire burning, offer those practical steps and you'll have a higher success rate from your audience.