Fear has evolved.

A crusty old caveman

awakes to his usual hunger pangs. With age, his legs are slower, his eyes less keen and he can’t remember the last time he heard a bird sing. So at the first sighting of a predator, he flees back to his cave and considers his fear of being without food versus being food.

Our fear barometer has evolved. Our reaction to external stimuli is still first judged by our amygdala’s survival mechanism — that fight, flight, or freeze indicator. But today, our brains rarely fear the threat of death. Thanks to innovation and our ever-growing dopamine dependency, today’s brain fears boredom and complexity. We are like Goldilocks, we don’t want too much of either.

So how do we find the sweet spot — that perfect message that is clear, memorable, and gets results?

Whether my clients are trying to inspire an audience, change a mindset, or close a sale, there is one mistake that I see the most often. I call it the Pin the Tail on the Donkey Strategy. It’s when we spray out as much information as possible, hoping something will stick, garnering the action we seek.

I get it. I’ve been there. You are an expert in your field; you are overflowing with fascinating information and facts. You must share all of it, making sure nothing is left out.

The top three problems with this strategy are:

1. 1. The listener will tune you out with too much information, especially without a novel point that grows roots as you speak.
   2. Trying to appeal to everyone makes us outstanding to no one. Define the specific archetype of your audience and speak to them.
   3. People won’t remember what they can’t repeat. You need one Sizzle Statement that reinforces your point. Your audience will remember this single statement and it will cause their brain to revisit the emotions and intrigue you created during your talk.

Today’s Talk to the Brain™ Tip is to

Make One Powerful Point

1. Be confident in it.
2. Make it about your audience.
3. Tell a story that supports it.

What is the most valuable concept you are presenting? Tie your entire talk to what you are most passionate about, and you will be unforgettable!

Side note — if you are still throwing a bunch of bullet points up on a PowerPoint slide, I’m crying over here. Just call me.