3 Lessons About Comedy AND Public Speaking That I Learned From Jerry Seinfeld

In a recent interview on the Howard Stern SIRIUSXM radio show, Jerry Seinfeld shared 3 secrets to his success — from both a comedy AND a public speaking perspective — that helps him get into a total success mindset.

This short video (exactly 4 minutes long) shares them with you….along with some other thoughts on how a dedication to continual learning & improvement, and a dedication to yourself and sharing your unique self — can make all the difference to your success.

Which one of these 3 points resonated with you the most? Please share in the comments below!

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

A few weeks ago, I was listening to Jerry Seinfeld getting interviewed by Howard Stern and it was fascinating to hear not only his story, but how he’s pulled off such staying power in an industry, the comedy industry, where many fail or where many give up because it’s taking too long to make it because competition is too tough, or it’s just too hard. And then you hear his story of how he just persevered, as if there was nothing else in life for him except comedy.

So it got me thinking about public speaking, and about why we do it – or don’t do it, or talk ourselves out of doing it because we think we won’t be good at it, or because others are better than us, or because it’s too hard. We are afraid of being judged or making a mistake in front of our peers so it’s often easier to avoid it.

On the one hand, we can look at Jerry Seinfeld and say, well, he was born with it. He’s got natural talent, he makes it look so easy. But we don’t always look at the constant learning, the gradual improvements, the dedication to the craft, and the hours of time and effort that he puts in to make his ability look so easy.

So, what if the next time YOU had to speak, you channeled your inner Jerry Seinfeld, and took on the mindset of constant learning, dedication to sharing your message, and putting in the time and effort needed to step up, share your message and create a meaningful, and maybe even fun experience for your audience.

In the interview, Jerry shared three secrets to his success, which I loved from both a comedy and public speaking perspective, that helps him get into this mindset. And so I wanted to share them with you.

Secret #1: You are in competition with yourself only. There will always be people with better speaking skills, a better story, more confidence, cooler technology, more money, better shoes, clearer skin, whiter teeth, and even bouncier hair. But you’re not in competition with them. The real question is, are you better today than you were yesterday? Are you putting in the work? Are you trying new things? Are you learning from your last experience and working to improve each time, because THAT is success.

Secret #2: It doesn’t matter what others say or think if you are in your element. Public speaking – and comedy – can be super scary because you’re really putting yourself out there as the center of attention and inviting judgment. And people will always have opinions about it, some of which will help you and some of which will not. And it’s okay not to listen to everyone’s opinions if they disagree with where you truly believe you need to go. It’s okay to be confident in who you are and go after the space where you are truly in your element, because maybe that’s exactly what will attract the right people and the right opportunities for you.

Secret #3: Do what you love and you will have endless energy. So, get out there and speak up, say what you need to say, be who you are, and share of yourself. Step into that zone and find your energy. Jerry Seinfeld has worked very hard for his success through continuous improvement, through relentless pursuit of his passion, and because he loved it, and would accept nothing less for his life.

So what do we need to do to create that level of success in OUR lives?

Don’t be afraid to speak up, be who you are, and dedicate yourself to continual learning, continual improvement, time and effort, so that it isn’t long before people are looking at you and wondering how you make it all look so easy.

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If you’d ever like to talk about the topics that get you in your element and energize you, and how to speak about them in a structured, engaging, and compelling way, then let’s get in touch. Contact me today!