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TEACHING ISN’T A SCRIPT. NEITHER IS THIS.

Present like a person, not a pitch

Published 5 days ago • 1 min read
Ever watched a talk and thought:
​“This is flawless. And I feel… nothing.”
That’s the curse of overpolish.
Style without soul.
Technique without tension.
Connection - lost in the cadence.

💡 ONE IDEA WELL

The three most-watched TED Talks of all time?

  1. Sir Ken Robinson – Do Schools Kill Creativity?
  2. Amy Cuddy – Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
  3. Simon Sinek – How Great Leaders Inspire Action

They’ve been watched over 200 million times between them.

They’re polished. Structured. Well-lit.

And when you watch one or two, they work.

But binge a few in a row?
They start to blend together.
Same rhythm. Same gestures. Same tone.
You don’t remember the third speaker.

You remember the moment someone breaks the mould.

A story that’s raw.
A moment of silence.
A jarring, unexpected turn.

​
That’s the irony of TED-style polish:

The more it works, the more it wears thin.

Which is why real presence beats perfect performance - every time.

​

​

🧰 LESS MESS, MORE MESSAGE

We think polish = professionalism.

But over-scripting flattens personality.

Every pause is rehearsed. Every joke lands the same.

And every speaker ends up sounding... interchangeable.

Here’s the truth:

  • Authenticity holds attention longer than technique.
  • A crack in the surface is often what lets connection in.

That doesn’t mean wing it.
It means leave space for you.

Let your quirks show.
Let your story wander.
Let your voice feel like a person, not a pitch.

Polish is fine.
But presence is magnetic.

🧭 ASK YOURSELF THIS

When I present…

Am I showing up as a person or a performance?

​
​
Speak soon,

Andy
​
​
PS:
​I’d love to know:
​What’s your all-time favourite TED Talk—and why?
​Hit reply. I’m genuinely curious what’s stuck with you.

TEACHING ISN’T A SCRIPT. NEITHER IS THIS.

One idea a week to help you teach and present with more clarity, confidence, and calm. No fluff. No scripts. Just practical tools that land.

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