You are never inspiring to everyone
A Blog by Niek van den Adel, founder and professional speaker.
This morning Anna was at breakfast and said:
“Dad, you're the stupidest dad I've ever had.”
I think she found me a bit uninspiring.
What exactly is an inspirational speaker?
I notice I still struggle with that word. We use it willy-nilly to announce something that we hope will revitalise our lives.
“And here it is, the most Inspiring speaker from the Netherlands!”
I'm backstage and I'm thinking: right then, brilliant. I'll have to see about making that happen.
Who am I to decide if something is inspiring? Inspire, to give life to, is only possible if the recipient also allows it.
We're addicted to it. Inspiration porn, I call it.
Unless I often see that speakers quickly head towards Expiration gaan, which literally means “to die”.
How a hall drains you
That's often how I feel too, when I'm sitting in the hall listening to the next attention-seeking director who considers their own time more important than the people in the hall.
The quiet 20 minutes over his time and literally sucks the air out of the room. “Oh, I completely forgot about that. They liked it, didn't they?” Yes, pancake. Then you should have prepared yourself thoroughly.
Speaking is a craft. Just like being a director. As an inspiring speaker, you have the responsibility to add energy, not to drain it.
Inspiration is a by-product
Films can inspire. Conversations. Books. And so on. But how do you become an inspiring speaker?
Here’s the trick.
It’s not about what you say, but what you do. The audience is the hero., Not you.
So your story serves one purpose: for people in the audience to experience emotion, confusion, or growth.
Not you.
Inspiration is not the goal. It's the byproduct. The byproduct of your vulnerability. Of you believing in yourself. Of how you shake hands at the coffee table.
And so you go from being an egocentric speaker on a stage to someone who actually makes an impact as an inspiring speaker.
Inspiration isn't on the stage
Okay, that last one might be a bad example if you ask Anna about it this morning. 
But be inspiring in the workplace. By talking about your sporting achievements. About a nice conversation you've had. That you've visited your mother-in-law.
Whatever it is.
As an inspiring speaker, your work doesn't begin on the stage, but in how you live.
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So always determine what is inspiring for your audience
Have a look at the video. What suits you?
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