I’m always surprising myself with what I say. Not in a "I just blurted it out" way, but in a "I’ve never thought about it that way before, but now I have I’ve got a new understanding/new analogy/new way to explain that" way.
And this is why I LOVE interviews. Interviews are an amazing way to discover what you didn’t know you knew already. Provided you’re OK to think on your feet, or OK to ‘go with the flow’, you’ll find out you know a lot more than you think you did. I come up with all sorts of statements, stories and a-ha moments simply as part of a conversation. This is why I rarely say no to an interview.
Of course, there are some people who always have the same answer to every question, or stick to a script of what they want to share. And I also have some ‘key’ pieces of information about Things that I always like to share (which, if you’ve read my book, you’ll no doubt recognise!). However, I might explain them differently each time–there will be a different example, a different story, and pretty much always a different analogy or metaphor (I can’t help myself getting creative on that front!).
And it’s that creative flow–that conversational style, where you are connecting with someone else and explaining what you do to them–that can often surprise you when you say something new. I’ll often use a new expression or example when I’m speaking with someone as I’m tailoring it to them–I’m making it work in their world so they ‘see’ what I’m trying to say.
This is not to be confused with making stuff up, OF COURSE, but this is about allowing your thinking to expand and connect with the audience of one you have right in front of you (your interviewer or the person you’re simply having a conversation with).
If you find yourself constantly trotting out the same old script, you’re not going to grow your Thing–it’s not going to evolve, you’re not going to improve it. I know for sure that I’ve got better at explaining what I do and how I do it the more conversations I’ve had about it. And because those conversations are with ‘people’, I know I’m getting better at saying in a way that is understood and invites conversation. You should try it too–see what you say (that you didn’t know you knew!).
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