Using your superpower

A couple of years ago, I conducted an experiment.

I wanted to test how much I had of a certain superpower:

Patience.

It involved sitting for three hours in front of a Turner painting at the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

I got the idea from the journalist and author Oliver Burkeman, in his TED talk, “Why patience is a superpower”.

So here I am with my experimental mindset, sitting with the beautiful painting.

It’s a bit weird to start with.

But I finally move from pesky distracting thoughts… to really noticing.

Listening to the gentle murmur of voices around me.

In the end, the time went by quickly as I watched the evening sun setting over the lake in a very English landscape.

It was a genuine moment of connection.

*

Imagine now making your next presentation. You’re standing in front of your audience.

They don’t have much time. Their minds are on many other things.

They are definitely not there to develop patience.

It’s your job, as a communicator, to capture and keep their attention.

From start, to finish.

To connect in such a way that there is no room for boredom.

Or distraction. Or reaching for phones.

How do you do it?!?

With your stories, your message, your presence.

That combination, is your superpower.

Ready to use it?

Photo by Tyler Milligan on Unsplash