Josh Levent

Resources

How to prepare for a TED Talk

Crafting and delivering an effective TED Talk.

TED Talks present a unique opportunity to spread an important message. One of the reasons for this is the format: give the talk of your life in 18 minutes or less.

Especially for experienced public speakers — teachers, professors or other professions where engaging an audience is part of the job — it is important to remember that TED Talks are their own format. They are not a lecture, a toast or a keynote speech.

This page provides a few tips to craft your talk in order to create the most impact.

Why speak at a TED or TEDx event?

  1. Speak at TED because you want to spread an important idea.
  2. Speak at TED because you want to inspire people with your story.
  3. Dream to speak at TED because you want to challenge yourself and see what you are truly capable of.

Three tips for first-time speakers

  1. TED Talks are a unique opportunity — do not just give a short lecture or keynote speech.
  2. TED audiences have very high expectations. Use them to go higher.
  3. TED Talks are a chance to share the most important stories of our lives.

Crafting a powerful story

  1. Make it personal. Why do you care?
  2. Make sure to have a setup, conflict and resolution.
  3. Share something that takes courage.

You may say to yourself “that’s great Josh, but how do I start?” Here are some questions to guide you:

  1. Start with your greatest struggle, failure or achievement. What did it teach you?
  2. What is the one thing my story can teach people that hear it? — this is the ending of your story. Like a good parable, the lesson comes at the end.
  3. Who were you before the struggle, achievement or failure? — this is the beginning. It sets the context.
  4. What was the most tense moment in that experience? — this is the climax and middle of the story. Make the audience feel the tension as much as you felt it and you will have a talk they never forget.

Talk structure

The most effective TED Talks have a strong narrative arc, encapsulated in the classic 3-Act Structure. Beginning, Middle, End. Setup, Conflict, Resolution. In Act 1, you set the scene and meet your audience where they are. In Act 2, you create a conflict — show the biggest conflict that exists in your story, build it up and create a showdown. In Act 3, you resolve the conflict, deliver your most important message, or inspire the audience to take action.

The most important part is that it must have stakes. Something must be on the line — something everyone in the room can care about. A narrative without stakes is not a TED Talk.

Effective preparation

  1. Speak, don’t write.
  2. Record practice sessions on video.
  3. Try multiple approaches and find what works best for you.
  4. Tell a story, with a setup, conflict and resolution.
  5. Repeat your most important message to make it memorable.
  6. Take a risk: share something you’ve never shared before. The audience will feel the courage.
  7. Keep it short. Avoid unnecessary fluff.
  8. Nourish your audience. Feed their souls, or at least their curiosity.

Preparation in practice

A TED Talk is short enough that we could script it word for word and prepare it like a performance. For everyone other than experienced actors I think this is a mistake. I tried the scripted approach for my first TED Talk. Even though I spent hundreds of hours preparing, I still did not have it memorised enough to truly relax on stage. I went a little numb and gave the talk robotically.

I learned my lesson when I was invited to give another talk 3 years later. For my second TED Talk I created a broad structure and then practiced giving the talk off the cuff a few times. My practice amounted to less than 10 hours and resulted in a better talk, where I am much more at ease on stage.

Get a webcam and record your talk from the very beginning, with a few bullet points for structure and a timer (I suggest going for 10 minutes even if the organisers give you 18). Give the talk off the cuff immediately. Make a few notes about how it could be improved, then repeat the process. The recording creates stakes, and when you come back after a few days it lets you continue from where you left off.

Can I support you to go higher?

I work with people who are ready to commit substantial resources to create the talk of their lives. If that’s you, get in touch — and see also my TEDx coaching.