How do you stop talking too fast when you present?
Give yourself an intention verb, like "to calm." When your job is the effect you have on the room, your pace takes care of itself.
What I say in the video
Ever talk so fast you wear the room out? No pausing, no breaks, just a constant barrage of words leaving your audience exhausted.
I had a client just like this. I gave them one intention verb to try: "to calm." Their only job was to have that effect on the room.
The change gave me goosebumps. Slower. Clearer. They finally landed every point.
If you tend to speak way too quickly under pressure, use the intention verb "to calm." Then, watch what changes.
What I didn’t say in the video
When we talk too fast, the instinct is to fight the symptom. Slow down. Breathe. Cut a few slides. Those can certainly help, but it's you policing yourself in real time, and that rarely survives the pressure of a live room.
An intention verb works differently. It moves your attention off yourself and onto the people in front of you. The moment your job becomes calming the audience, your pace takes care of itself. You can't rush someone into calm, so when you hold the intention, the right speed follows without you forcing it.
There's a bonus, too. When your focus is on the effect you're having out there, your inner critic goes quiet. It has nothing to chew on, because you're watching your audience instead of yourself.
And "to calm" is just one option. The right verb depends on the moment. To reassure. To energize. To steady. To welcome. Pick the one that fits what your audience needs, hold it lightly while you speak, and let it do the steering.
Try it today
Try this on your next call before you try it on a stage. Pick one intention, hold it, and notice whether your pace changes on its own. It usually does.
Bill Smartt is a New York executive presence and public speaking coach and the founder of Smartt Talk. He works with leaders in financial services, tech, advertising and startups.
