111: MMM - On a Memorizing Trick

Hey movers, it's Sally, and before we jump into this next little mini Moved Me episode, I wanted to let you know where I'm at and what is happening. So right now it is the end of June in 2016. It is 2016. It always takes me like so many months to remember that and like get that locked in, but here it is. End of June in 2016, and And in July, I'm kind of going quiet, stepping back a little bit from the podcast. I'm not going to be sending out my newsletter for those of you who get that. That's going to go quiet in July as well so that we can all step away from our computers for a little bit and go kind of live life. Go live the life. My family has a cabin in Wisconsin and we're going to be spending a a bunch of time up there, and I'm so excited. And for a while I thought about, you know, maybe I can do both, um, and, uh, gah, my like split-brain focus is not good for me or for anybody else really around me. So I'm gonna go quiet in July, but that means that August I'm jumping back in with abandon. I'm so excited. I have had some really incredible conversations over the last month preparing for the next chunk of episodes, and really I'm kind of calling it Season 3. So Season 3 is gonna kick off in August. I'm talking with other speakers and coaches and changemakers. Vikas Narula here from the Twin Cities, who's doing some unbelievable work on networking and connection and is taking his talks to a whole new level. David Mann, a speaker, an actor, a producer, and talking about how he's brought all of his work in the theater, uh, to life on stage. Vanessa Van Edwards, who's done some incredible science work about TED Talks and what we can learn from them, as well as like how we use our bodies and gestures, and really, really some wonderful and fascinating things. Rebecca Surmont, who's, uh, has this wonderful history as a mime and what that means for us as artists and communicators. I mean, woo! Just some amazing conversations, as well as some of the big heavy hitters that I'm bringing in. I've talked to you about Rob Bell, and I've got a few other ones in the works that I'm so pumped about. So season 3 is kicking off in August, and woo! I am so excited. One of the things that's happening simultaneously And why I have to step back a little bit from this is I'm trying to step into the YouTube world a little bit. So one of the conversations I had is with a friend of mine named Josh Johnson who is on YouTube. He's a geocacher. He's the Geocaching Vlogger. And he has some really wonderful stuff. And so I have been coaching Josh in his talks. And so I said to him, let's switch things around and you help me, help me in this YouTube world. So there's some, a lot of work still to happen on that, but And that is something that I'm personally nervous about and excited about. More nervous than excited. I'm trying to turn the nerves into excitement. And part of the ways I'm doing that is by connecting with people like Josh. So, whoo! So many things to look forward to. Be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, I hope you guys have an amazing summer. And wherever you are, whatever's going on for you in July, I hope that you can also take a step back and key in with the people in your life because really that's what it's all about. All right, thanks. Hey everybody and welcome to This Moved Me, a podcast about creating talks that move the world. With me, your host, Sally Koering Zimney. Together with some fabulous guests, we will have a casual conversation about the art of public speaking because a good Good talk can move the world, and it'll be fun. Yeah, I would think making alien cows meaningful, that's not a small task. I love your giggle. Wow. Oh my gosh, just waiting for everybody to figure out the alphabet. Hey, Movers, it's Sally. I'm super pumped because because it's Mini Move Me time. I love this time. This is like a smaller version of the real thing that comes out on Wednesdays, and it's just me sharing with you insight, hopefully, about how we can create talks that move the world. More good talks, better world. Yes. Okay. So today, what I want to talk with you about is a little trick that I use when I am in kind of the memorization stage, and I use that word loosely, but just where we are trying to get it to literally sink into our bodies so it can live in us rather than just like bouncing around in our brain. Okay? And I can literally feel it when it's bouncing around in my brain and it is not in me. It feels so good when a talk is in you. You know it so well. Not that you're like an automaton or a robot and it's just like, I am, have memorized this every word, blah, blah, blah. No, that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you knowing a talk so well that you can be present in the moment, that you can respond to what's happening, you know what beats you're going for, you know the moments you're moving towards. Like that, woo, that feeling is so good. And here is just a little trick to help you get there. Aside, there's lots of different techniques for how to help you memorize, but one of the things that has worked the best for me and that I use at every any stage in the development of my talk is I read it right before I go to sleep. There's something that happens during sleep, and there probably is scientifically something. I'm sure it has something to do with the creative process that I, I've talked about with Andy before in terms of how our brains process. It happens in the subconscious. It happens when we are not paying attention. It happens when we are not exerting effort to it, that's when that real synthesis happens. And so whether you are just refreshing a talk that you know really, really well and you want to make sure that you're in good shape for the next day, make sure that you look through it and read it, say it in your mind, and it will synthesize in a powerful way. Or whether you're in the beginning stages and you're not you're not actually delivering it for some time, but you're working on it. All of that right before bedtime is rich. That's why sometimes our dreams are really crazy when, you know, you've been thinking about something wacky before bed. Maybe that's just me, that happens to me. But that space before bed are— it's like the transition between conscious and unconscious, and things really sync together well. So a little tip for you: Whatever space you're at in the process of developing a talk, right before bed, pull it out and let it sink in. Sink in. And you'll find that the next day it's just a little bit more deeply embedded in you. Now, I just need to say, that's not all you, you do to memorize. Like, don't just do that. It is not magic, people, but it helps. Let me know. Let me know how it works for you if you use that trick. I'd love to hear from you. All right, that's it from me. Hope you're out there creating a talk that is gonna move this world because I think we need it. Thanks. Hey movers, it's Sally Koering Zimney, and you know what's happening right now in my world? I am hiding in my office because I didn't have time to record this earlier when my house was quiet, and now the kids are home. Isn't that great? It is great, actually. But what that means is this is not gonna be quiet, and that's okay. That's all right. It's part of life, and it kind of makes this whole thing maybe, maybe more interesting. Who knows? So if you hear something in the background— screaming, perhaps, or laughter and joy— because really, that's what's happening in my house all the time, of course. So I don't remember what I was gonna say. What was I gonna say? Oh my God, I seriously have no idea.