A practical countdown for the week before your biggest talk.
The week before a big talk is where confidence is built. Here is the countdown we teach in the Academy.
Seven days out, lock the structure and stop adding content. Five days out, rehearse aloud, standing up, with a timer — at least three full run-throughs. Three days out, rehearse in front of one honest person and ask only, 'What did you remember?'.
The day before, visit the venue if you can, walk the stage and test the clicker. Pack your water, a backup of your slides and a printed copy of your opening.
On the day, protect your last thirty minutes: no email, a short walk, slow breathing and one final run of your first ninety seconds. Then go and serve the room.
Enjoyed this? Explore more insights.
All insights