Join EliteSpeak Cohort 6 (starts Apr 7th): https://elitespeak.org/ My Audio File (MP3): In this video, I guide you through the art of becoming a powerful, articulate speaker—what I call a "verbal athlete." I break down the three stages of turning thoughts into words: inspiration, conditions, and presentation. You'll learn how to refine your vocabulary, overcome anxiety, and shape your unique verbal brand. I introduce practical techniques, like keeping a commonplace book and practicing essence writing, to sharpen clarity and confidence. If you're ready to elevate your speaking, embrace your authenticity, and speak with conviction, this course will change how you communicate forever. My Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/joseph_tsar_ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: The Verbal Athlete Table 01:10 - Why Society Rewards Articulate People 02:30 - The Myth of Natural-Born Communicators 03:45 - Why Most People Struggle to Speak Clearly 05:00 - The Three Stages of Articulation: Inspiration, Conditions, Presentation 06:30 - Stage 1: Inspiration – Gathering Raw Ideas 08:15 - Stage 2: Conditions – How Anxiety and Pressure Affect Speech 10:00 - Stage 3: Presentation – How Words are Chosen and Delivered 11:30 - The Quotation Brain Pack and Intellectual Obesity 13:15 - Symptoms of Scattered Thinking 15:00 - Why Clear Thinking Leads to Clear Speaking 16:30 - Introduction to Verbal Branding 18:00 - Surface vs. Deep Lexicon: Why We Struggle to Use Good Words 19:30 - How to Access Better Words Through Pausing and Repetition 21:00 - How Inputs Shape Your Language and Thought Patterns 22:30 - The Impact of Music, Media, and Social Inputs 24:00 - Creating a Personal Language Diet 25:15 - The Power of Keeping a Commonplace Book 26:30 - Collecting Powerful Phrases to Build Articulation 28:00 - Understanding and Using Thought Wrappers 29:15 - Three Blocks to Authenticity in Speaking 29:30 - Block 1: The Fear of Silence (The Babble Problem) 31:00 - Block 2: The Disease of Perfectionism 32:15 - Block 3: Fear of Not Knowing What to Say (Edge of the Map) 33:45 - The Importance of Consistent Output for Clarity 34:30 - Introduction to Essence Writing 35:30 - Final Thoughts on Becoming a Verbal Athlete RESOURCES: Poems For Articulate Speech: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-7_V77NfFVtvLsLsN7ipdUaWQLFK4ydfp_nJfLwnxSE/edit?usp=sharing Images Cues List: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d4vsDXw_1h6Vde55uaWDVVLHBL6zxfZd8yjCdZMip_Q/edit?usp=sharing