“Only when we are brave

enough to explore the darkness

will we discover the infinite
power of our light.”

Brené Brown
 WHAT IS
SPEAKER
SLAM?
Speaker Slam is North America’s largest Inspirational
Speaking Competition which has recently gone online
making us globally accessible. It’s where the skill
of public speaking meets the thrill of competition.
We started in the Fall of 2016 and have had packed
venues, hundreds of inspired speakers, and a roster
of influential judges which includes paid professional
speakers, successful entrepreneurs, and trailblazers.

The Speaker Slam community is made up of thousands

of engaged, passionate attendees and speakers in
pursuit of personal development, human connection
and inspiration. Our speakers compete to win cash
and prizes valued up to $10,000. Our winners have
gone on to get paid speaking gigs, TEDx talks and online notoriety. We also have had close to a half-
billion views on our videos with many of our speakers going viral!

Emerging Speakers is the training arm of

our business. We focus on inspirational
storytelling, viral speech writing, and
paid speaking. In addition, we offer
Inspirational Speaking Certification.

Join us on this journey and

live the most inspired life
possible!
 What Does it Mean to be
an Inspirational Speaker?
Part of our shared human experience is going through obstacles and challenges and
adversity. It’s what connects and unifies us. We celebrate resilience, strength, courage,
tenacity and triumph. Once you have gotten to the other side of any challenge you are
in a position to inspire others. Being on the other side of an obstacle gives you a lens of
objectivity, lessons worth sharing and unique insights. While you may (and should) be able
to connect emotionally to your story, you are no longer in the intensity of that emotion and
you can share with clarity.

The purpose of this journal is to help you unlock your life’s message and to powerfully
share your personal story. We will dive deep into your past and explore the challenges and
successes. What meaning did they have for you? What were the themes and patterns and
universal messages?

As you reflect on your life and experiences, you can connect with your story and step into
becoming an Inspirational Speaker who makes an impact.

How To Use
This journal is divided into 3 sections. You will discover
your story, own your story and craft your speech. Work
at your own pace and complete each exercise.
This Journal: They are designed to have you reflect over the moments
and experiences that shaped who you are. Meditate in a
quiet place and be open to what comes up for you. The experiences in our lives become
the stories needed to deliver the messages others need to hear.
Your life experiences have value. They are important. The lessons you will share might
greatly impact someone else.
 Great storytellers become
great speakers
At Speaker Slam, we have had some of the best on our stage. You could be next!
 Step 1

DISCOVERY
And into the forest
I go, to lose my mind and
find my soul.

This period is for reflection.

In this first section, you will look back over your entire life and think about moments that
have impacted you.

You will discover which moments created your foundation and shaped who you are.
You will reflect over which experiences, whether positive or negative are memorable and
important and which moments have defined your life. As you begin to focus on these
memories and record them, what comes up for you? Do you see a pattern? Do you see
your values clearly coming to light, shaped by your life experiences?

This work can be eye-opening and challenging but it can also be empowering and
liberating. Do the following exercises at your own pace and notice any patterns that keep
coming up for you.
 TIMELINE EXERCISE

Write out moments of significance that were pivotal in your development.

Write out the first things that come to your mind, the good and the bad.

1-10 years old 10-20 years old

 TIMELINE EXERCISE

Write out moments of significance that were pivotal in your development.

Write out the first things that come to your mind, the good and the bad.

20-30 years old 30-40 years old

 TIMELINE EXERCISE

Write out moments of significance that were pivotal in your development.

Write out the first things that come to your mind, the good and the bad.

40-60 years old 60-80+ years old

 MOMENTS OF IMPACT EXERCISE

Using the moments from the Timeline exercise, make a list of the pivotal moments
that were defining in your life.

List the Worst Moments In List the Best Moments

Order of Impact In Order of Impact
Identify one thing on that list that HAS HAD THE MOST IMPACT
in your life.
Tell that story from the beginning to the end.
 Step 2

OWN YOUR STORY

Owning our story can be hard
but not nearly as difficult as
spending our lives running
from it.
Brené Brown
Once you have gotten clear on your memories, it’s time to understand the greater meaning.
As you share the obstacles and challenges you’ve faced, you will start to understand the
themes of your life. It’s time to tap into those experiences and feel the feelings.

Once you understand the themes in your life and your values, you are ready to decide on
your message. This will become an important part of your speaking. People are inclined to
share speeches about things that are important to them. They want their messages to be
impactful and to make a difference in people’s lives.

Do the work so that you can be clear on the message you want to share!

The following exercises will help you understand themes, feelings, obstacles and the people
important in your story. These are the crucial pieces necessary to craft a powerful story.
 OWN YOUR STORY
Identify the possible themes in your story.

Examples of Themes:

• Self-Worth • Purpose • Inadequacy

• Regret • Shame • Self-Doubt
• Fear • Love • Belonging
• Failure • Self-Love • Bullying
• Legacy • Forgiveness • Identity
 OWN YOUR STORY
What were the feelings you felt?

Examples of Feelings:

• Sadness • Worthlessness • Inadequacy

• Shame • Joy • Self-Loathing
• Guilt • Excitement • Empowerment
• Anxiety • Depression • Pride
 OWN YOUR STORY
What were the obstacles you faced?

Examples of Obstacles:
• Bullying • Inner turmoil • Body Image
• Shame • Rejection • Failure

How did it affect your self-worth?

 OWN YOUR STORY

List the key people in your life around that time.

Name How did they impact this story?

How did it affect your self-worth?

 OWN YOUR STORY

How did this story impact how you acted socially? How did it affect you at
school, work or in other areas in your life?
 OWN YOUR STORY

How did it affect the decisions you made?

 OWN YOUR STORY

What was the lesson you learned from your story?

 OWN YOUR STORY

How did that lesson come to light?

 OWN YOUR STORY

How are you different because of it?

 OWN YOUR STORY

What was your learning?

 OWN YOUR STORY

What is the inspirational message or take-away for the audience from

your story?
 Step 3

CRAFT YOUR SPEECH

“Tell the story of the mountain
you climbed. Your words could
become a page in someone else’s
survival guide.”

Morgan Harper Nichols

Now that you have dug deep and gotten clear on your message and stories, it’s time to put
all the pieces together.

Relax into this process and write from your heart.

Don’t get hung up on the technicalities of writing, just let your story pour out of you.

Follow the prompts and begin your journey as an Inspirational Speaker.

 CRAFTING THE SPEECH

Create the opening by jumping right into the story. This has to be one line that
is a hook. It might even be the most painful part of the story:

List 3 powerful moments within your story.

 CRAFTING THE SPEECH

Write out that story in descriptive language.

What happened? How did you feel in that moment? What did the story
mean to you? What were you telling yourself? What seeds were planted?
How did it affect your self-esteem in that moment?
NEXT
• Can you tell this story within 4 minutes?
If not, what can you cut?

steps
• The goal is to have a speech that flows.
• Review your speech and cut what
doesn’t fit anymore.

Now you’re ready…

And GO!
• If you are ready to
compete, we would
love to have you enter
at Speaker Slam.
We have ongoing
competitions held
online with a variety of
Inspirational themes.
• You can visit our
website: www.speakerslam.org to register.
MAKEImpact
(and MONEY) with
INSPIRATIONAL
SPEAKING
the WINNING EMERGING
SYSTEM SPEAKERS
Don’t feel ready yet?
You can find out more here: If you are looking to be
www.speakerslam.org a part of a supportive
community to continue
working on your speech-
writing and storytelling,
check out Emerging
Speakers.This community
is made up of speakers
working towards their
goals which include:

• Being inspirational
speakers who have
mastered storytelling.
• Going viral with a
powerful speech.
• Becoming paid
speakers.
Notes