Gaining Wisdom in a 200-mph Freefall
Brendon Burchard. Maybe you’ve already heard of this brilliant young inspirational speaker. But if you haven’t, I’d like to recommend a video he posted on YouTube. In a moment, I’ll give you the link, but you should know first that it’s a “sleeper.” It has received only 917 views in the past two and a half years.
If you’d like to be a really effective presenter or speaker, do go watch this story of his first skydive. You may laugh your ass off, but you’ll also find lessons at several important levels (if you’re paying attention):
Level 1. Burchard doesn’t even try to stay “cool” or aloof while he tells his story. He shows that you can act wild and foolish in front of your audience, have great fun, and still maintain their utmost respect.
Level 2. The emotions that Burchard experiences are so down-to-earth and universal that everyone in the room identifies with him. They know bone deep that “he’s just like me.” And this is an incredibly powerful way to build trust.
Level 3. At the end of his story, he slips in the lesson he’s teaching without even changing gears. And he’s so offhanded about it, you’ve absorbed and processed it before you’ve even stopped laughing. This is subtle teaching at its best. Only when it’s over do you realize that his story – the entire thing – is a teaching metaphor and that his presentation was constructed that way on purpose.
There are more levels and more lessons, but I’d like for you to go discover them for yourself.
Watch this Youtube video, then come back and share your own ideas about what Burchard is doing. Let’s have some fun with this.
Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles
Hi Charles,
That so reminds me of the year several decades ago when I talked about 20 or so folks to come and jump out of a plane with me.
The training of so many of us on the same day meant that on completion of the training, and learning all the things that were important to do a safe jump, there wasn’t enough daylight left to jump on that day.
So, we arranged to come back in the next month and do our jumps individually, as we were able.
When I came back about a month later. When we were at about 5000 feet and it’s my turn, and I’ve got two hands holding the strut above me that supports the high wing, and my left foot on the right wheel, and my right foot out in empty space and the jumpmaster said: Jump – I said : “Who, Me?”
Being absolutely serious. And he said: “YES YOU!”
So, I jump off, and float down, and it’s so beautiful, and the ground is coming up, and I can make these neat turns by pulling on one toggle or the other, and all of a sudden – I’m on the ground.
What had happened in the intervening month is: I had forgotten a WHOLE LOT of the really important instructions. Like: Keep your feet together with your legs slightly bent on landing: NEVER make low altitude turns, as turns increase your speed; When you are landing, keep your eyes on the horizon, NOT ON The Ground.
So, having forgotten those instructions, my consequence was that I had a fourth metatarsal in my left foot that now had two halves of a bone instead of one. And it REALLY, REALLY hurt.
I loved Brendan’s video; what he is doing is teaching through metaphor. This is the kind of teaching that lasts, that gives vivid images that get imprinted in memory really well. So that when the lesson he is teaching: [You not only need to learn it here; You also need to have a coach that can point out when you are getting off track, or to keep you accountable for the results that you say you want].
I only learned of him and his Experts Academy in the last month. This is a fellow that when he speaks, I Pay really close attention. He is the real deal. So I am looking forward to enrolling in any program that he offers.
Happy and Smiling in Sunny New Orleans,
David
Great Questions, Charles,
If I were facing that same situation now, I would manage to get the jump in ASAP, so that the lessons that were taught were not forgotten in the interim.
What did I learn? – That is the empowering question.
What I learned was Pay Attention. Knowledge is not knowledge unless and until what I learn is actualized and practiced until REALLY Known. Then it is knowledge.
Living and loving life in the fabulous transformational New Orleans,
David