Passion Play

I remember a football game from last season when the Philadelphia Eagles were hosting the Carolina Panthers. One of the announcers said something like this: "If this game is about passion, it's about Deuce Staley! If it's about passion, he will be the last guy standing. No one puts more heart and soul into this game."

What will people say about your work, your life and how you play your game? How will they hear your voice?

ESI teaches that passion is the most important ingredient for successful communicators. With passion, you don't need to know all the rules. Without passion, the message may just have no heat, no attraction to an audience of one or one thousand. That is not to say that a passion-filled person is assured success. It is to say that without this powerful ingredient, the presenter will most often fall short.

Passion has many descriptions: hot, determined, overwhelming. And so on. We remind you however that passion can be expressed in a whisper, from a pillow. We all know the example of a child who wants or needs something important to them can win over the crustiest of adults. Passion.

When John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church was asked how he attracted such huge crowds to his sermons, he replied, "I simply set John Wesley on fire, and the people come to see John Wesley burn!"

Start your game today with passion. It is hard to resist!

Ty Boyd, CEO of Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems (http://www.tyboyd.com), is in the Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Speakers Hall of Fame. He has taught presentation skills to Fortune 1000 executives in more than 34 countries. His Excellence In Speaking Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005.