What if I forget my words while I'm giving my TEDx Talk?
At every TEDx event I’ve attended live, someone has forgotten their words.
(That includes the event where I gave my talk in 2021. In fact, at that event, someone forgot their talk so many times that they had her re-record during lunchtime because it would have been hard to edit out.)
TEDx speakers forget their words all the time. We just don’t see it in the videos.
Some speakers have a quick “deer-in-the-headlights” moment and then keep right on going.
Others pause long enough that I start to sweat for them, mentally sending them good vibes: “You know this. It’s right there. Skip to what you know. You can do it.”
Other speakers still will comment on their lapse, apologize, or start a section over. Some do this more gracefully than others.
I’d say around half of the TEDx speakers I’ve seen at live events forget their words while they’re giving their talk.
All but the quickest blips get edited out, so anyone who watches those talks on YouTube or on TED’s website.
The trouble isn’t about the actual moments of forgetting, though.
The audience wants you to do well. No one is judging you when you stumble.
The real problem is that if you’re not certain of your talk, the audience is going to feel that. We’ll spend the short minutes of your talk wondering “Will she make it?” instead of really internalizing your Idea Worth Spreading or learning to see you as a credible expert.
The TED speakers who get through their whole talk without a hiccup are the ones that everyone talks about in the lobby.
That’s because when we’re not distracted by your nerves, we naturally focus on your message.
(More on that later.)
As common as it is to make mistakes when you’re giving your TEDx Talk, it’s also pretty preventable.
With the right memorization process and enough rehearsal, you can remove about 98% chance that you’ll blank on your TEDx script.
I’m one of those speakers who got through my whole talk without a moment of panic — not just at the event itself, but also at the dress rehearsal the night before. Two for two.
I’m not special. I don’t have some amazing brain or photographic memory.
(I write down every shopping list even when it’s only 3 items. That’s the kind of natural memory I have. Thanks, neurodivergence!)
What DOES make me “special” is…
I’ve been trained in the STRATEGY of memorization and rehearsal.
My education and professional experience as a live theatre actor mean I’ve been taught HOW to memorize and HOW MUCH to rehearse.
And that makes all the difference.
Most speakers are never taught how to memorize.
And most speakers have no idea how much rehearsal is necessary to actually feel at ease on stage.
So they go about memorizing their TEDx Talk the same way they memorized “The Road Not Taken” for 6th grade English class — and it doesn’t stick so good. Because not only were they never taught how to memorize well — but the tools that kind of worked when they were 11 years old don’t work 20, 30, 40 years later.
Memorization becomes a frustrating, no-win exercise.
After “memorizing” the talk, they run it a few times… but never get past essential benchmarks of rehearsal.
They go into their event clutching their notes and hoping it’s all “in there.”
There’s a better way.
As a TEDx coach, I guide you through the memorization and rehearsal process so when you give your talk, the audience pays attention to your expertise and your message — not your nerves.
I teach you how to memorize in a way that works for YOUR brain (based on your personal learning style).
Then, I guide you through the rehearsal process — how much to rehearse and when.
I also teach you what to do if you DO forget your words when you’re on stage, so you can stay calm and keep your talk moving.
When you memorize the right way for your own brain, and when you rehearse sufficiently, that’s how you get to that 98% certainty level, where your talk feels fun and easy instead of hard and scary.
Where standing in front of a live audience feels safe instead of setting off your nervous system’s alarm bells.
That’s how you give a confident, powerful, JOYFUL talk. I want you to feel relaxed before and during your talk. I want your pride to shine through. You’re changing the world with your message! That’s AMAZING.
If you’re worried about whether you’re going to forget your words, you’re not going to be feeling that pride and confidence during your talk.
You’re going to feel nerves. And worry. And hesitation.
(And your audience is going to feel that, too.)
But with the right strategies, you can let that all go and just ENJOY yourself.
When you’re enjoying yourself, the audience can truly hear your message. That’s when you can make a real impact.
If we sense that you’re feeling uncertain, our focus will be on that uncertainty. Not on your message.
And THAT’s why I want you to know HOW to memorize. That’s why I want you to know HOW to rehearse and HOW MUCH to rehearse.
So you can walk onstage, stride confidently to that red dot, and give the most powerful talk of your life.
Drawing on her decade+ experience as an actor, director, writer, editor, and educator…
Messaging Expert Cathlyn Melvin helps idea-driven personal brands design and deliver their world-changing messages through TEDx coaching and done-for-you copywriting services.
Her insight has been featured via TEDx, Thrive Global, Fempreneur Online, Much More Media, Captivate + Convert, She Built This, The Writing Cooperative, and other outlets.
Learn more about her copywriting and TEDx coaching services.