How can I make a speech on video that's so good that the organizers of TED talks will see it and just fly me out to California to give a TED talk seen by millions? That is a question I get fairly often these days. And here's the answer. It's not that simple. The hard part is not the look of the video, the hard part is actually having an idea worth spreading. That's the tagline of Ted and the problem is very few ideas in the world.

There are very few ideas that people have never heard up. So when you're saying something, it might sound fine to your friends, family members, local civic club, people who know you, but to someone who doesn't know you. They may hear your speech and think Well, I've heard that 1000 times or that's just common sense. Or this guy or this woman is just spouting pablum. It's very hard to get people who Don't know you don't know your position, title accomplishments, to hear you speak and have them think Wow. That's really a good idea I'd never heard of it before.

Stated that way. That's the hard part of getting a TED talk. And when you look at many of the TED speakers who have the biggest audiences are most successful, the thing they all have in common. They didn't just decide to do a TED talk one day, most of them have been giving speeches. every single week, sometimes multiple speeches in a week, sometimes speeches every day, for years and years and years, decades. They have expertise.

They have a passion, they seek out every opportunity they can to speak and their fan base grew, their audience grew their book sales grew, and that's what brought them to the attention of the TED organizers. I don't believe you should aspire to give Have a TED talk. Nothing wrong with that. I love Ted. I do think you should aspire to speak to as many people as possible to reach as many people with messages you have that can help. Do that long enough.

Do it well enough. And you'll be speaking on the TED platform and every other platform as well.