Speaking Clearly

Have you ever listened to someone talk and felt a little lost, like you didn't know where they were going?  That can happen when a speaker doesn't use "signposts" — words that show you where you are in a talk.  In this episode, I practice using signposts and sticking to one clear example the whole way through. Intro — I explain what this podcast is about and what skill I'm...

Do you ever start talking and then forget where you were going?  That happens to me a lot! In this episode, I try something new to help me stop rambling.  It is called "speaking in frames."  It means I talk about one thing by looking at three parts: the past, the present, and the future. I use this new way of speaking to talk about learning new skills.  First, I tell a story about learni...

Do you find it hard to say what you are actually thinking when speaking on the spot?  In Episode 15 of Speaking Clearly, I push my unscripted talking limits to share a raw story about digital distraction, phone screens, and real-world focus.  In this unedited daily workout, I explain how a special 4-sentence paragraph structure can help you talk for 5 to 8 minutes without running out of ideas.  Sa...

Do you get a mental traffic jam when you try to speak without a script?  In Episode 14 of Speaking Clearly, I test a cool trick that makes unscripted public speaking feel super easy and fast.  I learned that our brains freeze up because we are trying to make too many choices at once.  In this quick daily drill, I use a pre-made sentence starter called the Perspective Shift framework.  By using a t...

Did you know that public speaking is actually about how you feel about yourself?  In Episode 13 of Speaking Clearly, I talk about a huge breakthrough I had today while practicing my unscripted talking skills.  I realized that when I am at home with my wife, stories roll out of my head easily because I feel safe.  But when I get on a stage, a false belief makes me feel like being seen is dangerous....

Can you tell a whole story using only three random words?  In Episode 12 of Speaking Clearly, I play a quick public speaking game called the Snow Globe.  I do not have any notes or bullet points written down for the middle of this episode.   I only have three words: storm, bicycle, and key.    I try to look up at the wall, keep my hands relaxed at my sides, and tell a one-minute story connecting a...

Do you squeeze your hands together or look down at your paper when you speak in front of a class?  In Episode 11 of Speaking Clearly, I talk about a club meeting I went to and the advice my friends gave me about my posture.  When your brain is trying hard to think of what to say next, your body gets nervous.  In this quick daily practice, I try to look up at the wall, relax my hands, and speak usi...

Do you find yourself pausing awkwardly in the middle of a sentence when speaking without notes?  In Episode 10 of Speaking Clearly, I tackle mid-sentence pauses and explore how to train your brain and breath to deliver continuous, complete thoughts.  To fix this common speech habit, I practice a "single-breath" drill alongside an expanded four-bullet prompt layout.  I share my own unedit...

Want to learn how to speak without reading from a script?  In Episode 9 of Speaking Clearly, I am continuing my daily communication drills to master natural, unscripted delivery.  In this episode, I practice ditching word-for-word scripts entirely in favor of three simple bullet points to formulate my thoughts one sentence at a time.  This real-time unedited exercise focuses on critical speaking m...

Want to learn how to fix those awkward pauses and improve your public speaking skills?  In this episode of Speaking Clearly, I am running a live communication drill designed to help you slow down your speaking speed and master conversational pacing.  I work on a major unscripted speaking challenge: pauses that feel much shorter in your head than they do to your audience.  I work throught this by f...

Want to learn how to improve your speaking skills without relying on a word-for-word script?  In this episode of Speaking Clearly, I am breaking away from scripted episodes to practice true conversational public speaking using a simple keyword-highlighting method.  To test out this unscripted format, I share a highly relatable personal story about how to get back into a workout routine after vacat...

Ever start talking and realize you don't know where you're going? That's rambling — and it's one of the biggest things standing between you and clear communication. This podcast is me working through my own public speaking growth in real time, and this episode tackles why rambling happens. I use a simple car-following analogy to explain how your audience gets lost when you lose...

I knew my explanations were missing something. Maybe yours could get stronger too — better at getting your point across. After starting Ros Atkins' 'The Art of Explanation,' I found the first big reason why: context. This episode is about one question that changes everything — why does this matter to the person listening? Email - speakingclearlypodcast@gmail.com Copyright - 2026 Pat...

Do you ever start a sentence and not know where you're going with it? In this episode I look at how Netflix turned a 20 minute Wikipedia article into a 4 part documentary series. Keeping an audience engaged while staying on topic is a skill. One I haven't mastered yet — but one worth being aware of. Email - speakingclearlypodcast@gmail.com Copyright - 2026 Patrick 

Why does speaking in front of people leave you out of breath? I started this podcast to learn what it takes to improve my communication and speaking. Getting out of breath while speaking felt anything but normal — until I looked into it. In this episode I share how to navigate that feeling through my own experience. Email - speakingclearlypodcast@gmail.com Copyright - 2026 Patrick 

 I started this podcast to improve my own speaking. Clear communication affects every part of our lives — and most of us never think about our pace. In this episode I share a real story of how slowing down to 92 words per minute helped me finally get my point across. Email - speakingclearlypodcast@gmail.com Copyright - 2026 Patrick 

I stood in front of 20 people at a Toastmasters meeting and said four words. That was it. Sixty seconds of silence, burning cheeks, and a room full of people waiting.  I experienced the embarassment of being a shy and poor communicator.  This is the story of that moment — and why it pushed me to start Speaking Clearly Email - speakingclearlypodcast@gmail.com Copyright - 2026 Patrick