Practise makes perfect? Dead wrong.

I have a few things in common with pop megastar, Robbie Williams.

We’re from the same town.
Went to the same school.
Support the same rubbish football team.

You would think I’d know all his most famous lyrics. However I found out recently I was singing the wrong opening line to ‘Angels’ since its release in 1997. That’s 28 years of wrongness.

I thought it was, ‘I sail away.’
But it’s, ‘I sit and wait.’

Stupid, I know.

The thing is, no one corrected me.
No one told me I was wrong.
I didn’t get any feedback.

And this brings me to a point I want to make about public speaking.

Now, you may know that one of the most important pieces of advice to improve your speaking is to practise, practise and practise.

Because practise makes perfect, right? Wrong. Dead wrong.

Practise doesn’t make perfect. Practise makes permanent.

Therefore, if you invest a chunk of your time into practising and practising your presentation or speech, what you could actually be doing is simply memorising and solidifying bad habits. It could be counterproductive.

What you need first of all is to get feedback on your presentation. And you need it from someone who can give you an honest opinion. It’s one of the most vital inputs to set you off on the right track. You need someone to tell you in 1997 that you’re singing the wrong words.

And then you can crack on with your practise. Or your singing.

So, seek as much genuine, honest feedback as you can and not only will you become a better public speaker but you could also avoid singing the wrong lyrics for 28 years.

Supercharge your skills
If you want to start your journey to learn how to practise public speaking, how to banish your fears and improve your confidence, then check out the online masterclass here at Better Public Speaking.