Zen and the Art of Speaking with Alan Carroll.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as we discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income.

For the past 30 years, Alan Carroll has led Alan Carroll and Associates, specializing in transpersonal psychology. Before that, he spent a decade as a senior sales training consultant at Digital Equipment Corporation. He has worked with thousands of professionals across more than 60 countries and corporations worldwide, helping speakers and communicators access a deeper level of presence through what he calls mindful, spacious speaking. Here's my conversation with Alan Carroll.

What Is a Mindful, Spacious Speaker?

Alan: Ask yourself: how aware are you, as you speak, of where one word ends and the next one begins? Most people say they're not aware of that at all — and they think they don't need to be. But a mindful, spacious speaker doesn't just create the sounds. More importantly, they connect in that empty space between words to a state of consciousness — what you could call mindfulness, presence, or simply being without judgment. That space is available to everyone.

The Power of the Pause

Alan: Every time you speak, you're pushing energy out. Every time you pause, you allow energy to come in. That balance creates mental equilibrium — which means you can be physically still, emotionally calm, and mentally alert. When you create a conscious space between your words, a wave of relaxation flows through your body. You're no longer speaking for the ego. You've relaxed into something larger.

Breathe First, Always

Alan: An amateur speaker isn't even aware of breathing while presenting. But if you can become aware of your breath, you increase the prana — the life energy — coming into your body during those high-stakes moments when your body is tense. The number one tool for becoming present is breath awareness. And here's something worth knowing: you can't think and breathe at the same time. Take your attention from the stream of thoughts to the breath, and you cut the connection. You become embodied. You become grounded in the present moment.

The STOP Technique

Alan: Try this once. It takes about 30 seconds. S — Stop what you're doing. Close your eyes if you can and get your body as still as possible. T — Take three deep breaths. O — Observe any tension in your body and allow it to flow out through the soles of your feet. P — Proceed with kindness. Whatever your next action is, do something gentle: a smile, a word of acknowledgment, an act of care. Just one time. What you'll find is that whatever thought you were caught in when you started has evaporated. You've created a piece of stillness in the agitation of the mind.

Have You Earned the Right to Speak?

Alan: Much of speaking anxiety comes from thin ice. If the foundation is shallow — if you haven't done the deep work in your subject — you'll feel it under your feet on stage. But when you've earned the right to speak, when you've put in your time and your depth is real, the ice holds. You throw your thoughts out to the audience knowing you can answer whatever comes back. The confidence isn't manufactured. It comes from the ground beneath you.

Build Rapport Through Story and Analogy

Alan: The most powerful card in the tarot is the Fool — not because it represents foolishness, but because it holds no fixed position. It can move anywhere. When you open yourself up on stage — when you share a vulnerable, imperfect, even humorous story — you release that same energy. Firewalls come down. Rapport begins. And analogies do the same thing. If someone doesn't understand a technical concept, don't explain it in technical terms. Find the post office inside the router. Connect the new to the known, and people will remember it long after they forget the rest of your talk.

Practice in Private Before You Perform in Public

Alan: The best place to build your mindful spacious speaking muscle is somewhere you feel safe — a mirror in a private room. Start with your eyes closed. Relax your body completely. Then open your eyes and hold your own gaze without saying a word. Notice what your body does. Get comfortable with stillness. Then begin speaking — very slowly, consciously creating each sound and each silence. Breathe between them. Relax between them. Build from first gear. The organic growth that comes from this practice dissolves the ego's grip on your tongue, one pause at a time.

Peter: Alan, where can listeners go to learn more?

Alan: Visit acamindfulyou.com. We offer online coaching, virtual classes, public workshops, and corporate programs. That's the portal into everything we've discussed today.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.