05 Apr THE… PAUSE
When we lived in Malibu, California, we’d drive to Zuma beach to watch the ocean. The waves splashed onto shore, receded, then seemed to pause before unleashing another wave. Surfers paddled furiously during each pause to be launched by the water’s force.
With speaking, the pause is your best friend. This seemingly simple tool signals that something different and/or more important is coming. It also gives the speaker time to think on their feet, as well as giving the audience time to digest what was just said. The pause frames and punctuates specific content. And it satisfies our need for variety. But this tool requires subtlety and finesse.
Read aloud Shakespeare’s “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, creeps in its petty pace from day to day, ‘til the last syllable of recorded time.” Then pause before or after different words and see how the meaning and impact changes. The pauses are paintbrushes of expression and when done thoughtfully, make any content richer.
Take a pause in your day to reflect and re-center. Pause before answering a tough question. Pause before taking an action that may have long-term consequences. And before you launch into the close of your next presentation, pause, breathe in, and proceed with commitment and gusto.
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