Your Moment

12 Feb Your Moment

Bonnie Raitt is an American Treasure. She taught herself to sing and play the guitar, specializing in gritty blues and American roots music. Raitt recently won two Grammys, for Song of the Year and Best American Roots Song, beating Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Harry Styles.

We usually cringe when people accept awards by reading endless lists of thank-you’s. But Raitt didn’t waste her moment. She said her song was inspired by a man’s visit to a mother whose son had died. The man was alive thanks to the donation of her son’s heart. Raitt said that it touched her because of the loss of her close friend, singer/songwriter John Prine. True event, true emotion, spoken simply from the heart. This is the stuff of great acceptance speeches.

When you have your moment, speak about what prompted your accomplishment and what it truly means to you. Lead with that. Then you can thank those people crucial to your success. Keep it short and make it authentic, so your audience will never tune you out.

Happy Valentine’s Day.