11 Secrets behind my TEDx Talk

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:00]:
Well, hello there and welcome back to the Happy Healthy Hustle. I’m your coach, Dr. Christiane, and I’m so glad you’re here today. Today I’m actually inviting you behind the scenes of my TEDX talk, and if you haven’t watched it yet, the talk is called How Small Steps Create Big Change. You will find the link in the show notes and of course I would love for you to go and watch it. Hit the like button, leave a comment with your favorite takeaway, and share that with someone who might need that encouragement. What I want to share in today’s episode of the podcast isn’t just about the message of the TEDx talk. It’s about the preparation that made it possible.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:44]:
TEDx isn’t just one day on stage. It’s months of rehearsing, refining, and also deciding on what shoes to wear. So the preparation goes much deeper than practicing your script. It’s about how you set yourself up to show up fully. Most people actually assume that the success on the stage, it’s about talent or memorization or maybe even charisma. The truth is, success often comes down to how well you reduce friction. In behavioral economics, this friction is called choice architecture. So the idea is really simple.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:28]:
When you design your environment, it changes how you behave. So think of how grocery stores place fruit at the eye level to nudge you towards healthier choices. Or when you’re laying out your workout clothing, it makes you more likely to exercise in the morning, so I’m reducing that friction. The same is true for stage preparation. If I can remove distractions or friction. For instance, my clothing is wrinkled, my skin feels dry, I have tired eyes, my shoes are uncomfortable. Then I can save my energy for what matters most. Delivering my message.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:06]:
Every small step I took before the TEDx talk was about shaping an environment that made me feel ready. Let me walk through the little things that supported me. Yes, I had a rug in my home and it looked just like the rug on the TEDx stage. And it became my practice stage. Every rehearsal happened on that rug, and by the time I stepped on the TEDx red dot, it felt familiar. That’s a psychology concept we call embodied cognition. Our bodies influence our minds, so practicing in one spot trained my brain to associate that circle with confidence. I used an eye mask in the morning to look awake after I practiced a lot, especially the morning of TEDx.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:56]:
The science here is super simple. When you believe you look rested, you actually carry yourself differently. It’s a shift in self perception and it changes how you present. Of course My mascara. Right. Because the camera focuses on your face. I picked one that doesn’t smudge in the lights and that sounds maybe really small, but actually it just reduces one worry. So instead of thinking of how I looked, I was free to focus on connecting with my audience.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:24]:
And again, that’s that choice architecture I talked about. In the evening, I always prepared my hair, so I used this revitalizing tonic. So it looked and felt the same every day, whether I was practicing or stepping on the stage. And of course, I also want to point out, yes, it’s sometimes very simple, but even using, like vitamin boosts can help you because they can keep up your energy in a very natural way. Lotion is really important because it’s a self ritual, but it’s also a quiet signal to myself that I was prepared. I also had a necklace that reminded me that I felt centered and grounded. And my. I gave my daughter a very simple camera to take some fun pictures.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:09]:
On the day of the talk, I wore golden low heels to me, comfortable enough to stand in for 15 minutes, stylish enough to give me that extra edge. Because the shoes are actually much more important than what people think. They affect your posture, and posture affects your confidence. Again, embodied cognition. When you stand tall, you feel stronger. And I also used a handheld steamer to make sure my outfit was long and lean and crisp because, I mean, I didn’t want that those wrinkles show up. What I want to say is you have to record yourself, right? If you ask people for feedback, that’s important, too. And all this is this behavioral science at work.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:55]:
So individually, of course, none of these items made me a great speaker. But together, they created conditions for me to step confidently into that moment. And that’s where psychology gives us a powerful signal. Self signaling. Every small action sets a signal to your brain about who you are. When I applied lotion, when I steeped my clothes, when I slipped into the golden shoes, I was signaling. You are prepared. You’re professional.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:23]:
You belong here. You’re going to deliver an amazing TEDx talk. And that’s why preparation is never wasted. It’s not about perfection. It’s about evidence. Evidence. You give yourself that you’re ready. And I want to give you something to remember.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:39]:
The small steps matter. It’s the petite practices. They build your confidence long before the spotlight hits you. So when you go and watch my TEDx talk, and I hope that you do, I want that you notice not just the words, but the presence. The presence was built with dozens of little choices, with month of prep Each product, each ritual, each small step added up to that big moment. And here’s my ask for you. After you watch the TEDx talk, please take a moment. Like the video, leave a comment, share it with someone else.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:15]:
Because those small actions create ripple effects you can’t always see. Your share might be the reason someone else takes their first small step, their first petite practice. Now, because you’re here with me, you get a sneak peek at what’s next. I have a new book coming out soon. It’s called the Runway to the Red Dot. It’s all about stepping into your voice. And I will be expanding on the exact strategies I’ve been sharing today. The psychology, the behavioral sciences, the practical tools that help you prepare for your own big moment.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:50]:
So whether your stage is a keynote, a classroom, a podcast, mic, boardroom, or maybe even TEDx, the principles in my book are going to be the same. So if you are on my email list, you’ll start seeing little teasers and tips delivered. It’s just short, actionable insights you can use right away. And think of it as your ongoing stage prep delivered one step and one email at a time. So that’s the story behind the rug, the eye mask, the shoes, and the necklace. Every detail was part of a bigger picture. So the preparation is how you step into that voice. And those small steps are what create the change you want to see.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:07:31]:
Go watch the talk, share it, like it, forward it, and then come back here where we’ll keep building conference and clarity together. I’m your coach, Dr. Christiane, and this was the Happy Healthy Hustle podcast. Keep practicing your petite practices. They add up and I can’t wait to see you in the next episode. Thank you so much for tuning in.