How to be a Presentation God: Build, Design, and Deliver Presentations that Dominate!

5.5. SNAPSHOT OF A PRESENTATION GOD: BRUCE LEE

Nothing presents like a fist in the face. But even lacking that option, we can still learn a lot from the late martial arts master. Bruce Lee wasn't just good at martial arts; he revolutionized them by creating a brand new style called Jeet Kune Do, thereby changing expectations about how the arts were learned. Here's what we can learn from Lee for that upcoming presentation.

5.5.1. Pragmatism

Being pragmatic mean having a basic understanding of priorities: If you want to deliver an authentic, original presentation, don't place exclusions on how that presentation comes into being. I see presenters every day who limit what they can and can't do on stage according to the assumptions they've made about themselves such as, "I'm not creative," "I'm not energetic," or "I'm not good with words." At the end of the day, just decide what's more important: what you "know" about yourself or giving a great presentation. We can choose to be whatever we need to be when we prioritize a goal over our own egos. Again, creativity isn't a gift; it's an attitude.

5.5.2. Espionage

Put the martini down because I don't mean pursuing your lifelong dream of living life on the razor's edge. Lee possessed the spirit of espionage in spades—a deeply held belief that learning was available everywhere. The casual observer would assume that a 5′7″, 135-lb. martial artist couldn't learn much from the 6′3″, 220-lb. heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali. ...