With The Least Amount Of Effort use Quotations How Quotations Can Help You Make Your Speech Or Writing More Powerful!
One of the most effective ways to add punch and power to your speech and writing is to use quotations by influential people. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th US President stated, "I not only use all the brains I have but all that I can borrow." And Jim Rohn, one of the world's most respected success coaches and motivational speakers, claims, "Don't be afraid to borrow if someone else has said it well. Winston Churchill said, 'The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.' That's so well said. You could stay up all night and not think of that." Here's what the American author and lawyer, Christian Nevell Bovee, observed about quotations many decades ago: "Next to being witty yourself, the best thing is being able to quote another's wit." And Isaac D'Israeli, the British historian, stated, "The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be preserved by quotation." French philosopher and essayist, Michel Eyquem De Montaigne, commented in the sixteenth century, "I quote others in order to better express myself." And here's what the famous American essayist and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, said about quotations: "Next to the originator of a good sentence is the first quoter of it. Many will read the book before one thinks of quoting a passage. As soon as he has done this, that line will be quoted east and west." And last but not least, here's what Henry W. Fowler, the British lexicographer, advised us about the use of quotations at the turn of the century: "Quotation... A writer [or speaker] expresses himself in words that have been used before because they give his meaning better than he can give it himself, or because they are beautiful or witty, or because he expects them to touch a cord of association in his reader, or because he wishes to show that he is learned and well read." If you've attended a seminar or read a motivational book recently, then you probably have noticed the speaker or author used some quotations to emphasize certain points throughout his or her speech or book... in order to have the most impact on you, the audience or reader. So when you use quotes in your speeches and writing... No matter what you want to write or say, it usually has already been written or stated very nicely, effectively, convincingly, persuasively, and powerfully by somebody else. In addition to helping you make your presentation or writing more successful... quotations will also help you generate new ideas. How many times have you sat at your desk, staring at a blank piece of paper or your computer monitor, trying to figure out the "perfect" line or sentence for your presentation, newsletter or article? I don't know about you, before I started using quotes to help generate ideas for my speech or article, I'd sometimes stared at a blank piece of paper for, believe it or not, hours, trying to come up with the "right" words. But after discovering the exciting world of quotations, by learning what some of the wisest men and women have said about a specific topic, I am able to generate great ideas at a very rapid rate. And you can do the same, too. For example, if you're giving a speech or writing about "forgiveness" then, in my opinion, one of the greatest quotes ever written or spoken on this topic was by Mark Twain when he stated, "Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." I'm sure you'll agree with me this one sentence, alone, can summarize your whole presentation or article on "forgiveness," am I right? Top speakers use quotes by other authors and speakers to make their points more concise and powerful. Since one of the main objectives of your presentation or article is to get the audience or reader to take immediate action, whether it's to buy your product or to elect you for the position of president in your company, and so on, I know you're always looking for ways to make your message more and more powerful, so use powerful quotations. And here's a summary of what you can use great quotations for...
(Some information on quotations taken from Cybernation)
|
|||
