Sometimes it's easy to get stuck in creating a presentation. We can get caught up in trying to figure it all out before we even write out one word. Consider these 4 steps to forming fresh material so you will Present Like A Pro!

1. Get a little messy. Creating a presentation can be stressful. There is usually a time deadline, people to impress, and our own credibility to uphold. Let go of those worries, and just start to make a list of stories and ideas. Don't think about their significance. Simply create an unorganized mess of thoughts.

2. Play with your ideas. Next, select one story or idea and start talking out loud or writing about it. Again, don't critique or structure your thoughts. Instead, try to remember everything you can about the setting, emotions, and events of your stories. Make note of any new ideas you have.

3. Just imagine. Once you have a vivid experience or insight, imagine how you can share it with others. Are there creative ways to express it to your audiences? What is the value of this experience? How will your listeners relate? What else might you want to say in connection with these great stories?

4. Find the big picture. At this point, it's time to step back from your notes, narratives and ideas. Is there a theme? Can you find a link from one to another? As you examine how they relate to your audience and to one another, you may start to see the message and the big idea for your presentation.

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If you want to find and develop great stories and creative presentations, check out the great resources at Present Like A Pro, and sign up today for our upcoming teleseminar on Storytelling Tips for Every Presentation.

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It's important to communicate a clear message to your listeners. However, you do not need to know that main idea when you begin to design a new talk. Instead, open up your colorful professional and personal experiences and just start to play.

As you get messy, play, and imagine with your unique wonderful stories and insights, you will most likely be able to discover what your message is. Like a child with a fingerpainting, decide at the end what your presentation is actually "about." As you have fun now in creating a talk, you will find it possible to define it later and Present Like A Pro!

"Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better, to paint a picture or write a letter, bake a cake or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?" -Patsy Clairmont excerpt from the "Dust" poem

Patsy Clairmont suffered for many years with agoraphobia. A prisoner in her own home for years, she now speaks to arenas packed with people. She credits her change to God's transforming power in her life, and she tells her audiences about her past with humor and grace.

When I first saw Patsy present, she walked out on stage with a HUGE mess of colorful rubber bands.

Her large but vague prop immediately captured the attention of the thousands of women who filled the Minneapolis Target Center. I wondered what is that?! She quickly explained that this tangled mass represented her inner feelings on really emotional days. She thought that it would be a great idea for her and all women to wear it on bad days as a warning sign for others.

Her humor immediately connected and endeared us to her.

I have had the opportunity to see Pasty on several other occasions. She never ceases to make her listeners laugh as she shares the more serious side of her past and her faith. She is a master of reaching people's hearts through their funny bones.

If you have experienced heartbreak, overcome trials or just survived a really bad day, consider how your experiences can help others. Like Patsy Clairmont, look for the humor and the triumphs, and when necessary, carry a warning sign!