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The Five-Minute Rehearsal Method

Is rehearsing your speech a task on your checklist or a permanent daily habit?

Stage performance

On Stage

Public speaking

New students

Andrew

Davis

Partner, Speaking Business Thought Leader

minute read

Published on

September 16, 2024

Systematically improve your speech refining one five-minute section at a time.

Whether I’m at my home in Florida, or speaking at an event in Hollywood, Chicago, or even the Netherlands, I always start my morning with one simple, daily habit.

‍

A habit that’s helped me not only refine my delivery, but also infuse my speeches with the power to generate referrals—over and over again.

‍

Yep, this powerful habit is rehearsing your speech.

‍

You see, there’s just one thing that separates a $5K speaker from a $25K speaker, and it’s rehearsal.

‍

The $25K+ speaker constantly hones their craft and gets better faster. The other doesn’t have time to improve and instead becomes complacent in their speaking business progress.

‍

A lot of speakers don’t rehearse. When I ask why, I usually hear two common excuses for avoiding this game-changing habit.

‍

Number one: I don’t have the time.

‍

Number two: Rehearsing makes me sound stiff and robotic on stage.

‍

If you’ve ever used one of these excuses to avoid rehearsing your speech, you’re not alone. So many speakers miss out on the intense benefits of rehearsal because of these silly excuses!

‍

Rehearsing your speech is essential for improvement. You see, to get better at anything, you need to do it every day. Truly successful speakers consistently put in the daily effort to improve their delivery, strengthen their message, and refine their stories.

Full Transcript

Don't

make rehearsing your speech a habit with a permanent spot on your calendar.

Push Through the Trough of Extreme Discomfort

‍

How can you create your own rehearsal habit? What does it take to form a habit that doesn’t just help you improve, but instead improve rapidly while maximizing your revenue?

‍

First things first, you need to make the time. A professional speaker who doesn’t have time to rehearse their speech isn’t a professional speaker at all.

‍

Not rehearsing your speech is like LeBron James skipping out on a daily training session. Or Lionel Messi deciding not to go to soccer practice anymore.

‍

If you want to be a professional speaker, it’s literally your job to craft, practice, and deliver the best speech possible.

‍

Now, I get it. Perhaps you’ve tried rehearsing before, only to find that when you get on stage, you sound stiff, “over-rehearsed,” and robotic.

‍

But that’s not because you rehearsed! It’s because you didn’t rehearse enough.

‍

You see, as you start rehearsing, you’ll feel great—at first. You’re comfortable with your speech (even though the overall quality is still pretty low).

‍

In the middle, as you spend more time fixing, cutting, and improving your speech, it will get messy. You’ll start to feel uncomfortable, frustrated—you might even feel like your speech has gotten worse!

‍

But that’s completely normal. The messy middle is what I like to call the Trough of Extreme Discomfort. And while it is uncomfortable, there’s good news: you’re close to a breakthrough.

Don't

The Breakthrough Chart from The Referable Speaker by Michael Port & Andrew Davis

If you push through and continue to refine, rehearse, and improve your speech, you’ll have breakthroughs, you’ll achieve a much higher level of performance, and you’ll get better, faster.

Don't

let the Trough of Extreme Discomfort hold you back from achieving peak performance.

Now that you know rehearsal is essential for maximizing your speaking performance, crafting a referable speech, and becoming a best-in-class speaker, how do you rehearse?

‍

Rehearsing is not sitting at your computer and reading your speech. It’s not mumbling your lines as you read off note cards. No, not at all.

‍

A highly productive rehearsal habit requires the right equipment, the right attitude, and the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method.

‍

What You Need for the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method

‍

For the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method to work in all its glory, you need to schedule a one-hour non-negotiable space in your calendar for daily rehearsals. Every day.

‍

(Yeah… this takes more than five minutes—it takes an hour.)

‍

Besides the time, you need to find a space—a large space, perhaps in your living room, patio, backyard, or garage—that empowers you to feel like you’re actually on stage.

‍

Three Simple Tools

‍

There are just three simple tools you need to start rehearsing your speech using the Five- Minute Rehearsal Method: a recording device, note cards, and a reliable timer.

‍

During your rehearsal, you’ll record yourself giving your speech (I know, watching yourself on video is super awkward, but it’s also super essential for improvement). You’ll write notes on your note cards to easily reference them while you’re rehearsing. And you’ll use the timer to track the length of your delivery in each run-through.

‍

This equipment is easy to come by. But finding the right attitude could be a little more challenging.

‍

The Right Mindset

‍

Besides resilience, determination, and commitment to ensure you stick with your daily rehearsal schedule—and push through the trough of extreme discomfort—you must understand one simple truth:

‍

When you’re working on your speech, you’ll never be truly “done.”

‍

There will always be room for improvement. There will always be something you could make better, tighter, or more effective.

‍

But instead of letting that discourage you, embrace a constant improvement mindset. As you refine, revise, and rework your speech every day, celebrate the small wins. After all, it’s hundreds of small improvements that make up a transformational, next-level speech.

Don't

a complete run-through of your speech once a week to keep the content fresh and moving.

How the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method Works

‍

This method will help you systematically improve every section of your speech, refining just five minutes at a time—focusing on just one performance aspect in every rehearsal session.

‍

The end result? A much better speech.

‍

So let’s go over the five simple steps to the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method.

‍

Step 1: Pick five minutes of your speech

‍

Review a recording of your speech (it’s best if it’s from your most recent gig) and identify a five-minute section that can be improved.

‍

Remember, you should record every speech you give. If you don’t have any recordings, grab your camera, hit “record,” and deliver your speech, performing it as if you were really on stage.

‍

This will give you a starting point for your rehearsal. You’ll see the current quality of your delivery and be able to easily pinpoint specific areas that need revisions, refinement, and polishing.

‍

Step 2: Analyze your five minutes

‍

Now it’s time to really examine your performance. Imagine you’re in the audience, watching yourself on stage.

‍

You can ask yourself these questions and jot down your thoughts on your note cards.

‍

Is the section clear and tight?
Does it make sense?
Is the joke funny?
Are there umms and ahhs?
Can the audience see what you're doing?
What could be better?
What could be faster?
What could be more effective?
Why do I move there?
Where should I move?
Could that joke land harder?

‍

Feel free to watch the five-minute section a few times so you know exactly what needs to be improved.

‍

During one of my rehearsal sessions for my Mystery Box speech, I was studying the bit where I open a “mystery box” on stage—as a 16-year-old YouTube influencer girl. With the voice… extreme excitement… the “OMG!”s... yep, the whole shebang.

‍

When I watched that part of my speech, I could tell it needed serious work. It was only a 90-second bit, but I spent my entire rehearsal session working on just that portion of my speech.

‍

Step 3: Plan how to fix the five minutes

‍

Choose one thing you want to improve—just one.

‍

Perhaps you notice multiple things that need improvement—excessive umms and ahhs, movement that doesn’t align with your message, a story that’s too long.

‍

Choose only one. Choose the one thing you think will have the greatest impact on that five-minute section. Usually the first thing you notice is a good place to start.

‍

You might need to rewrite that section of your speech, adjust your vocal pacing, change the blocking, or fix the voice you’re using. Sometimes you’ll need to rework the transition into and out of the bit, simplify a story, or perfect the punchline.

‍

Whatever you decide to fix, brainstorm the different ways you can improve that section to make it stronger, more concise, and more impactful.

‍

Step 4: Fix and re-record the section

‍

I know, making serious changes to your speech can be emotional. Cutting, changing, or adjusting a section of your speech you’re attached to can be heart-wrenching.

‍

These essential improvements are key to refining your speech and crafting a transformational performance.

‍

For my YouTube girl bit, I realized (in step 3) that it wasn’t working because I was trying to embody her teenage spirit on-the-fly. So I pulled out my notecards and wrote down the exact words I was going to use for that bit. I fixed it and re-recorded in step 4 and every time I rehearsed it got a little better.

‍

So dig in! Take out your notecards and start reworking your five-minute section.

‍

Now, don’t get caught up in this portion of the rehearsal process. It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to make changes—then it’s time to perform.

‍

Grab your camera (and your notecards) and perform the revised section the new way you wrote it. Don’t be afraid to look back at your notes, that’s what rehearsing is for!

‍

Now, watch the recording and evaluate your performance using these questions:

‍

Is it better?
Is it faster?
Is it funnier?
Have you tightened the jokes?
Did you get rid of the umms and ahhs?

‍

Step 5: Re-fix and re-record (and repeat)

‍

During your one-hour rehearsal, you'll fix, record, re-fix, re-record (and repeat) until you've finished your one-hour rehearsal section—or until you’re confident the section is improved. Then (and only then) can you move onto another five-minute section of your speech.

‍

This allows you to focus all your brain power and attention on just one manageable section of your speech. You see, sometimes when speakers think of rehearsal, it’s immediately overwhelming. But you don’t rehearse, revise, and fix your entire 30-minute or 45-minute keynote all at once.

‍

Breaking it up into manageable five-minute chunks allows you to constantly improve your delivery and craft a speech that’s reliable, referable, and remarkable.

‍

Rehearsal Makes Your Speech Referable

‍

Sometimes you might even end up cutting an entire five-minute section. And that’s all right. That’s what happened to YouTube girl.

‍

It was a real bummer for me, especially because the bit just got funnier and funnier with each rehearsal. And the audience loved it!

‍

But because of time constraints, I had to cut the entire section from my 45-minute Mystery Box speech (although she still makes special appearances when I give the 60-minute version of the speech).

‍

Rehearsal is essential for all professional speakers. It’s how you go from talented to best-in-class. From good to great. From $15K to $20K (and more!).

‍

Relying only on raw talent won’t get you where you want to be; you need deliberate practice.

‍

As you establish a daily rehearsal routine and commit to constantly improving your speech, you’ll start to see massive improvements. Your jokes will land harder, your speech will get tighter and ultra-concise. Your stories will be more impactful. You will feel more confident and powerful on stage.

‍

And your speech will start earning you more referrals, and more gigs. Because it’s rehearsing that makes your speech referable.

Don't

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Push Through the Trough of Extreme Discomfort

‍

How can you create your own rehearsal habit? What does it take to form a habit that doesn’t just help you improve, but instead improve rapidly while maximizing your revenue?

‍

First things first, you need to make the time. A professional speaker who doesn’t have time to rehearse their speech isn’t a professional speaker at all.

‍

Not rehearsing your speech is like LeBron James skipping out on a daily training session. Or Lionel Messi deciding not to go to soccer practice anymore.

‍

If you want to be a professional speaker, it’s literally your job to craft, practice, and deliver the best speech possible.

‍

Now, I get it. Perhaps you’ve tried rehearsing before, only to find that when you get on stage, you sound stiff, “over-rehearsed,” and robotic.

‍

But that’s not because you rehearsed! It’s because you didn’t rehearse enough.

‍

You see, as you start rehearsing, you’ll feel great—at first. You’re comfortable with your speech (even though the overall quality is still pretty low).

‍

But that’s completely normal. The messy middle is what I like to call the Trough of Extreme Discomfort. And while it is uncomfortable, there’s good news: you’re close to a breakthrough.

Dont

If you push through and continue to refine, rehearse, and improve your speech, you’ll have breakthroughs, you’ll achieve a much higher level of performance, and you’ll get better, faster.

Don't

let the Trough of Extreme Discomfort hold you back from achieving peak performance.

Now that you know rehearsal is essential for maximizing your speaking performance, crafting a referable speech, and becoming a best-in-class speaker, how do you rehearse?

‍

Rehearsing is not sitting at your computer and reading your speech. It’s not mumbling your lines as you read off note cards. No, not at all.

‍

A highly productive rehearsal habit requires the right equipment, the right attitude, and the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method.

‍

What You Need for the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method

‍

For the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method to work in all its glory, you need to schedule a one-hour non-negotiable space in your calendar for daily rehearsals. Every day.

‍

(Yeah… this takes more than five minutes—it takes an hour.)

‍

Besides the time, you need to find a space—a large space, perhaps in your living room, patio, backyard, or garage—that empowers you to feel like you’re actually on stage.

‍

Three Simple Tools

‍

There are just three simple tools you need to start rehearsing your speech using the Five- Minute Rehearsal Method: a recording device, note cards, and a reliable timer.

‍

This equipment is easy to come by. But finding the right attitude could be a little more challenging.

‍

The Right Mindset

‍

Besides resilience, determination, and commitment to ensure you stick with your daily rehearsal schedule—and push through the trough of extreme discomfort—you must understand one simple truth:

‍

When you’re working on your speech, you’ll never be truly “done.”

‍

There will always be room for improvement. There will always be something you could make better, tighter, or more effective.

‍

Don't

a complete run-through of your speech once a week to keep the content fresh and moving.

How the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method Works

‍

This method will help you systematically improve every section of your speech, refining just five minutes at a time—focusing on just one performance aspect in every rehearsal session.

‍

The end result? A much better speech.

‍

So let’s go over the five simple steps to the Five-Minute Rehearsal Method.

‍

Step 1: Pick five minutes of your speech

‍

Review a recording of your speech (it’s best if it’s from your most recent gig) and identify a five-minute section that can be improved.

‍

Remember, you should record every speech you give. If you don’t have any recordings, grab your camera, hit “record,” and deliver your speech, performing it as if you were really on stage.

‍

This will give you a starting point for your rehearsal. You’ll see the current quality of your delivery and be able to easily pinpoint specific areas that need revisions, refinement, and polishing.

‍

Step 2: Analyze your five minutes

‍

Now it’s time to really examine your performance. Imagine you’re in the audience, watching yourself on stage.

‍

You can ask yourself these questions and jot down your thoughts on your note cards.

‍

Is the section clear and tight?
Does it make sense?
Is the joke funny?
Are there umms and ahhs?
Can the audience see what you're doing?
What could be better?
What could be faster?
What could be more effective?
Why do I move there?
Where should I move?
Could that joke land harder?

‍

Feel free to watch the five-minute section a few times so you know exactly what needs to be improved.

‍

When I watched that part of my speech, I could tell it needed serious work. It was only a 90-second bit, but I spent my entire rehearsal session working on just that portion of my speech.

‍

Step 3: Plan how to fix the five minutes

‍

Choose one thing you want to improve—just one.

‍

Perhaps you notice multiple things that need improvement—excessive umms and ahhs, movement that doesn’t align with your message, a story that’s too long.

‍

Choose only one. Choose the one thing you think will have the greatest impact on that five-minute section. Usually the first thing you notice is a good place to start.

‍

Whatever you decide to fix, brainstorm the different ways you can improve that section to make it stronger, more concise, and more impactful.

‍

Step 4: Fix and re-record the section

‍

I know, making serious changes to your speech can be emotional. Cutting, changing, or adjusting a section of your speech you’re attached to can be heart-wrenching.

‍

These essential improvements are key to refining your speech and crafting a transformational performance.

‍

So dig in! Take out your notecards and start reworking your five-minute section.

‍

Now, don’t get caught up in this portion of the rehearsal process. It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to make changes—then it’s time to perform.

‍

Grab your camera (and your notecards) and perform the revised section the new way you wrote it. Don’t be afraid to look back at your notes, that’s what rehearsing is for!

‍

Now, watch the recording and evaluate your performance using these questions:

‍

Is it better?
Is it faster?
Is it funnier?
Have you tightened the jokes?
Did you get rid of the umms and ahhs?

‍

Step 5: Re-fix and re-record (and repeat)

‍

Breaking it up into manageable five-minute chunks allows you to constantly improve your delivery and craft a speech that’s reliable, referable, and remarkable.

‍

Rehearsal Makes Your Speech Referable

‍

Sometimes you might even end up cutting an entire five-minute section. And that’s all right. That’s what happened to YouTube girl.

‍

It was a real bummer for me, especially because the bit just got funnier and funnier with each rehearsal. And the audience loved it!

‍

But because of time constraints, I had to cut the entire section from my 45-minute Mystery Box speech (although she still makes special appearances when I give the 60-minute version of the speech).

‍

Rehearsal is essential for all professional speakers. It’s how you go from talented to best-in-class. From good to great. From $15K to $20K (and more!).

‍

Relying only on raw talent won’t get you where you want to be; you need deliberate practice.

‍

And your speech will start earning you more referrals, and more gigs. Because it’s rehearsing that makes your speech referable.

Don't