Darya Sinusoid

Darya’s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain/mind/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Why is public speaking so scary? Almost everyone fears public speaking. In fact, multiple surveys list it as people’s number one fear—more common than a fear of heights, snakes, and even death. According to Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks, the fear of public speaking is normal, but it must be overcome if you want to be successful in any professional endeavor. Here’s how to overcome the fear of public speaking, according to Anderson.

Public Speaking: Strategies for Success

What makes a great speech? What are some things you need to consider to plan an effective speech? To make an impactful and memorable speech, it’s essential to have a strategy in place. The first step in planning your strategy is to identify what type of speech you’re giving: explanatory—when you teach your audience something new, persuasive—when you try to change your audience’s mind, or “revelatory” or imaginative—when you aim to delight or inspire. Let’s explore how public speaking strategies differ depending on the type of speech.

Should You Script Your Speech? Advice From TED Talks

7 Life Lessons From Charlie Munger’s Speeches

Is it a good idea to write a speech script? What are the potential downsides of speaking from a script? According to Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks, scripting has both benefits and downsides, and depending on your confidence level, it may or may not be a good idea. If public speaking evokes great anxiety, scripting can help. But speaking from a script can make your speech bland and dispassionate. If you decide to write a speech script, consider if you are going to read off the script or memorize it. Let’s consider the risks and benefits of both.

How to Give an Explanatory Speech: Tips & Strategies

What’s an explanatory speech? What are some things you should consider when explaining a difficult concept or idea to an uninitiated audience? An explanatory speech is one where you’re teaching your audience something new or explaining a difficult concept. The key to delivering an effective explanatory speech is to be mindful of your audience’s level of knowledge on the matter in question. To that end, beware of the curse of knowledge: just because something is basic knowledge for you, it doesn’t mean it is so for everyone. Here are some things to keep me in mind when giving an explanatory

Persuasive Speaking: 5 Strategies for Success

What strategies do master persuaders use to sway people to their point of view? How can you implement those strategies? To change someone’s opinion, you must nudge them in your direction one small step at a time so that by the end, your argument is completely plausible in their minds. You should start by priming your audience, and by the end, they should be motivated to make a change. In the middle, you can employ strategies such as appealing to logic, discrediting the opposite stance, or guiding them to the conclusion through the process of elimination. Here are five persuasive speaking

Public Speaking: Voice and Body Language Tips

What makes a good public speaking voice? Is it better to speak in a flat or oscillating voice? Where should you put emphasis as you speak? The best speech in the world will fall flat if the speaker doesn’t appear and sound genuine and passionate. According to Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks, there are three things you can do with your voice and body to be as enigmatic as possible when speaking. Here’s how to bring your best to stage using voice and movement.

Tips for Public Speaking Anxiety: Managing Your Nerves

Do you suffer from public speaking anxiety? How can you make your nerves work for you, and not against you? When it comes to public speaking, anxiety comes with the territory—it’s normal to feel anxious when the stakes are high. Moreover, a little anxiety can provide an energy boost, which can be great for your speech. So, you shouldn’t try to eliminate your anxiety, but instead, make it work for you. Here are some tips for public speaking anxiety and an adrenaline-powered confidence boost.

Public Speaking Attire: Do’s and Don’ts

What is appropriate attire to wear when presenting? What are some things you should consider when choosing what to wear for a speech? What you wear on stage sets the tone for your talk before a single word comes out of your mouth. When putting your speech outfit together, consider what impression it confers but don’t forget the practical concerns such as where your microphone will go. Here are some tips for choosing your public speaking attire.

How to Judge a Personality Based on Little Information

What’s the most effective way to size up someone’s personality? How much information do we really need to accurately size up a person’s qualities? When it comes to reading personalities, we really don’t need much information. In fact, too much information can obscure the bigger picture with irrelevant details. Taking a “thin slice”—an extremely small segment of information about a person’s life—can lead to very accurate judgments about their personality. Here’s why “thin-slicing” is the best way to judge a personality.

The Role of the Unconscious in Insight Problem-Solving

What’s an “insight problem”? How do you solve such a problem? An insight problem is a problem that requires a fundamental shift in perspective in order to arrive at the solution. Oftentimes, the solution to an insight problem comes out seemingly out of nowhere in an “Aha! moment” fashion. In 1931, psychologist Norman Maier investigated how we arrive at solutions to insight problems in his famous Two-String Problem experiment. Here’s what he found.