Waqas Denverspeakup

12/21/2025

A past client sent me a DM that stopped me in my tracks...

Early 2025, I offered a few gift sessions.

Jai trusted me to help her with public speaking anxiety.

We worked together for about 2 weeks.

- No rehearsing scripts.
- No “Faking” confidence.
- No mantras or affirmations.

We worked on the root causes behind her anxiety.
By the end, something shifted.

In her own words:

“By the end of the session, I felt an incredible sense of empowerment and that a weight I didn’t realise I had been carrying was lifted from my shoulders.”

- 2 weeks.
- A lighter nervous system response.
- A new relationship with public speaking nerves.

We were both happy with the results.

But last week, I received her DM and realised…

→ Sometimes all it takes is couple of weeks with someone who’d been in your shoes and knows the feeling of being stuck all alone.

09/29/2025

You know your stuff… but nobody else does.

(This is how your expertise is sabotaging your influence)

Last week, I gave a short talk at Toastmasters.

Topic was very dear to my heart:
Storytelling.

I explained 5 story elements…
and 5 minutes in, people looked lost.

Later I realized…
I was assuming they already knew everything I was teaching.

BRUTAL TRUTH:
The deeper your knowledge…
the less likely others are to understand you.

Here are 6 Curse-of-Knowledge traps… and how to communicate like a pro:

09/27/2025

Client from San Francisco USA

09/23/2025

“I’m sorry, but...”

(This is how your “politeness” is killing your Authority)

That automatic apology?
It just cost you another promotion.
Another opportunity.
Another chance to lead.

Brutal Truth:
Your “sorry” is training people to see you as WEAK.

Here are 7 Authority-killers... and the confident alternatives that command respect

09/16/2025

Do the opposite and thank me later.

09/13/2025

Client from Pepsi, AUSTRALIA

09/04/2025

Client testimonial from Moderna, USA.

09/04/2025

You just LOST the room… and you don’t even know it

10 openers that make your audience check out instantly.

I’ve seen brillient professionals crash in the first minute.
Not because of bad content...

But because they opened with credibility killers disguised as “professional”

1. The “Agenda Slide” Trap
↳ “Today’s presentation will cover A, B, and C...”
↳ Channels your boring high school teacher
↳ Kills curiosity before it starts

DO THIS:
• Open with the problem that keeps them up at night

2. The “I’m Nervous” Confession
↳ Transfers anxiety to your audience
↳ Makes them protect you (not hear you)

DO THIS:
• Transform that energy into audience connection

3. The “Famous Quote” Shield
↳ Hides your original thinking
↳ Signals imposter syndrome

DO THIS:
• Lead with YOUR perspective that challenges THEIR beliefs

4. The “So Excited” Overplay
↳ Feels forced
↳ Breaks trust instantly

DO THIS:
• Let your insights create the excitement

5. The “Technical Difficulty” Dance
↳ “Can everyone see my screen?”
↳ Death by 1000 apologies

DO THIS:
• Own the room before touching tech

6. The “Let Me Tell You My Career Bio”
↳ Starts in 1985... audience checks out in 2025
↳ Makes it about YOU, not THEM

DO THIS:
• Share the ONE ‘relevant’ story that changed everything

7. The “Any Questions?” Opener
↳ Crickets... guaranteed
↳ Creates instant awkwardness

DO THIS:
• Plant the question they’re afraid to ask

8. The “Industry Jargon” Avalanche
↳ Drowns audience in acronyms
↳ Creates instant disconnection

DO THIS:
• Speak human, shock with simplicity

9. The “PowerPoint Karaoke”
↳ Reading slides like they’re lyrics
↳ Kills credibility instantly

DO THIS:
• Use slides as billboards, not novels

BRUTAL TRUTH:
Your opening isn’t just an introduction.
It’s a psychological contract with your audience.

When you nail that first minute:
→ Trust deepens
→ Resistance melts
→ Impact multiplies

QUICK WIN:
Delete your first 3 slides.
Start with the story that made YOU care.
(Yes, it feels scary. That’s the point.)

♻️ Share if these made you cringe-laugh
➕ Follow me for more speaking psychology insights

09/04/2025

08/30/2025

08/24/2025

08/23/2025