104_Speech_Openers.md

# 104 Speech Openers

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

Below are 104 prompts for writing out the first sentence of your speech, organized by the

five speaker types found at my quiz at neilcanhelp.com/quiz. Please remember that

you’re not obligated to take the quiz, nor are you obligated to only use one of the 5 speaker

types based on your results. I just organized them by type to make this big ol’ list more

manageable.

**Elephant -> Nurture**

The Elephant engages their audience by nurturing them. Think of speakers like Brene Brown,

Susan Cain, and Amy Cuddy. While there are many ways for the Elephant speaker to nurture

their audience, a go-to way for them to be immediately engaging is to tell a story of a

vulnerable or tender nature. What follows are several different kinds of first lines to these

stories that are soft in tone.

Stories of Crisis

These are the first lines of stories that feature you or someone else is confronted by a

problematic and difficult situation of high stakes and you or they must figure out how to

make it through.

**1. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) didn’t know what to do.”**

Then tell the story of the crisis they faced.

**2. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) was stuck.”**

Then tell the story of the crisis they faced.

**3. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) looked at me with (terror/fear/torment/etc) in (his/her) face.”**

 Then tell the story of the crisis they faced.

**4. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) was on a deadline and was out of options.”**

Then show what they needed to achieve and why they had been unsuccessful to that point.

**5. “I looked down at the (document/piece of paper) and realized that something needed to change.”** 

Then tell the story of what that document represented and the challenge you faced in response.

**6. “I stared at (other person in the story) and couldn’t believe what (he/she) had just told me.”**

Then tell the story of whatever revelatory news the other person delivered to you.

**7. “When I heard that (devastating news) had happened, I knew everything would be different.”** Then tell the story of what happens in response to the devastating news.

**8. “I was standing (in/next to specific location) when I found out that (devastating event).”** 

Then tell the story of the crisis you faced.

**9. “My (group of people) and I were stranded in (place) when I realized that (devastating news).”** Then tell the story of how the group of you got out of the crisis you were in.

Stories of Hardship

These are the first lines of stories that, rather than featuring someone encountering a

concentrated conflict in the shape of a specific crisis, instead feature someone generally

experiencing struggle on an ongoing basis.

**10. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) was about to give up on (desireable result) when he/she came to me for help.”**

Then show how you helped them.

**11. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) had tried everything he/she could think of to (achieve desirable result) but to no avail.”**

Then describe the difficulties they had faced to achieve what they sought to achieve.

12. “I had reached the limits of my patience.” Then describe the situation that tested you.

13. “I was fed up with how my (situation) was going.” Then describe the situation that caused you distress.

14. “I couldn’t stand how hard it was for me to (action).” Then describe the task that caused you difficulty.

15. “My family and I were no longer able to (desirable result).”

Then explain how your family struggled to achieve or enjoy something you all wanted.

16. “We were out of options.” Then describe the group you were in and what you had

unsuccessfully tried to achieve as a group.

17. “After my (number) attempt to (achieve desirable result), I realized I needed

to make some changes.” Then describe the new direction you went in to achieve

the goal mentioned in the first line.

Stories of Inspiration

These are the first lines of stories that feature an unlikely or surprising situation and set up

some kind of discovery in response.

18. “I had no idea I could (achievement of great goal) until I (encountered

seemingly random situation).” Then describe the improbably way the situation

led to the achievement.

a. Example: “I had no idea I could sing until I was taught how to hammer a

nail.”

19. “When I was (a boy/a girl/young), I was unsure of whether I would ever

(achieve great goal).” Then show how you wound up achieving it.

20. “When I was (a boy/a girl/young), my (father/mother) took me to (place) to

(achieve goal).” Then show what happened when you and/or your parent

attempted to achieve the goal.

a. Example: “When I was a boy, my father took me to the supermarket to

pick up some produce.”

21. “I had never heard of (random thing) until I (experienced a particular

situation).” Then show what happens when you encounter this random thing.

a. Example: “I had never heard of butter tarts until I visited Canada with

my family for the first time.”

22. “I first learned about (topic) the first time I encountered (seemingly unrelated

situation).” Then show how the situation led to your learning what you did.

a. Example: “I first learned about compassion the first time I encountered

a Washington lobbyist.”

23. “Of all the (group of things) I’ve encountered in my life, the one that stands out

the most is (specific example from group of things).” Then explain why that

particular thing stands out as it does.

a. Example: “Of all the animals I’ve encountered in my life, the one that

stands out the most is a farmyard pig named Arnold.”

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

24. “My first step in becoming (noteworthy achievement) was actually

(surprising action).” Then explain how the unlikely first step led to the

achievement.

a. Example: “My first step in becoming a chess grandmaster was actually

learning how to play the harmonica.”

25. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) looked at me and I could see in their face

that something had changed.” Then show what events had led to their

transformation.

Owl -> Teach

The Owl is compelling because of their gift for teaching. Check out speakers like Beau Lotto,

Graham Shaw, and Marco Tempest to see examples of Owls. Given how Owl-type speakers are

defined by how extensive their knowledge is, the following devices are meant to engage the

audience in a way that both reflects the Owl’s intellectual temperament and is also very

compelling.

Stories About Scientific/Research Studies

Studies often get a bad rap for being dry and difficult to follow. But there are many studies

with surprising developments or discoveries, and these make for very compelling openings

to speeches.

26. “The authors of the study looked at the printout and then looked at each other

in stunned silence.” Then share the unlikely data that came from their study before

then explaining the larger context of what they sought to discover.

27. “The authors of the study couldn’t believe what they were reading.” Then share

the unlikely data that came from their study before then explaining the larger

context of what they sought to discover.

28. “When (name of person) reported to (his/her) boss what they had discovered,

(his/her) boss only stared at them.” Then share the unlikely data that came from

their study before then explaining the larger context of what they sought to

discover.

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

29. “When (name of author of study) and (name of author of study) (conducted a

surprising measurement), they realized that (surprising result).” Then share

what the authors discovered in response to this anomalous measurement.

a. Example: “When doctors Mike Grisham and Stacey Edwards read the

MRI of one of their specimens, they realized that it was completely free

of cancer.”

30. “It wasn’t until (name of author of study) and (name of author of study)

conducted their study on (topic) that the field of (industry) got its first big

break in (achieving of large goal).” Then share what led to this breakthrough.

a. Example: “It wasn’t until Doctors Mike Grisham and Stacey Edwards

conducted their study on enzyme production in cells that the field of

oncology got its first big break in stopping metastatic cancer.”

31. “The authors of a study on (topic) were unable to make a breakthrough until

they (achievement that led to breakthrough).” Then share how they came to the

breakthrough and what its implications were.

a. Example: “The authors of a study on enzyme production in cells were

unable to make a breakthrough until they switched from studying mice

to studying – of all things – venus flytraps.”

32. “The (governing body) earned a lot of criticism from the public for funding a

study on (topic), until, that is, it revealed how they could (achieve significant

outcome).” Then share what the study was and how it would enable them to

achieve what is described in the first sentence.

a. Example: “The State of West Virginia earned a lot of criticism from the

public for funding a study on database management in hospitals, until,

that is, it revealed how they could send people home from knee

replacement surgery in only two hours.”

33. “No one could have predicted what the authors of a study on (topic) were

about to learn about (achieving a desirable result).” Then share what the study

was for and how they wound up learning what they did.

a. Example: “No one could have predicted what the authors of a study on

plant growth were going to learn about eliminating metastatic cancer.”

34. “When (name of author of study) and (name of author of study) conducted a

study on (topic), they set out to ask one question: (provocative question).”

Then describe what the study was and how it answered the question.

a. Example: “When Doctors Mike Grisham and Stacey Edwards conducted a

study on enzyme production in cells, they set out to ask one question:

could we see the end of metastatic cancer for good?”

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

Games for the Speaker to Play with the Audience

Remember how you always wished your teacher would play a game with your class instead

of make you sit and listen to a lecture? Deep down, this desire doesn’t go away when we

become adults. The following are stems for setting up a game. Of course, the game itself will

need to be created as well.

35. “I’d like for us to play a little game.” Simple, straightforward, and likely to get

everyone to perk up right away.

36. “While I usually just start into the dry lecture, today I think it would be more

fitting for us to play a game.” This infusion of humor will both invite people into a

playful mindset but also get them invested in you because of your self-deprecation.

37. “Close your eyes.” Some games are more internal or mental, and this unexpected

command will get everyone’s attention.

38. “I’d like for you all to stand up.” You may have a game you can play that gets them

out of their seats, and like with #37 this invitation will surprise your audience.

39. “How many of you remember (game from childhood)?” Sometimes you might

have a game that resembles a game from childhood and you could introduce it by

having them draw up their memory of that game.

a. Example: “How many of you remember Chutes and Ladders?”

40. “I have a game for us to play, and the winner of the game will get (prize).” To

keep things interesting, you may even offer a reward for winning the game.

a. Example: “I have a game for us to play, and the winner of the game will

get a $50 Amazon card.”

41. “I have a simple game for you to play, all you need to do is (action).” You may

wind up starting off with such a simple game that the task itself is highlighted in the

first sentence.

a. Example: “I have a simple game for you to play, all you need to do is start

clapping as hard as you can.”

42. “The last time I played this game with an audience, (unexpected outcome).”

You can build anticipation by establishing a possibility of surprise and help the

audience to get invested in playing.

a. Example: “The last time I played this game with an audience, the group

in the next room over came by and asked us to keep it down.”

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

Demonstrations

A close cousin of games, sometimes it’s very powerful for a speaker to start with a

demonstration of some kind, such as a science teacher demonstrating what happens when

they mix several chemicals together. While that would get messy in a keynote, there are

other ways to operate through the lens of “what happens when” something takes place on

stage.

43. “I’d like for everyone to look at this (object/image).” If you have a game that

includes a prop or an image of some kind, this can be a compelling first sentence of

your talk to show what happens when t.

a. Example: “I’d like for everyone to look at this picture of George

Washington.”

44. “I have with me a model of a (object).” Sometimes a demonstration can be done

with the use of some kind of three-dimensional object.

a. Example: “I have with me a model of a human lung.”

45. “Close your eyes while I (take specific action).” Similar to the game that starts

with the audience closing their eyes, this could lead to you having a demonstration

with sound.

a. Example: “Close your eyes while I play you a song.”

46. “On the count of three, I’d like for everyone in the room to (take specific

action.” This opening draws everyone in by counting them in, which can create a

sense of community.

a. Example: “On the count of three, I’d like for everyone in the room to

make a sound like Tarzan.”

47. “(sing lyrics to a song).” If you sing and the topic of singing somehow relates to

your talk, this can be rather arresting for an audience expecting you to speak

instead.

a. Example: “On my own, pretending he’s beside me…”

48. “I’d like to conduct an experiment with you all.” It can be rather compelling to

enlist your audience in some kind of exploration, where instead of telling the story

of a study they become the study itself.

49. “Take out your phones.” This can be rather arresting because having a phone out

seems anathema to a captivating speech. Then have them engage with their phone

in some way to make a point.

50. “I’d like for you to turn to the person next to you and (take specific action).” A

classic, though this becomes a cliché if you ask your audience to do something

predictable. Consider something unexpected instead.

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

a. Example: “I’d like for you to turn to the person next to you and say your

favorite movie quote at the same time.”

51. “Everyone, take out your phones and capture this QR code with your camera

app.” Then, take them through a real-time survey using software like sli.do and

capture their information so as to show it to them on the screen.

Monkey -> Misdirect

The primary device of the Monkey is their ability to misdirect. Apollo Robbins is my favorite

Monkey and I also really like Tim Urban and Dan Pink as well. Monkeys, being the mischief

makers they are, will see the beginning of their talk as an opportunity to mess with their

audience. The following devices just scratch the surface of this artform, but if you have this

devious streak in you there may be something to play with.

Stories with Falsehoods

At the heart of this device you’re simply telling a story that leads the audience astray – you

say something that isn’t true or completely incongruous with reality and come clean either

immediately after or later on. The catch, though, is that these stories will likely start much

like those of the Elephant: tender on the outside but devious on the inside. As such, in some

of these prompts I’ve drawn on some of the same first lines as those for the Elephant but

offer a different kind of description that leads to misdirection.

52. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) didn’t know what to do.” Then follow this

sober statement with the reveal that they were stymied by a silly, mundane, or

otherwise frivolous decision (e.g. “He didn’t know if he should get prime rib or the

lobster ravioli…”).

53. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) looked at me with

(terror/fear/torment/etc) in (his/her) face.” Then share how their negative

reaction was based on something silly or frivolous (e.g. “Then, she said to me, ‘What

if I actually like black jelly beans after all?”).

54. “I stared at (other person in the story) and couldn’t believe what (he/she) had

just told me.” Then share a statement that is supposed to be revelatory but actually

turns out to be totally believable (e.g. “It turned out that, against all odds, his

favorite flavor of ice cream was vanilla…”).

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

55. “I had reached the limits of my patience.” Then describe a completely ridiculous

situation that should be easy for anyone to navigate but tested you anyway (e.g. “For

I had spent a solid seven hours trying to get to the next level of Candy Crush…”).

56. “We were out of options.” Then describe a completely ridiculous situation in which

you are laboring over a problem that is of very low stakes or doesn’t even need to be

solved (e.g. “For even though we had labored over every known variable of nail

polish for our night out, nothing seemed to match our outfits…”).

57. “When I was (a boy/a girl/young), I was unsure of whether I would

ever…(achieve absurd goal).” Then show your experience of trying to achieving it.

a. Example: “When I was a boy, I was unsure of whether I would ever…find

out how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie

Pop.”

58. “When I was (a boy/a girl/young), my (father/mother) took me to (place) to…

(achieve random and silly goal).” Then show what happened when you and/or

your parent attempted to achieve the goal.

a. Example: “When I was a boy, my father took me to New York City to…

find out how much a jelly bean weighed.”

59. “My (friend/client/colleague/etc) looked at me and I could see in his/her face

that something had changed.” Then reveal that this change is because of

something frivolous, random, or absurd (e.g. “He…had gone from being a ‘tastes

great’ guy to being a ‘less filling’ guy.”).

60. “On (date), I (achieved amazing outcome). *Pause* Actually, that’s not true at

all. All I did that day was (mundane thing).”

a. Example: “On November 12, 2018, I summited Mt. Everest. *Pause.*

Actually, that’s not true at all. All I did that day was order a pizza.”

61. “I am the (exceptional title).” Then carry on this conceit for several moments

before coming clean.

a. Example: “I am the president of the 4th largest company in the world. I

started in the mailroom twenty-three years ago and slowly worked my

way up to become president two years ago. *Pause.* Actually, none of

that is true.”

62. “One day that stands out most of all in my life is the time that I (achieved

amazing outcome).” Then share a story that turns out not to be true.

a. Example: “One day that stands out most of all in my life is the time that I

ate 30 hot dogs in 10 minutes.”

*Please remember that I’m just a guy with a laptop making his way through this crazy world. If you’d like to share this work with others,

please have them reach out to me at neil@neilcanhelp.com instead of sharing the content. No lawsuits, just the honor system.

63. “I knew my life would be different when (random, unexpected thing

happened).” Then share a story that turns out not to be true.

a. Example: “I knew my life would be different when I was chased down by

a crazed fan who thought I was Paul McCartney.”

64. “Of all the things that have happened in my life, the one that stands out most of

all is the time that (random, unexpected thing happened).” Then share a story

that turns out not to be true.

a. Example: “Of all the things that have happened in my life, the one that

stands out most of all is the time that I was mistaken for the Cuban

dictator Fidel Castro.”

Simulations

Perhaps the most ambitious device of everything in this program, a simulation is the act of

creating a real-time experience for the audience so as to foster an emotionally significant

response. While any of the speaker types can find a way to do a simulation in line with their

personality, I’ve placed this in the Monkey category because some of the simulations are

messing with the audience, though others are simply an example of a truly unexpected

device.

A simulation can be such a great variety of things that we’ll only skim the surface below.

What may be even more significant, however, is that the first line will only have as much

value as the idea itself. This is why I’ve provided an example that describes a simulation

that could then be applicable, though why the audience would be doing the thing in the

example would depend on the speaker’s message. Please note, though, that the simulations

themselves are often interchangeable with the first lines that precede them.

65. “I’ve decided that I’m not going to give this talk, so instead I’m going to

(unexpected action, such as ‘take a nap’).”

66. “Because I’m an ambitious (guy/girl/man/woman/person), I’d like for

everyone to (unexpected action, like ‘get up out of their seats’).” Then have

them do something that requires them to do more than merely listen, such as take a

step to the right so as to be standing in front of the chair of the next person over.

67. “Please stand.” Then have them do something that requires them to do more than

merely listen, such as play pat-a-cake with the person next to them.

68. “On the count of three, I’d like for everyone to (unexpected action, like ‘blow a

raspberry in the palm of their hand’).”

69. “I know that I’m supposed to come out here and talk about (speech title), but

instead I’m going to talk about (unrelated topic).” Then talk about this seemingly