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Want to Make Your Line Memorable? Try This
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Hi Reader "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." – John F. Kennedy I'm sure you've heard about this quote or a derivative of this quote. I've heard this as a dialogue in a regional movie in India! What makes this line so memorable? JFK knew a thing or two about rhetorical devices and communication or he had some really smart speech writers! And today, you are going to learn the same powerful technique. This can be used in day-to-day communication, speeches, storytelling, or even in Novels! The rhetorical device that JFK used is Chiasmus. What if a simple flip of words could make your message unforgettable? That’s the magic of chiasmus—a rhetorical device that turns ordinary phrases into wisdom-packed zingers. In the 2013 World Championship of Public Speaking, Presiyan Vasilev delivered a speech "Changed by a tire" that stuck with audiences. I was in the audience and it was just a mind-blowing speech. We all knew he won the contest even before the results were announced. And you know what? My mentor Jerry was there with me in the audience and he was the one who enlightened me with something called Chiasmus. I was like, "What is this again?" If you are wondering the same, I can understand. Do not allow a name to stop your learning, learning this will help you make a name for yourself. (I just tried on the fly to use chiasmus. Pls do not email me that it sucked but hey I got the point across!) In the speech, he shared a moment of personal growth with a powerful chiasmus: That night I stopped to change a tire, but instead, the tire changed me. Boom! A simple twist in structure, and suddenly, the phrase becomes profound. Later in his speech, he hit us with another gem: I used to believe that reaching out was weakness, but I realized that refusing to reach out was weakness. This is the power of chiasmus—it turns insight into impact. By now, you are probably getting a feel for this. The question is: How to Use Chiasmus for Our Speaking? You can try the following ideas. Flip a belief: Take a common assumption and turn it on its head. For example, instead of saying, “You must be fearless to take action,” you could say, “Taking action is what makes you fearless.” Now join them using the formula: "I used to believe... first idea, I realized....flipped idea". Let's see it in action. "I used to believe that you must be fearless to take action, but I realized that taking action is what makes you fearless." Another example (I'm saying this for a long time now!). "You don't need confidence to speak in front of an audience, you gain confidence after you start speaking in front of an audience." This makes the idea more thought-provoking and memorable. Contrast two ideas: Set up a relationship between opposing forces. Consider: “We shape our habits, and then our habits shape us.” This structure makes the message more impactful by showing how one concept affects the other. Alright.. I hope you understand Chiasmus better and are encouraged to try it out. Step into the unknown to grow. Grow, and the unknown will step into you. (Ok, I tried it again. It's an exciting device. Hope this encourages you!) Go ahead—flip some words and flip some minds! As always, thanks for being awesome! -Rama P.S: Can't stop listening to this song after I heard it recently. Hope you enjoy this too!
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PublicSpeakKing
Learn something every week about public speaking, book writing or personal development. Join 1500+ creatives and professionals who receive my action packed yet entertaining newsletter.
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