Speaking with Purpose: What I’ve Learned from hundreds of Keynotes

When I first started speaking, I thought it was all about having the perfect words.

A flawless script. The right quotes.

But after giving hundreds of keynotes to audiences of all kinds, I’ve learned something different: it’s not about what you say, it’s about what they feel.

People don’t walk away remembering your clever line.

They remember how you made them feel seen. Heard. Understood.

Early on, I’d obsess over the structure.

I’d script every line, rehearse every transition, polish every slide.

And while some of that matters, what really moved the needle was when I started showing up with more honesty and less performance.

The best talks I’ve ever given were the ones where I shared a story I was nervous to tell.

Where I let people in. Where I focused more on connection than perfection.

You don’t need to be the most polished speaker.

You need to be real. The audience doesn’t want a robot.

They want you. They want your perspective.

Your energy. Your story.

Every audience is different.

But human beings are wired for stories.

For emotion. For connection.

So if you’re trying to make your message land—don’t aim for applause.

Aim for resonance.

Here’s something that helped me: I stopped thinking of myself as “the expert in front of the room” and started thinking of myself as the guide.

I’m not here to lecture.

So whether you’re giving a keynote, leading a meeting, or even having a one-on-one conversation—remember this: the most powerful messages aren’t always the ones that sound the best.

They’re the ones that come from the heart.

Speak with purpose. Not polish.

Aaron