Chapter 17

Establish Real-World Relevance

We’re all in a race for relevance.

JOURNALIST ELEANOR CLIFT

It’s not enough for people to agree with you in theory. They must be able to apply what you’re saying in practice. If what you’re sharing doesn’t have real-world relevance for them, why should they pay attention? It’s simply not a high-enough priority.

When I worked with Dr. Joan Fallon of Curemark on her TEDx talk, we knew it was crucial to establish that her topic of autism is not just something that affects a few people, it impacts the majority of people in the United States. That’s why Joan opened with:

How many of you here know someone who has autism? Please raise your hand.

How many of you here know teachers or therapists who work with ...

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