[VIDEO] How to pivot better, or think on your feet
Need to be a better pivoter? Need to have a quick response in the moment? Here’s how.
Thinking on your feet - or, as my clients say, “pivoting”- is a muscle that needs to be developed and worked regularly to stay fit - and to always have that pivot skill ready to go.
Here are some easy ways to build and keep up that think-on-your-feet skill.
The 4 Best Ways to Get Better at Thinking on Your Feet
(aka “Pivot Better.”)
Ride a bike somewhere busy. 🚲 But not too busy.
Having to navigate pedestrians, roads, and anything that gets in front of you forces you to pay attention and think quickly.
I find the best way to do this is on a bike. My favorite place to ride is the lakefront path along Lake Michigan, but any slightly-busy setting will do. A quiet suburban street or rural area with no cars, no people, no kids playing will not work.
By the way, for all you skaters out there, skating may work, too - but I haven’t tried it out yet.
2. Mix up your brain with the “wrong names” game
One way to shake up and wake up your brain is to mess with it - intentionally (and, for our purposes here, without the use of recreational drugs.)
In “wrong names,” you look at an object and give it a different name as you look at it.
For instance, I might point to my laptop and say, “This is a car.”
Do this a few times to strengthen your alertness. This will help you pivot when you need to. I have a client who does this before each presentation.
More examples in the video.
3. Get lost!
Actually, get lost with intention. What you’re doing here is creating cognitive dissonance, which forces your brain to wake up, take notice, and put you in a space to pivot quicker.
Take a different way home, or ride your bike (what’s with me and that bike?) on a completely different route, and find your way back. Pro tip: No using google maps, Waze, or anything to help you find directions.
4. Mix up your music!
Find any kind of music you don’t normally listen to, or haven’t heard of. Try Soca, Dembow, Dancehall, or Bluegrass. (If you’re saying, “What? Never heard of it,” go find some now!)
Listening to new, unfamiliar music will help the think-on-your-feet muscle. And when you find fun, cool, crazy new tunes to listen to, listen to it without doing anything else! Just sit and listen, and notice what you notice.
Now, just trying one of these techniques one time won’t do it. You need to shake up and wake up your brain regularly. Repeat these more than once; maybe do 2 in a day, and see how much more awake your brain feels.
Guess what? I can help you get better at thinking on your feet.
We can spend an hour working your “think on my feet” muscle, and we can improve your presentation skills. Book an hour of time with me here. I can help you pivot better!
What to read or hear next:
How to practice your presentation when you don’t want to (Hi, procrastinators!)
Why working with an executive coach can improve your presentations dramatically
About The Author
Hi! I’m Marianna. I can help you rock your next presentation. And yes, I’ll give you LOTS of practice and feedback. I can help you think on your feet or pivot better. I have coaching on demand available!
I make public speaking easier (and fun!) for my clients. In addition to Presentation Skills workshops, I offer executive coaching and Keynote speeches. To learn more, schedule a call with me.