It's time to own up...

Last time I updated the blog, I gave you my go-to exercise for curing "uhs" "ums" and"likes" in a prepared speech.  

(Need a refresher? I'll give you a hint: The exercise is called "Beat the Buzzer.")

At the end of that article, I promised I'd come back next week to reveal how to get rid of those pesky filler words in extemporaneous speaking.  

Then...

I took...

a very long...

Pause. 

Now, is it possible I forgot to hit the "schedule" button on the following blog? 

Sure. 

BUT, wouldn't it be more exciting if this long pause was intended to illustrate a point?! 

(Let's go with that.)

Because guess what?

When it comes to extemporaneous speaking, the #1 cause of filler words is:

Fear of the awkward silence.  

That's right. 

The "uhs", "ums", and "likes" usually creep in when we're unsure of what to say next. 

We use filler words as a crutch to help us avoid silences. 

...

Do you suffer from the curse of "ums," "uhs," and "likes" when you speak?

Join the club! 

One of the #1 problems clients come to me with is:

"How do I stop saying 'like' and 'um' in my talk?!" 

In general, I have two ways I like to fight the plague of what I call filler words. 

We'll cover the first method today, and I'll save one for next week, just to keep you on the edge of your seat. ;)

STRATEGY #1: Beat the Buzzer

This approach is usually best for memorized speeches—and it's a game!

(We'll discuss the tougher issue of eliminating filler words in extemporaneous speaking next week!)

The game is all about creating new muscle memory around your speech. 

When filler words creep into prepared remarks, it's not because you're struggling to come up with the next thought—it's a habitual vocal tic.

So how do we get rid of this tic? 

You may not like the answer...

Here's how to play "Beat the...