You have to be not new at all.
In fact, if you’re scheming to get an award like that, be really good and popular in secret for as long as possible.
I remember years ago when FUN won the Grammy for best new artist and everyone, including the band, had a pretty good laugh.
It’s amazing how hard you have to work to be the best new thing.
If we’re talking about favorite we’re talking about you. Learning your taste helps us get to know you. Your favorite songs don’t have to make sense to anyone else…but your favorite songs can help you make sense to others.
If we’re talking about best we’re talking about an assumed shared standard. Of course the assumed shared standard is never completely shared. So talking about ‘best’ stirs up judgement and lifts up some people’s taste and diminishes other’s taste. It’s a tough, never ending conversation. If the ‘never ending’ part makes it more fun, keep having it. If it causes arguments, change the conversation to your favorites.
We use the same voice while talking to our friends at dinner as we do getting up in front of a hundred people to give a welcome speech.
But it’s different.
When we talk with our friends we don’t often have umms and uhhs or get words twisted around. We just talk.
But in front of a crowd, all those decades of talking don’t seem to be enough.
So a couple things…
While you use the same voice in both examples, they are different skills. And both take practice.
If you want to get the speech right, write some things down and don’t veer until you’re good at sticking to the script.
If you don’t have much experience as a public speaker it’s very unlikely you will go up there and improvise a good one. It’s much more likely you’ll improvise a bad one. Even though you might be a good talker.
When you’re young, you get on stage to prove that you’re good. To prove you belong. To prove your worth.
And that stuff probably doesn’t completely change as you mature…but over time the focus of getting on stage veers toward emotional connection.
Your insecurities might still be there but you’re able to use them for everyones benefit.
Serving > Proving