Giovanni Livera wasn't planning on a career in public speaking. He already had a career; he was a working magician. Giovanni, as he prefers to be called, had just won the World Championship Sleight of Hand competition and was on staff as the Orlando Magic professional basketball team's entertainer when the Orlando Chamber of Commerce approached him.
" 'You're living the American dream,' they said. 'You have a message,' " Giovanni remembers. "I said, 'Great, I can do some entertainment for you.' And they said, 'No, give a speech.' " And from then on, Giovanni was more than just a magician or another motivational speaker. He is, as he says, a motivational performer. "My message is one that everyone needs to hear: That anything is possible. I open the audience's mind by getting them to do things they don't initially think they can do," says Giovanni. "It's about being open to finding new ways to accomplish things."
Giovanni says the interactivity of his presentation does not limit the size or scope of his audience. "There are three different ways for people to learn: by ear, by eye, and by hand. In my speech, I use each of those, so no matter who you are, I'm going to affect you in some way." A typical routine involves challenging the audience to pass a penny through a dime-sized hole in a piece of paper. "A third of the audience immediately says it's impossible. The second third tries for a while but gives up before I call time. And the final third figures it out." In fact, Giovanni says, there are four ways to do this trick. "Afterwards, those who stop trying before I call time realize that maybe you need to look at problems from a different perspective before abandoning them. Maybe you even need to find help. But the point is, just because something looks impossible doesn't mean that it is."
Giovanni focuses on this message about re-setting one's expectations. "Usually, a planner is looking to create an experience in which attendees can attain a new perspective on things or a new enthusiasm about their work. Inside of 60 to 90 minutes, I'm able to really grab a hold of people's spirit and mind and bring them to a different level. Because that's really what meetings are all about: the sharing of knowledge and ideas and enthusiasm so that everyone can be amazing together."