00:00 You are listening to Steal The Show with Michael Port. From Speeches to job interviews to deal-closing pitches, how to guarantee a standing ovation for all the performances in your life. I am Michael, and this is Episode Zero.

00:17 Episode Zero is dedicated to what the show is about and why you should subscribe. “Why don’t you do a podcast?” is a question I’ve been getting for years and it’s a sensible question because podcasting is the rage. I’m a performer after all, and I already have a loyal audience as an author, I create tons of long form content, I’ve been on hundreds of podcasts as a guest and maybe most importantly I was a former professional actor. I have a Master’s degree from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program and appeared in shows like, Sex and the City, Third Watch, All My Children; and in films like The Pelican Brief, Down To Earth, The Believer, and others. I also did many commercials and voice-overs for brands like AT&T, Coors Beer, Budweiser, Johnson&Johnson, Braun, MTV, Pizza Hut, and others. None of whom are sponsoring this show, but the answer has always been the same, just because it seems like a good idea it doesn’t make it an idea worth doing.

01:16 To be successful at something like podcasting, well, that would require that I give all of my heart and soul and much of my time to the effort. I don’t wanna do anything half-baked, and if I don’t have a deep seated need to do the thing then I’m not gonna do it. To master something requires desire and time, and I didn’t have either for podcasting. And then I wrote ‘Steal The Show.’ It’s my sixth book and it’s currently on sale anywhere books are sold. Read it and you’ll know how to guarantee a standing ovation for all the performances in your life. I figured if I could hit the top of the podcast charts on the day of the book release, well, that would help me hit the top of the book bestseller lists at the same time I was in. I now had a good business reason to launch a podcast. So, here you go. I’m Michael Port, and this is Episode Zero of Steal The Show, a podcast for people who wanna crush it during all the high-stake situations in their life.

02:22 Now, at first, it was just the marketing idea that excited me but then as I started to put together the content and record the episodes, I fell in love with podcasting. But more than that, I love that I can bring you for free content from the book. I can teach you the performance skills you need to stand out, not just on a stage but even on a first date. Yeah, a first date is a performance. Hopefully, it’s an authentic one because if it’s not, you’re probably not gonna get a second one. And look, even Chris Rock agrees. He says, “You don’t show up for a first date. Your representative shows up.” Interviews, negotiations, even looking cool at your boss’ party at his summer house is a performance. So it’s not just a book about public speaking, although it will change the way you see public speaking forever and most importantly it’ll make you a better public speaker, and that’s 100% guaranteed. But also it’s about seizing the moment in high-stake situations because if you wanna do big things in the world, you have got to be a performer.

03:35 And I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. You don’t need to be an entertainer to be a performer. Look, I’ve spent the better part of this decade creating a modern methodology that can help you to become a better performer through the book, Steal The Show, and this podcast. I’ll teach you everyday performance principles and techniques that I’ve designed specifically for non-actors so you can overcome your fears, silence your critics both internal and external, find your voice, and become a confident performer in the spotlight. And here’s what’s important, acting is not a metaphor but rather a model that you can apply to both life and work. And I’ll say it again: Acting is not a metaphor, but rather a model that you can apply to both life and work. I say this because to paraphrase the legendary acting teacher, Lee Strasberg, an actor’s work is about the ability to consistently create reality and express that reality. That’s the ability to consistently create reality and to express that reality, and that is in large part the way that life works for all of us.

04:58 Each day we have the ability to create our reality. I don’t mean this as an abundance theory that we’re using affirmations or writing poetry, neither of which I do, but nonetheless are perfectly good things to do. But rather that all of us inevitably make choices about what we wanna achieve everyday and over the course of years and decades. Those choices form a narrative. A narrative that tells the story of your life and in parallel. We have choices about how we will express ourselves publicly to meet those aspirations because performance at its core is about how you communicate and by extension, how you connect to others on a daily basis. The truth behind why some performers captivate their audience while others lull their audience into checking their phones, you better not be on your phone right now, is found in the creative history and unique craft of acting, which can be used as a model for successful performance in both personal and professional life.

06:00 You’ll hear as you listen to each episode how much I love this work. I’m gonna drop 45 episodes over the course of the next nine weeks. I don’t promise to do more after that. But if you get value from these episodes, please post a review here on iTunes. If you do, you’ll make a difference and maybe I’ll do more. Believe me, I read each and every review. In the mean time, make sure you buy a copy of the book because it delivers, or if you like the sound of my voice, listen to the audio book. So, head on over to stealtheshow.com and check out all of the bonuses I give you when you purchase the book during its initial release; free templates, tickets to live events around the country, free public speaking coaching, free video training and much, much more.

06:51 My goal in life is to delight and entertain you and help you see just how fantastic you are. We may not yet have had the pleasure of meeting, but through this podcast we’ll be spending time together and I know how many people compete for your attention and that you’ve many demands on your time. So, I feel blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to be of a service to you and I never take that honor for granted. Now, go ahead, and listen to each episode if you wanna shine in all of the spotlight moments of your life. I am Michael Port and this was Episode Zero.