Issue a Lookout Notice for Ideas

As a communication coach, people often ask me:

“Where do I find stories, phrases, and material to make my talks or presentations engaging?”

My answer usually raises eyebrows:

“You collect them like you collect gangsters, criminals, or convicts.”

Yes, you heard right.

The Criminal Chase of Communication

How are criminals caught? Rarely by accident.

The police don’t just stumble on them while sipping tea.

They put out a Lookout Notice.

They issue a Red Alert.

They circulate photos at airports, railway stations, and checkpoints.

The same applies to your communication.

If you want colorful material—snappy lines, witty phrases, spicy trivia—you don’t have to go searching in faraway places.

You simply have to stay alert.

“Interesting material isn’t hiding—it’s escaping in plain sight. You just need to keep watch.”

Where Do These “Fugitives” Hide?

• Conversations – A friend once told me, “I’m not lazy, I’m on energy-saving mode.” That little gem went straight into my collection.

• Reading – A newspaper headline read, “Inflation is the invisible tax that everyone pays.” Sharp. Relatable. Arrested on the spot.

• Listening – On a podcast, I heard: “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.” That one was too good to let escape.

• News & Media – A cricket commentator once quipped, “He didn’t just miss the bus, he wasn’t even at the bus stop.” What a perfect metaphor for being unprepared!

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Every day, dozens of such “criminals” sneak by.

Unless you have your own personal Lookout Notice system, they’ll slip away unnoticed.

“The world is your crime scene. Clues to great communication are everywhere.”

The Secret Weapon: Your Lookout Notebook

Just like investigators maintain case files, you need a Lookout Notebook (or a digital note app).

Whenever you catch a clever turn of phrase, a memorable metaphor, or a quirky fact—write it down.

Over weeks and months, this becomes your criminal record of creativity.

When the time comes to speak, you’ll have a ready arsenal: one-liners, stories, and analogies that add punch to your communication.

Closing Argument

You don’t need to chase after material desperately. Instead, issue your personal Lookout Notice.

Stay alert in daily life, and you’ll find that ideas, phrases, and stories line up for arrest.

Catch them.

Collect them.

And when it’s time to speak, unleash them.

Because in the world of communication, the one with the richest “criminal record” of ideas is the one who holds the audience captive.

Ready to sharpen your speaking toolkit? Join my 12-week Impactful Speaking Programme—where we turn everyday material into powerful communication.

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