But the truth is, 38 percent of your charisma comes from the way you talk. The more appealing your voice is to people, the more trust they`ll put in you, but the opposite is also true. Stuttering, talking too fast, not breathing properly, can ruin your charisma and make people unable to enjoy your company.
~
We talk about charisma as if it were a personality trait, something we have organically and cannot cultivate. But much of its magic lives in the body, in the breath, pacing, tone, and the way our nervous system speaks before our words do.
When I read the quote above, it struck me not because charisma is the goal, but because communication is the doorway.
Casting has always allowed me to watch human behavior and to question why someone could wow the room while another fell flat. Some will say technique has something to do with it, yet complete novices could walk in and nail the roles. Within the first few seconds of an actor speaking, they telegraphed whether they were likable, trustworthy, or closed off.
Breath changes presence, and how that breath is used for pacing and pausing can reveal the actor’s confidence. Actors may “try” to sound confident but always miss the mark because their breath gives them away.
Our voice is our calling card. Verbal first impression is real. The resonance holds a vibration and the vibration is energy. Charisma is energy.
We have all been around someone so nervous that we could literally feel it pouring out of their body. People feel this before they ever hear your words. Slowing our breath helps regulate our nervous system, creating a calm that exudes confidence outward. This confidence exudes charisma.
