Mind Blanks - Lessons From a Motivational Speaker

So one thing I have learned if you have a mind blank - and I have lots of them - is not to panic. You have so much goodwill from the audience. They want you to succeed. It's more uncomfortable for them if you fail. So just let the feeling of panic subside and SMILE. Take a few paces. Look at the audience and smile again. Your train of thought will come back. Tell them you had something else planned but right now a thought has taken you onto a new path.

or

Carry a small notepad and pen in your pocket while presenting. If you have a mind blank. Stop. Smile. Look at the audience directly and say I've just had a genius idea that popped into my head. It's too good to lose. I have to write it down. Get out your notepad. Keep smiling and interacting with the audience. Involve them like they were the reason for this flash of insight. Flick through to a page of your notepad. The notepad has your talk written out on dot points. Find what you should be talking about. Then wrap up this small secret theatrical part of your talk and continue.

You have more control than you realise so use it to your advantage. No one knows what your original words were. I have blanked for 30 secs and recovered just fine. Pause gracefully is a perfect topic heading. Do that.