| Have you ever watched a speaker and said, "Wow, I | | | | difference in their lives - by entertaining them, warning |
| wish I could speak like that"? or "That person was just | | | | them, encouraging them, or giving them direction or |
| so wonderful. I could never do that." Well, I've got some | | | | information.The great thing is - you all do have |
| good news for you. You too can be a public speaker. | | | | something to say that people would be interested in |
| Public speaking is a learned skill, so anyone can do it. | | | | hearing. Each of you has come through life in a |
| You just need to follow some simple steps and | | | | different way. You may have encountered difficult |
| practice, practice, practice. If you know how to talk, | | | | circumstances and survived. Your experience could |
| you can become a public speaker.Becoming really | | | | help someone else in the same situation.If you |
| good at public speaking requires some risk, but you | | | | remember jokes or enjoy telling stories to your friends, |
| have been taking risks all your life. When you were a | | | | practice a little more and soon you can be telling your |
| toddler, you risked falling down when you took your | | | | jokes and stories to large audiences. If you are really |
| first steps. You risk scraping your knees or falling | | | | good at something, consider sharing the steps of how |
| when you start roller blading. You risk falling off when | | | | you got there.By following the steps outlined in the |
| you start bike riding. You risk being rejected when you | | | | Toastmasters' manuals, and with the encouragement |
| ask someone out on a date, and you risk getting into | | | | of fellow Toastmasters, you can learn how to craft a |
| an accident every time you drive your car.If you gave | | | | speech and how to deliver it. You can learn how to |
| up after your first fall, you'd still be crawling. If you were | | | | use props, how to modulate your voice, and how to |
| afraid to fall off your bike, you'd still be riding with | | | | use words that your audience will understand.You will |
| training wheels. If you were afraid of getting into an | | | | often hear the words "stage time" used by |
| accident, you'd never get behind the wheel of a car. | | | | Toastmasters. That is the only way to get better. In |
| And guess what, you're still here - you've survived all | | | | order to be good at anything, you have to practice. |
| of that. You're risk takers!! You've proved that by | | | | Winston Churchill overcame a speech impediment to |
| coming to Toastmasters. The greatest fear is that of | | | | become a master orator. He had to practice for hours |
| public speaking and here you are - wanting to learn | | | | to deliver a speech.You can get very discouraged if |
| how to do it.How many of you enjoy watching figure | | | | you expect to be as good as Zig Ziglar right away. |
| skating? Now, you wouldn't expect to be a world class | | | | But if you listen to his story, you will find that it took a |
| figure skater the minute you put on a pair of skates, | | | | very long time before he was able to do what he |
| would you? No, you'd expect to have to practice for | | | | does so well.The thing to remember is that the only |
| years before becoming that good. Nor would you | | | | person you need to compare yourself to is you. You |
| expect to make the NHL without years and years of | | | | are working for your personal best, so when you are |
| winter and summer hockey.How many of you enjoy | | | | preparing your speech and practicing, all you need to |
| watching racing? Would you expect to be another | | | | ask yourself is - is your second speech better in some |
| Mario Andretti the minute you get behind the wheel? | | | | way than your first? Did you learn something new as |
| Now, I will admit that there seem to be a few drivers | | | | you prepared for your speech? Did you learn |
| out there who think they are Mario, but most people | | | | something from the evaluative comments of others |
| would expect to have to practice for years before | | | | after you gave your speech? Then, that's all you need |
| reaching his status.Now, I think everyone here knows | | | | to do. You can use what you've learned to make the |
| how to walk. When you think of walking 25 miles, it | | | | next speech your best to date and then use the same |
| seems like a long distance, but it is actually only putting | | | | process for each speech you give. Just take one step |
| one foot in front of the other a number of times and | | | | at a time.Remember, public speaking is a skill, so |
| you know how to do that. It just takes practice to go | | | | anyone can learn to do it. You just need to be taught |
| the distance. It's the same thing with public speaking. It | | | | how and then practice, practice, practice. Then one |
| just takes putting one word after another.The key to | | | | day someone may watch you and say, "Wow, I wish I |
| getting up in front of an audience is believing that you | | | | could speak like that."Fran Watson is a Career |
| have something to share with them that may make a | | | | Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-B). |