You can increase your value a hundred-fold. Be a creator. Be a multiplier.
You can write about what you know. We live in a time when we have enormous opportunities to reach thousands of people. You can author a book. Everywhere, there are people who can teach you how to write one in sixty days or less.
You can also start a blog. The page you are reading now is a blog post. I am writing this now as my last activity for the day. It is easy to write a blog. You begin with some words. Like this. Then you add more words. Yes, until you create meaning.
Obviously, I already have an end in mind. You’ll find that in the title: Confident Speaking in Toastmasters.
One effective way of increasing your value 100x is through public speaking. Unfortunately, many people don’t grab this opportunity. They are afraid to speak.
Actually, it is not speaking that makes them less confident standing before a crowd. It is the fear of being judged as inadequate.
I am not sure if you are one of us. Not everyone is afraid to speak. There are people who are energized by the opportunity to speak. But, if you feel that you need to free yourself from fear, I believe joining Toastmasters can help you.
Toastmasters is an international organization. I am a member of a Toastmasters Club that meets at UPLB.
I pay for my membership; advertising Toastmasters does not make me earn a centavo. But like other Toastmasters, I know that there are people who will benefit from joining my club or any club nearby.
Some clubs meet every week. Others twice a month. The quality of the Toastmasters club is defined by the quality of members. It is best to visit four to six clubs so you can decide which one is best for you.
What you will get from Toastmasters is the experience. You will have many opportunities to speak before a group of people who want you to be successful.
Each speaking role provides you an opportunity to use public speaking techniques. Feedback from peers helps you reflect on your learning. Mentors guide you.
Anyhoo.
You can learn more about Toastmasters International here. I won’t repeat whatever you can read from brochures.
What I will do instead is to tell you later on what you can get from Toastmasters that many Toastmasters don’t realize.
I will offer you also some tips so you can accelerate your learning when you decide to join Toastmasters.
You can become a confident speaker by joining Toastmasters. You can increase your value a hundred-fold by joining Toastmasters.
Jef Menguin
P.S. I will write about how you can develop a genius-like ability to talk about almost anything through Toastmasters. Also, if you are looking for a Speaking Workshop that will make you speak like a pro. This is a level beyond what Toastmasters can offer. ( I will talk more on Toastmasters limitations on my third post).
