photo credit: bored-now

“In first place representing the Central Division at the District Conference….”

Not me.

“I Am Jack’s Broken Heart” – Fight Club (1999)

 Sitting there after the announcement of the winner, I was surprised. I had just spent the last three hours being told by people that they thought I had won…then the results. I didn’t even place. For the next few hours I ruminated on what had happened. What lines could I have fumbled, what message did I not deliver…then I realized something.

I put too much pressure on myself.

Going up there, I was filled with terror and I found it hard to keep from shaking uncontrollably. I kept asking myself, “Why are you so afraid?” Then when I sat down after the speech, it dawned on me…I had put far too much into this. I had spent so much time thinking about the desire of winning that I forgot about the most important thing – having fun.

Later that night while looking over the video of the event, I learned something. This was a good speech well delivered and other years it might have won. However, what defeated me was me. No other competitor beat me. I beat my self.

I realized that when you are competing in speech contests, you decide the message, you decide the delivery, and you decide how to prepare. No one else decides those things, so in the end, the only person that can beat you is you.

If you don’t deliver a needed message, if you don’t prepare, and if you don’t connect with the audience – these are all things you can control. So why don’t you?

Because the only person that can defeat us…is ourselves.

What do you think?

If you get a chance, check out my new site: http://youngprofitpros.com/

It is a learning resource for young professionals looking to forge their own path in life.

To see my division losing speech, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtMN-xXpQdM

Read on to learn how you can get a copy of The Finalists: 2008, FOR FREE!

The Finalists: 2008

As we progress through the Toastmasters International Speech Competition season, you might be wondering if you have what it takes to be the next World Champion of Public Speaking. After winning my Area this past Saturday, I started to wonder the same thing. I was nervous, didn’t think that my speech would stand up to the Division competition, and really thought that I didn’t have the energy to modify, practice, and give my speech one more time…then I got an e-mail containing a copy of, The Finalists: 2008 from Rich Hopkins.

The Finalists:2008 is a compilation of the stories of the 2008 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking Finalists and their path to the big stage. The Finalists include:

Rich Hopkins
Robert MacKenzie
LaShunda Rundles
Martin Presse
Colin William
Charlie Wilson
Katherine Morrison
Henry Flowers IV
K. Loghandran
Jock Elliot

Sitting at home fretting about the competition last night, I was enthralled by the stories of each of the Finalists from the 2008 competition. Included among them are professional speakers, performers, and pure amateurs that had the right mix of passion and skill. For some of the Finalists, this was their first trip to the big stage, while for others this was a return to try again. It was truly inspiring to read.

What impressed me the most was the level of self analysis that all of the finalists display. Their story is inspirational to those, like me, who seek the black name badge. I laughed, I cried, and I really connected my fellow speakers. If you are at all interested in the people and the process of getting to the final round of the World Championship of Public Speaking, then you have to read The Finalists: 2008.

Where others would charge $29 or more for a resource like this, Rich and the other Finalists have provided “The Finalists: 2008” e-book in pdf format FOR FREE, so head on over to Rich’s Website: http://www.richhopkins.net/ and sign up for his Champions of Choice Newsletter to receive your free copy of The Finalists: 2008 FOR FREE.