Toastmasters Speech 2: Organizing your speech

If change is for good! Change is good

As a kid, I got a real kick out of engaging my mom in endless debates intended to manipulate her into letting me do what I wanted, like staying out late or playing gully cricket with friends. I’d just wear her down until she capitulated. If she didn’t, I did what I wanted anyway and begged for forgiveness later. It drove her nuts. How many of us did this?

Moreover, It was a pretty effective strategy that served me well for quite a few years. It even worked on teachers, girlfriend and a college professor or two. But I always knew there would come a day when my little game would come to an end. Suffice to say that sort of childish behavior doesn’t go over too well in the real world. The real business world expects results. If you do great work and amaze your bosses or customers you will be richly rewarded. If not, you won’t. End of story!

OK, it’s not exactly that black and white, but for those of you who think you can thwart the system and cajole, bend, or manipulate your way to fame and fortune, here’s a true story that just might dissuade you. Steve Jobs has spoken publicly about how the personal and public humiliation of getting fired from Apple was like getting hit in the head with a brick. For most of us it might be difficult to wear his shoes but for sure we can relate to that. The thought of getting dumped by the company that had enough faith in you. Nevertheless, Years after Jobs also said it was the best thing that could have happened to him.

Additionally, the lesson I construe is that people play games. We all do! We mostly do it as children but, for many of us, old habits die hard. Sooner or later we learn that life is not a game and the real world has a harsh way of dealing with those who think they can outsmart it. Granted, you can get away with it for a while. But you will never, ever break through to become all you’re capable of being and do great things until that fateful brick comes out of nowhere and slams your head. And the truth is, the sooner that happens the better.

Coming to the part where we think that its difficult for us to be the best. To defy and overtake someone who is so naturally a winner. Change ourselves! I have a paragon for fellow toastmasters. How many of us have heard about bumblebee ! I will tell you about that. This small creature based on the theories of aerodynamics i.e. its weight, length of wings, its built etc and other venerated scientific principles, cannot fly! It simply can't! Why? Because mother nature built the bee in that way? It's fringe science for the bumblebee to fly. But the bumblebee, being unaware of these scientific facts, flies anyway! How and why? Well again the will power and the eagerness to fly have tuned their genes over generations to do that.

Coming back to our core topic, I feel, if change is for good, change is good! We must understand that before a flying brick hurts us (as it did incase of Steve Jobs) we need to improve ourselves. We must be aware of the real word and our own part in this competitive world. We should be able to market and present ourselves! We should have the power to shine like sun!

Why can we not tune ourselves? Why cannot we achieve that? How much is the life span of that bumblebee? 2-3 months. We live on an average 60-70 years? Can we not tune ourselves? Can we not accept the challenge? Based on the lifespan! I will leave to you for the maths!

And yup one more thing, better be on the lookout for flying bricks!