| Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:38 PM | |
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It Just Takes Practice
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There is an old joke about a violinist on his first visit to New York City who finds himself lost and late for rehearsal. So he asks a police officer, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The policeman answered: “Practice, practice.” You may laugh at this story, but you know the truth: Practice is essential for whatever you want to get better at. Remember how you practiced for sports, playing musical instruments, drawing, cooking, taking exams or learning a new language? You probably don’t remember that you even practiced walking and laughing when you were an infant! As an adult, practice is still key to success. In Toastmasters, I have seen people practice a proposal for a work project, a proposal for marriage, a eulogy for a relative’s funeral, a farewell speech, a salary negotiation, sales presentations, community fund raising, talks to motivate a child, evaluations of a person or situation, running a meeting smoothly, pitching one’s business and more. Members first practice their projects at home and then practice again in Toastmasters where they received feedback. They polish their presentation and when they perform it for the Big Day, they do well. In life, the reward from practice comes from great success on the Big Day. In Toastmasters, the reward can be the practice itself. You can even receive credit for practice as long as you are evaluated and signed off. What other organization or place rewards you that way? Who else will give you a big hand and enthusiastic cheers when you practice? Only in Toastmasters! reparing for the Big Day doesn’t have to be the only reason to practice a speech. You can switch to communion mode: sharing information, feelings, and knowledge with your fellow members. When you are communicating, your skills grow in the background. You may not feel that you have practiced, but you have. You are more comfortable speaking now, compared to two years ago, aren’t you? The opportunity of what you can do with your speech and leadership manuals is endless. There are opportunities through area, division, and district level participation that you can get credit and prizes for. Ask your Area and Division Governors, or District Officers how you can pitch in. Ladies and gentleman, take an hour or two to examine your goals for this year. What would you like to accomplish for work, relationship, family, and life? How can Toastmasters help you practice your way to success? If you work this way, by the end of the fiscal year June 2009, you will be surprised how much you have accomplished personally. At the same time, your club and district officers will be celebrating the achievements of the organization to which you have made a major contribution. Let’s practice together and make our world perfect. |