Our Toastmaster Club’s International contest was this morning. I came in 3rd of 5. Right in the middle. Would I have done better had my speech have been of wider appeal? What was I thinking? a speech on meditation.

A subject more for my purposes that spoke well to about half the audience, of little appeal to those who have never been called to mediation. I knew that. I rely heavily on my speeches just flowing onto the page. Why didn’t the right speech for winning come out? Timing. Not the right time to be focusing on contests. With the first Simplify from the Inside Out workshop coming up, my time will be better spent preparing the curriculum than expending energy for the next contest round at the Area level. Focus. The theme of the season.

So what was the use of the commitment to myself to win this year? I’ve been thinking about it for months! I think that believing I would win helped my belief in myself that I could do it. Go with what it takes to stretch up to full vision.

I’ve noticed that kind of thing lately, i.e. the round-about way to achieve a goal. As I prepare to launch the workshop that will put me on the road to different cities & new audiences, shifting my self-image from consultant to professional speaker, I found support in the vision of myself winning the contest. It helped me make the internal adjustments necessary to carry myself as a Speaker. If that’s what it took to make those internal adjustments, than OK!

Self-critique of delivery this morning: I feel I did a good job. (I’m glad for this on a contest day because there is no wondering if I lost because of some delivery glitches.) Voice projection strong, good word enunciation, I remembered the words easily, and had smooth delivery. Eyes a little jumpy, hold eye contact longer, move more slowly. Not pacing exactly, but movement without purpose. This would be the next skill to work on. Movement with Purpose. Every gesture, every step supports or detracts from my message.

All in all, good fun. It was a fun adventure worth waking up at 1am, then 3am, then at 4:30am (got out of bed this time) last night for.