One of my favorite quotes is from that wonderful oracle, Anonymous. This was shared at a Toastmasters meeting I attended more than 25 years ago, and it had such an impact, I still keep it posted in my office. It goes like this:
Courage comes from wanting to do it well. Security comes from knowing you can do it well. Confidence comes from having done it well.
I wished I had had it handy recently to quote when I was doing an evaluation of a speech at a Toastmasters meeting. (Yes, I’m still member after all these years!) The speaker was on her fourth project in preparation for her first national keynote presentation next spring. I maybe would have shared my thoughts differently about her presence, her message, and her growth using these three dimensions.
Courageous? Yes, absolutely! Would you start your preparation now for a speech you are giving in 10 months? Or would you wait until nine months from now to get going? Would you practice in front of your friends every week for several weeks running to test the foundation and organization of your speech?
Secure? I think she is gaining security each week. It’s important that she has support in this endeavor, since she needs positive feedback from others when she doubts herself, and especially when she gets weary from so many ideas to harness and choose from. I’m glad she chose our Toastmasters club to trust. Our faith in her abilities will keep her moving forward.
Confident? She has done a great job already, and by the time she delivers this speech, she will have done it well many times. No “just winging it” for her. I can tell her how impressed I am, how technically proficient her speech is, how appealing her call to action is, but she will have to believe it herself. And when she reaches that moment, we will all know it. She will not be able to refrain from exuding confidence.
Courage, security, confidence. Do you have those attitudes in place? They are hallmarks of leadership, not just speaking in public. I am proud that she has asked me to work with her on this project even outside of Toastmasters, and on another seminar project she is interested in. In return, she is helping me with my use of planners and journals. I can always use a little help with organization and scheduling.
You will be able to see and hear her yourself at PlannerCon 2017 in San Francisco. Check out the details at https://inkandwink.com/your-complete-guide-to-plannercon-2017-resources/. Her name is Karine Tovmassian and you can check out her blog at: http://www.karinetovmassian.com/. Tell her you heard about her here.