As President of a Toastmasters club in Frisco, Texas, I often find myself asking relatively new club members about delivering a speech ASAP. I often get one of 3 common responses. One – I don’t have anything to talk about; Two – I don’t know how to begin; and Three – I don’t have time. Let’s take these three excuses in turn. I will start with the first one today and the next two will be continued in the next 2 posts.
Having never met you or checking your “qualifications”, I can guarantee that you have at least 10 speeches that you can give on very short notice. Consider the following annotated list:
- If you have ever given birth to a human – you have a story. Perhaps, what’s even more interesting is that if you have witnessed someone else give birth to a human you also have a story – and it’s probably funnier. It may not have been humorous to the person in labor at the time, but I can guarantee that someone else on the scene did something funny and memorable. There’s your first speech.
- If you ever considered the Yin and Yang of literally anything you have a story. Two colors, two seasons, two birthdays, two anniversaries, two funerals, two weddings, two jobs, two types of food, two styles of fashion, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. It doesn’t have to be rocket science – just an honest observation.
- If you ever seriously considered a trinity, a trilogy, or are a member of the secret trilateral commission that runs the world you have a story. OK, you might have to keep that last one a secret. But anyone can talk about why Despicable Me 3 was trash (FALSE), and why the third Matrix movie was great (also FALSE) – or something equally resonant with you.
- If you have ever been to the four corners of the world, the four corners of your state, your county, your city or your block – you have a story. If you heard different accents traveling North, South, East, and West you have a story. If you have ever seen a consultant present some 2 by 2 matrix (as they ALWAYS seem to do) you have a story. If its a story about falling asleep in the middle of the presentation – even better.
- If you ever toured the Pentagon, worship under a Pentagram, or heard the a-capella group Pentatonic – you have a story. (You can explain to the uninitiated what it means to be Mitch-slapped. If you don’t know what that means – Google it.) We can easily expand this to refer to any major building, monument, museum or even the closest tourist trap. Explain something that you believe that many people will consider odd, or explain why “Joy in Repetition” is the greatest song ever made. I previously spent 7 minutes explaining that last one – and I meant it.
- If you know that 6 is afraid of 7 because 7 – 8 – 9 and he did it because he wanted 3 squared meals a day – you have a story. Do you really expect me to believe that you can’t remember 5 bad jokes that your dad told you, or 5 silly things that your children laughed at. Trust me on this one – people love those stories.
- If you ever seriously considered the 7 deadly sins – or even better, committed them you have a story – and probably 7. No one has ever gone to Vegas, Atlantic City, or New Orleans and not come back with a story. You can leave out names if you like. You can even lie about how much you won, but you cannot claim that there is no story.
- If you ever “ate” anything strange, great, exotic, or awful you have a story. Remind me one day to tell you about the time my mother asked if we wanted “one grit or two” for breakfast. It would take me at least 5 minutes to even explain that one.
- If you know someone who lives as though they have 9 lives you have a story. It may be because you are inspired by that, or it may be because you are worried by it. Either way, there is a lesson in there.
- If you are able to type the words “David Letterman Top Ten List” I guarantee that you will find at least a dozen stories right there.
I can make this even easier for you. The next time you are asked to give a 5 minute icebreaker-style speech, just talk about this list that you found from some short guy online. It always works.
Here is the point that matters. You are the world’s singular authority on your story. All that is needed for it to be unique is that it truly be yours. All that is needed for it to be interesting is that it is honest. All that is needed for it to be worthy of our attention is that it caused something in you to change. You have 1000 stories, and a 1000 speeches. All that really stops you is F-E-A-R. Don’t be ashamed of that fact. Just don’t hide behind the “I don’t have anything to say” line, because no one (including you) actually believes that one.
