Failure to Launch

By an FCBC FV Speech Club Member (eh you know who it is)

Come sit here and let me tell you about thee oleden’ days. The year was oooh… 2007. I was but a young lad. I had dreams of grandeur and of traveling to Asia after getting my college degree! All I had to do was defend my thesis to my professors. How hard can it be? Everyone passes!

Well… I didn’t. I was asked a series of questions about what I wrote. “Uh.. uh..” was all I could say. I appeared dumb. I didn’t know how to defend anything that I wrote. It was the worst 10 minutes of my life but felt like an hour. I had failed to get my degree.

My professors told me that I had a second shot but I would have to join Toastmasters to get better at speaking. Great! But then how about my visions of grandeur? Well, I was stuck here until I could finally pass. I had to make sure I could defend my thesis and get on with this segment of my life.

The first day of Toastmasters I cried. I told the Toastmasters in the room why I was there and I started to sob. They were all very friendly and kind. They didn’t judge me. When I joined I went through the motions and did what I had to do in the club. I eventually became a better speaker. And, who would’ve known? I actually enjoyed public speaking!

And guess what? I passed my test the second time around and still traveled Asia. 10 years later I’m still a Toastmaster.

You never know where the Toastmaster journey will take you. Wherever it takes you, it’ll change your life.