I had the privilege to attend "High Impact Presentation" training by Dale Carnegie October last year. Puan Mashitah, our trainer asked me: "How would you like to be known as speaker/presenter? Give me 3 words that you hope to be known for?"
"Authentic. Inspiring. Creative." I answered.
"Great! It is very rare for me to hear people wants to be an authentic speaker. Why do you want to be an authentic speaker?"
"What is the point of communication if it is based on fake masks and hypocrisy? I want to make genuine connection with people around me."
"That's a very tall order, Alan."
"I think the most important thing in life is being true to yourself."
Yes. to be true to myself. What does it mean by being "authentic"? As I ponder upon it, I realized it is about developing my presence, my being. It is about aligning the person that I am when no one is looking at me with the person I am in front of people. It requires me to explore my naked truth. It is about taking off layers upon layers of counterfeit self, layers of I have something to hide, something to protect, something to prove or something to defend. It is about finding that true self and communicate with my being, my essence as a person.
It took me 20 years to take off the anger towards my parents. I was fighting an inner battle of being my best versus not worthy enough. I need to prove myself that I am worthy, I am good enough. I hid my family background, for I was afraid to be laughed at such "colorful" family origin. I had to defend my pride and ego as an academically superior, intellectual elite student whom is bitterly better than my father. That was my identity. I must protect myself from further hurt by erecting a wall against the people who wants to build a bridge to me.
Nevertheless, along my short yet meaningful Toastmaster journey, I found my superpower in speech communication - authenticity. It up-level every single communication, every single speech that I delivered. It connects me with the right people around me like never before. It is through my imperfection that made me whole and complete.
I begin to appreciate the gift of authenticity is the most brilliant, most beautiful act that me as a speaker, a friend can give. Yet, it is rarest form of gift I received, as it requires me, the speaker to take risks, celebrate myself out loud and be willing to forgive myself.
It requires me, the speaker, to take off the strangling tie of perfection that is suffocating and accept my own imperfection.
It requires me, the speaker, to take off the comfortable suit of pretense that everything is ok, the illusion of false security.
It requires me, the speaker, to peel off the restricting shirt of expectation of who I am, instead of accepting who I really am.
My fellow Toastmasters, beloved friends and respected guests. As we are going through our meeting tonight, I would like to invite you to a journey of discovering your true voice, a journey to be bravely you.
Are you willing to rise above your wounds, your discomforts and your limitation and see them all as possibilities and share it with us here?
Are you willing to explore your naked truth, as a person, to find your voice and share it with us here?
Are you willing to share with us the precious, rarest gift of authenticity, to take that risks and celebrate yourself on this stage with is here?
If the answer is yes, take my hand. Come forward and claim the power of authenticity. The power to connect meaningfully. The power to your dream. The power that will change your life, for better. And be bravely you.
As you grow and blossom, be bravely you.
As you begin with the end in mind, be bravely you.
As you get to know who you really are, be bravely you.
By the authority of Toastmaster International vested in me, mandate given by club members as President, power of authenticity and courage to be bravely you, I hereby declare our meeting officially starts.
18 August 2020.
L1P2.1 Persuasive Influence
Presidential Speech 01: Grow and Blossom
Presidential Speech 02: Begin with the End in Mind
Presidential Speech 03: Who Am I
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