Presidential Speech 04: Be Bravely You

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

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/07/presidential-speech-01-grow-and-blossom.html

Presidential Speech 02: Begin with the End in Mind

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/07/presidential-speech-02-begin-with-end.html

Presidential Speech 03: Who Am I

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/08/presidential-speech-03-who-am-i.html

L1P2.1: How to Kill Somebody

My elder brother always say this: "The answer lies in the heart of battle."

He was given the topic, "How to kill someone". But my elder brother, Alan is too weak to deliver this. So, I take over.

My name is Alex. I'm Alan's dark shadow. For years I have been living within the dark corners of his mind. Only recently, he decided to acknowledge my existence.

It is very easy to kill someone. All you need to do cause and/or induce trauma to the person's body that leads to major organs failure. For examples shooting, stab with knife, knock with stones or even do it subtly with poisoning. For inspiration how to kill someone, watch Hollywood movies and it will give you endless ideas to end somebody's life.

The Ancient Text taught us: "Thou shall not kill". But at the same time, the society taught us: "An eye for an eye, a life for a life." What a hypocrite justice it is!

"Alex, stop it. Just stop it!" "Relax, brother, let me finish what you cannot start!"

It is more fun to create a living hell for someone, rather than to kill him immediately. You can do it legally too. It can be done in 3 simple steps:

First step: Emotional abuse. The objective is to make the person feel worthless, self pity and helpless, in turn. Reprimand them in public, verbal attack, passive aggressive behavior, punish them or threaten to punish. All these is done with the intention to cause emotional trauma without even laying a finger onto them. Once they are emotionally down, they are ready for second step.

Second step: Tempt them with addictive poisonous baits. By the time they were emotionally abused, they will look for "cure" or "quick fix". They will want to fulfill their 4 core emotional need: certainty, variety, significance and love. Offer them alcohol, drugs, gambling and sex. These will be temporary fix to the emotional need. And it is addictive.

By the time they were hooked to those poisonous bait, their intelligence and capacity for judgement will be down to below average. It is the best time to isolate and destroy their emotional support. Plant the idea that they are now in such a sorry and pitiful state because of their love ones did not support them. Help them to grow their frustration eventually hatred towards their family. The best part, these negative emotions will be pass down to their children

By then, my victims will lived in living hell, created in their own mind. They maybe in major depression and having suicidal thoughts. All I need to do is to sit down and watch the drama unfold.

Insanity is just like gravity. All it takes is just a little push. Why kill someone, when you can create living hell in their mind.

Why. So. Serious?


13 February 2019. Nielsen Malaysia Toastmasters Club.