Repeat repeat repeat

I knew, we have to be well prepared and I knew we have the courage to speak up and to love our audience. I did think, I got it, as now "I am Competent communicator, am I not?"

Aie!

When one presumes too much, one can fall.

It is true, I was told, my use of visual props was good, (that is one project, number 7 I think in the Toastmasters manual): I used my gloves. The beginning was good too, because I used gloves and as it was cold outside, remembered to warm my hands, showing how difficult it was when, young adolescent, I suddenly decided not to use them.

It is true, my body language was good, but not confident enough, I did not look enough to my audience. It is true, my voice variety was adequate, but only in the second half of my tale. Body language is so important in a speech, we learn that in the task 5 and about voice variety in the 6th.

Alas, from the begining, we are told to repeat repeat repeat. Be well prepared.

Did I prepare well?

I did prepare very long time, often I woke up with the speech in my mind, going through it, going through the scenes I wanted to describe, to make my fellow club members live with me, my point to go through. I did repeat is so many times - in my mind - that I did not think so important to repeat it telling it loud, again and again.

Nothing can replace the telling it, playing it out, I learned that now.

I got my point through, but it could have been so much better! I am ashamed of myself, even if I did learn a lesson. Perhaps, even more then one. Not only of more modesty, but also of need to more telling, experience with the speech, before a small informal audience, before I tell it in public.

Last week, I was not proud of myself after my speech and even less listening to it on my Dictaphone, so next time, I know, to repeat it loud, to repeat it often, to tell it again and again before I go out and tell it to all.

I do improvise and like to do it, and improvising works, often. Not always and not when you fight against time and not when you do not feel confident. Other issues about which I'll write another day.