|
|
|
|
Articles: My Experience | 30 Seconds
- Ms. Sree Chinny
| |
30 Seconds
==========
In Life I remember the flops, the failures, the plans that didn't work, the embarrassing moments, as lessons of real life.
My first speech was in fifth grade at a recital. The auditorium was full of parents and teachers. I was the only student that the teacher did not have a copy of their speech.
Why?
Because I knew mine so well, the teacher hadn't bothered to keep a copy, she knew that I wouldn't mess up.
Halfway through the speech, my mind went blank.
Absolutely blank!
I remember looking at the audience, at the principle on the front row, at my parents. . .
I remember the teacher vainly trying to remember my next line and prompt me. For a full 30 seconds (although it seemed like 30 minutes) I just stood there. Feeling naked. . .
I eventually remembered my next line and finished flawlessly. I've never forgotten those 30 seconds in fifth grade.
I've never forgotten, but I've never gone blank in a speech since either. I've had instances where my speech was unavailable. In one instance, I was the keynote speaker at a function. When I got to the podium the spotlights were so bright, they cast a dark shadow over the podium and I couldn't read a word on the paper that contained my speech.
I continued on without the audience knowing anything was wrong.
I was keynote speaker at a banquet; when I got to the podium, I realized that I had left my speech under my chair.
I continued on without the audience knowing anything was wrong.
I was able to continue on because I remembered '30 seconds' in the fifth grade. I remembered to not just stand there blank. Do something, say something, but don't just stand there blank.
Both speeches turned out fine because of those embarrassing 30 seconds of feeling naked and what I learned from it. It was one of the shortest, but toughest, lessons of my life.
No matter how embarrassing, how painful, how much the 'I would rather be anywhere but here' feeling is, it is a lesson to be learned, whether it is 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 30 years.
Learn the lesson well, and you won't have to repeat it.
| Read 3 Comment(s) posted so far on this Article!
| |
|
|
|
 |
| Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
| Advertisements |
|
