Obtain Your Perspective
“I love to wake up at 5 a.m. on weekends” was the opening line to my first Icebreaker speech at a Toastmasters meeting. I raised a few eyebrows with that one, but I spoke about why I enjoyed it with a side of self-deprecation for humor. When I finished, everyone thought it went great. Well, almost everyone. While it helped me flex my speech muscles for the first time in a minute, and I got out of my comfort zone, I thought it could’ve gone better.
There were these “filler” words I felt I relied on too much during my speech, such as “and.” Nevertheless, people said I knocked it out of the park. When I examined my evaluation, one thing came to my mind. It reminded me of my biggest obstacle, myself.
I am my worst critic. I don’t feel I meet my expectations even when others think I do well. My biggest enemy is my inner voice casting doubt about my worth. Perhaps it stems from a need to be the best at what I do, but I’ve recognized that perfection is impossible.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop me from talking down on myself, but I’ve gotten better at talking back. More often than not, I find the will to believe in myself. My icebreaker speech intended to help refine my public speaking skills, but it also helped me by exposing my weaknesses.
If I hadn’t taken the spotlight to showcase my strange habit, I would’ve remained unaware of the consequences of my self-doubt.
My speech helped me admit I was the problem.
My speech helped me see things aren’t what they seem.
My speech helped me realize I have to ignore my voice sometimes.
Today, I’m not telling you to exit your comfort zone.
Today, I’m telling you to pay attention when you exit your comfort zone.
You might not learn who your biggest enemy is, but you will learn something that wasn’t obvious before, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. My speech gave me clarity on my biggest obstacle. What will you learn if you throw yourself into the fray of life?
