Читать книгу THE SEVEN MINUTE STAR - Florian Mueck - Страница 5

So How Did It Happen?

The answer goes back to the year 1924, when Ralph C. Smedley founded Toastmasters in Santa Ana, California. Today it is Toastmasters International, with local clubs nearly everywhere, all around the world. Toastmasters has changed my life; it has transformed me into an outgoing, extroverted and passionate public speaker — I enjoy what I speak about, and I also simply enjoy the act of speaking in public.

My introduction to Toastmasters came in 2005, when a friend invited me to a meeting of Prestigious Speakers, a local chapter in Barcelona. I signed up right away. “Wow,” I thought, “these people are moving from just plain smart to being so brilliant, they’re almost like Aristotle!”

Toastmasters emphasizes learning by doing, and you do it with people you like. You’ll learn

 how to speak;

 how to move your body;

 how to vary your voice, so the people in the last row won’t fall asleep;

 how to use supporting visual aids — what we call props;

 how to include catchy anecdotes, quotations, and humor;

 how to maintain eye contact with the entire audience;

 how to structure a speech;

 how to keep your allotted time by speaking less while still making your point; and

 how to engage your audiences enthusiastically.

You’ll turn into a passionate speaker, and you’ll always have your greatest asset on display: your smile!

This book, The Seven Minute Star, is a collection of my own personal experience gleaned not only from spending four years with Toastmasters, but also from applying its lessons in the real world. This book is experience-driven, and offers practical tips and tricks on how to master those seven minutes on stage.

There’s a star in each and every one of us — we just have to prepare ourselves, and let that star step out into the spotlight.

I will definitely return to New Orleans, and when I do, I’ll head straight for the Cats Meow. I’ll climb right up onto the stage, take a deep breath, calm myself, and look deeply into everyone’s eyes. Then — with passion — I will sing: “Start spreading the news...”

So, Thank you, Ralph! You helped me change my life.