TABLE TOPICS: A Weekly Journal of Toastmasters International-Philippines

Email: "Dear Toastmasters, Informing you of our Toastmasters meeting next week." I looked at my calendar and told myself, "Oh I'm busy."

Text Message: "My fellow Toastmasters, see you tonight." I pause for a moment to remember and "Oh I'm busy."

Missed Call + Text Message, sender: "TM Marivic, where are you?" I hit reply and said, "Oh sorry, I forgot, I'm really busy."

My fellow Toastmasters, why are you here?  Are you not supposed to be somewhere else? A client to visit? A deadline to meet? An audit season to engage in? Do they not come first in all your engagements?

They should, right? Your job puts food on the table, your clients keep your company alive, that audit season is the peak of your year. In making your schedules, even if you know that a club meeting always hits a certain day, you will be willing to feed it to any other activity that will exceed its importance. You know you could always say "I'm sorry. I'm Busy".

I, as of the moment, am an accountant, a teacher, and a student-then I would pause and think about being a Toastmaster. It is still an added activity to my life but what am I in that area? A club member? I'm not so sure about that. So when I plot my schedule, I will put all my roles on certain days, and on days of conflicts, what will I sacrifice? Definitely not being an accountant - that's my main job. Not being a teacher - 19 students will be disappointed. And not my Masters - I pay for every hour of learning there! So I let my club meeting take the slack and it goes on every month, my refuge would always be "I'm sorry, but I'm Busy".

When I decided to join Toastmasters, I had this goal at heart: To be an extra ordinary influential public speaker-an intrinsic drive for self improvement.

I know how powerful communication can build strong relationships, and make many great things possible. Seeing it this way makes me want to have it in its best form and I know I need to do it every so often to be really good at it. Practice making speeches to be quick & sharp, practice speaking to be fluent & confident, practice, practice, and practice! until it slowly becomes a part of me and eventually it becomes ME. I really do have this overwhelming desire to be a great public speaker and leader. I often imagine myself speaking in crowds of either work mates or company CEOs and I will speak to impress.

My desire is great, my passion burns, but sometimes our discipline lacks short; something as intangible as a skill sometimes lack encouragement for an average individual; it's not always as captivating as money or a Masters degree-but I don't want to be average.  I want to be exceptional and I know it takes more than just passion and determination to be that. I need an extreme dose of Discipline, as well.

Yes, my job allows me to buy comfort, my teaching career leverages my passion for teaching and in helping build dreams, my future MBA degree will add beauty to my name, but speaking skills that are fully developed cannot be flaunted on a card and wrapped around my neck. I cannot put it on my business card nor will have any direct, heavy effect on my credentials. A speaking skill is better heard than written on a resume.

As serious as I am in earning money and in boosting my credentials, I am very determined to be the best that I can be in every possible way - my eloquence and speaking skills are more important to me than money or anything it can buy. 

I know that if we value something this much, we will always make a way to get to it.

And that is why I am here despite my busy schedule and impossible days. I try hard to come and keep coming because I know this place can make me a better warrior.

My dear Toastmasters, how about you?  Why are you here?