My contest experience

My speech contest experience, in a few words, was eye opening. First, it was
"Wow! I can do it!". Second, it was "Wow! Other speakers are so good!"
Third, it was "Oh, it hurts to lose! I will never ever do it again!" and,
forth, it was "I will do it every time I will have a chance again."

From just repeating the same speech several times in front of the different
audience I got a chance to try different techniques and learn what works and
when and what does not work at all (strange, are they deaf?!). It was
striking to see that different audiences react differently to the same
words, how timing of the punch line can kill the phrase or bring down the
house. I tried pauses of different lengths. I tried my voice at different
volume and variety. I projected different level of energy in different
places of the speech. I tried many things and got a lot of experience.

I saw other speakers co-oping with similar problems. My alertness of a
participant helped me to observe how other speaker deal with the same
issues. I learned from that too. How to do and how not to do things.

I got exposed to a few sec of glory and the dark hole of failure, and
learned how to deal with each of them. The last one was not easy. I was
surprised how "obvious" for me was that "the judges were unfair", when they
did not select me as a winner. Than I learned from my failure even more than
from my victories.

Overall, these few competitions (I went up to the division level only) made
me feel I learned more than from the first ten speeches. Very similar
statements and experiences I have heard from many other participants.
Actually, I heard it from every one I talked to. And I got to know so many
new and interesting people, with some of whom we continue to develop
friendship now - long time after the contest is over.

That is why I am going to do it again and again - every time I can. And I
encourage everybody - new and experienced toastmasters - go ahead, give it a
shot, it worth the pain of failure.

Good luck to you!
Nick

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