By Yow Kia

Have you ever wondered what the greatest joy of giving a speech is? Standing on a stage where millions of audience sitting down there to listen to you? Receiving prize in a reputable speaking contest? Getting better pay through speaking? To me, the greatest joy of giving a speech is after I’ve delivered my speech, there’s someone approached me and said “Your speech inspired me!” This is so far the best and most satisfactory comment that I have ever received.

I still remember that comment was received after I gave my speech during a speech contest. That speech was about treasuring the opportunities that come towards us and put me on 1st runner up place for the International Speech Contest.

Here, I would like to dedicate this speech to all of you. I hope you all will be inspired after reading this article.

Speech title: Grab It!

I wonder how many of you here have ever experienced these situations. When you saw someone speaking out confidently on a stage, you dreamed you were him. When you saw someone dancing gracefully on a dance floor, you dreamed you were him. When you saw someone singing beautifully in an auditorium, you dreamed you were him.

Good evening contest chair, ladies and gentlemen, if there’s an opportunity for you to fulfill your dream, will you GRAB IT?

One day, there’s an announcement from my company….. “Speak out!” Join Toastmasters Club to improve your communication skills. First year subscription fees will be fully sponsored by the company. Suddenly, I became the CEO of the company, talking to my employees during an annual meeting. I’m glad to announce to all of you, our total sales for year 2006 was $500 million dollars and, I can assure you all, the average bonus payout for this year is at least 6 months. ……I dreamed again… Indeed, it’s a very good opportunity to improve my communication skills, and I GRAB IT.

When this good opportunity appeared in front of us, I saw 4 types of reaction.
1st type – It’s a good opportunity indeed. But, I’m afraid I can’t make it. I was born as an introvert, I just can’t speak well. I think I would like to let go this opportunity. This type of people has no confident on himself. He always finds excuses to avoid facing new challenges. Before I joined toastmasters club, who knows that I will speak in front of you all, who knows that I’m now participating in International Speech Contest? Who knows? Never try, never know…… If you see a good opportunity, just GRAB IT!

2nd type – I have a friend called John who has joined Toastmasters Club for 3 months. He had given 2 speeches and yet he still speaks like an ordinary man without confident. And now, he has quitted the Toastmasters Club. I think the Toastmasters programme doesn’t suit everybody. Hey, wake up your mind. Flip through the Toastsmaters magazine, you will find so many Distinguished Toastmasters are produced monthly because of this simple programme. Listen to the successful ones instead of the quitters. I admit that someone may take longer time, someone may take shorter time. But, as long as you don’t quit, you will be thoroughly benefited by the programme. You yourself have to try it whole-heartedly. What are you waiting for? GRAB IT!

3rd type – I’m a busy man. I have no time at all. Come on, it’s only 3-4 hours per month. You have time to go shopping with your girl friend, you have time to go drinking with your friends, and you have no time to improve yourself? Throw away all the excuses and…. GRAB IT!

4th type — This programme is not bad. No harm trying and I have nothing to lose. I will try my best to follow the programme and I want to be a good speaker. I will grab any single opportunity to speak out!

See the differences?
Which type are you belonged to? I’m pretty sure that most of you here are belonged to the 4th type. If not, you won’t be sitting here. But how long do the drive, the motivation last in your mind? Can you still persist all the way after getting Competent Communicator award up to Distinguished Toastmaster award?

In real life, we tend to think too much before making a decision. A lot of time, a lot of things are very straight forward but we just like to complicate them. Think about the past, how many good opportunities that you’d missed out because of thinking too much, and now, you are regretting. Do you want to wait until one day that you tell your son. Son, this is my boss, a Distinguished Toastmaster. Last time we joined the company together as an engineer, and he took up an opportunity to join Toastmasters Club. Because of his fantastic communication and management skills, he was promoted to be my section manager. If….If I joined Toastmasters Club during that time, I think now I’m his manager.

I came to Singapore in year 2000 to pursue my university studies in NTU (Nanyang Technological University). Along the way in my studies, from primary school to high school, I didn’t really have to study very hard but still I could get good results. In order to get into NTU Engineering, I have to get at least A2 for Advanced Mathematics, Elementary Mathematics, Physics and English in UEC which is an examination almost equivalent to A level. Fortunately, I got A1 for my both Maths and A2 for my Physics and English. Unfortunately, I failed to get scholarship as the requirement is to get A1s for these four subjects. No choice, I have to settle the tuition fees and living cost myself. I got bank loan from OCBC bank. After graduation, I have a debt of 40K with annual interest of 4.75% with OCBC bank. I always think, if only I studied hard for my UEC, I could have saved up this 40K. It’s all because of I didn’t treasure the opportunity for getting scholarship. Now every month, I have to take out a portion of my income to pay back the loan. If only I got the scholarship, I can actually use this money for other purposes. I didn’t GRAB the opportunity. When we have missed out an opportunity, we always say “if only this…if only that… “ and fill our heart with full of regrets. Friends, do you still want this kind of life? At the end of the day, sitting down at a corner and think of how many opportunities that you’ve missed out and filled your heart with all the regrets. I’m sick of this kind of life.

Instead of wasting time to think of how many good opportunities that we have missed out, why don’t we use the time to treasure all the good opportunities and make full use of them? Come on everybody; please treasure all the good opportunities that come to you and GRAB IT!