Practice makes perfect

A couple weeks ago, I read this magazine, Toastmaster. One of the authors said that “The difference between professionals and amateurs is that a professional practices in private and performs in public; an amateur practices in public”. So, How many times have you practiced in private before you stand here?

If you now can use your memory, please sit back and take it easy. Close your eyes and think back, back to ten years, twenty years or thirty years. Think back about when you are in elementary school, maybe a second grade or third grade student. When you stood on a platform and had a speech in front of the whole class for the first time, how did you feel? (Yep, now you can open your eyes) 

I can tell you how I felt at that time. I stuttered when I was a little boy. Even when I went to junior high school, I needed to point at words, while I was reading. I…I…I…(look at me, just like this) I had a serious problem with speaking. I would like all of you to return with me to the time of my childhood. I can still remember it vividly just like it happened yesterday. It is in a speaking class. I am a third grade elementary school student. We wrote a composition the day before; the title was “What will I be in the future”. Next day, we should recite our compositions to the class. I will never forget that day. When I stood on the platform, I really wanted to say something, but I couldn’t, even a single word. My face turned pale, my fore head sweating, my whole body felt numb. I am very scared. I didn’t know what to do at that time, because all of my classmates were looking at me. I froze. I couldn’t say anything. The teacher said that the only thing I have to do is say that I want to be a businessman like my father, and then I could return to my seat. But I still didn’t say anything. Finally, I was punished to stand at the back of the classroom until the class was finished. During the break, all of my classmates laughed at me, I felt really frustrated. This was my first experience of speaking in public. So, how do you feel about your first time speaking in public? Maybe it wasn’t very good, but I’m sure that it was better than mine.

I didn’t have any friends in my childhood, because they all laughed at me when I spoke. I didn’t want to talk to them; I was very lonely at that time. But, I always practiced speaking in front of the mirror every night. Even if it didn’t work, I never gave up, because I wanted to speak well and become a businessman like my father. From my childhood until now, I read different kinds of articles again and again. I speak out the words one by one every night, because I know the power of practice. You see, I don’t stutter anymore and I have been a businessman for over 10 years.

Can you see it? (Dropping), again, can you see it? (Dropping) Maybe you will say, “It’s nothing, it’s just a drop of water.” Yes, you are right, it’s nothing. A drop of water may be nothing, but… A thousand drops of water for a long time can erode a stone; practicing a thousand times for a long period of time can make our dreams come true.

I always remember my mentor, Hubert, telling us in his speech “Don’t turn down the opportunity to speak if you do want to be a better speaker.” So, when our EVP Sammi assigns me to do any job in Fluency, I seldom say “ No”; I always try to tell myself “Yes, I want to try it.” I may not be the best, but at least I’m brave enough to try. Because I always believe that “practice makes perfect.”