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Lesson 23 - How to Become an Advanced Speaker
Have you ever imagined being a great speaker who can move any audience? Can you picture being on stage, being very comfortable,
being very persuasive, and being very appreciated by your listeners? Can you imagine even being paid to speak? You could do it
some day. With enough study and practice, you could become a professional speaker!
By now, I hope you have joined a Toastmasters club in your area. The more practice, the better you become. Toastmasters is by
far the best place your speaking skills. Find a club by going to http://www.toastmasters.org. Or if you want, you can even start
your own club. Besides Toastmasters, you can volunteer more at work. Or try an "open mic" at a comedy club. If you speak another
language, don'tlimit yourself to English. Try speaking in another language, the principles are the same.
The next step is to participate in Toastmasters speech contests at your club. The goal of speech contests is not to win, but to use
that opportunity to raise your skills to a higher level. When I joined my club speech contest for the first time, it forced me to
think more carefully about my speech. And when I won that, I had the opportunity to give the same speech a second time, which allowed
me to make the speech even better with only a few small changes.
If you are very serious about becomeing a great speaker, make a video of yourself and analyze it. It's amazing what you will find! The
first time I saw a video of myself, I was shocked. I thought my body language was okay. It was not! I was swaying back and forth like
a young tree in the wind! My hands were moving too fast making me look quite nervous. Sometimes my voice was clear and strong, but at
certain points it was too weak. I was only able to notice these problems, and change them, because my fellow club member made a video
of me.
After improving through practice, learn the best speaking techniques from the best speakers in the world. Watch great speakers in these
educational videos and go far beyond the level of an average speaker!
You should especially get the best advice from the most advanced teachers. I highly recommend
the website of Darren Lacroix, the former World Champion of
Public Speaking and a great, great teacher.
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