How I Got Into Toastmasters

I was first introduced to Toastmasters by my parents when I was in Form 4. Yes, just like you, when I heard of the word "Toastmasters", I thought it was some sort of a cooking-cum-baking society, which was why I had always refused my parents' invitation for me to attend one of their meetings. As they used to hold their meetings from 8.00-10.30pm, I had always refused to attend their meetings on a "legitimate reason" that I had to attend school early in the morning. Well, somehow I was always caught still watching television when my parents returned from the meetings. Hehe  :)

What is Toastmasters
Link: http://www.toastmasters.org/

After completing my secondary education, my "reason" was no longer "legitimate", and so I had to oblige to my parents invitation to attend one of their meetings. When my mom said that I should bring my friends along for company, the "light bulb" suddenly turned on, giving me the idea that I should use this as a "legitimate reason" to ask my girl friends out for a date. *evil grin*

And so there I was, attending my very first Toastmasters meeting as a guest, with this lovely lady "C" whom I had fond feelings of sitting on one side, and two male buddies whom I brought along sitting on another side (guys should know best what this means, hehe). Obviously, I was excited. But not knowing that my parents had set up an "evil plan" to make me speak during the meeting.

What is Table Topics
Link: http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MemberExperience/MeetingRoles/TableTopicsSpeaker.aspx

During the Table Topics sessions, after a few volunteers had spoken, the Table Topics Masters asked,

"Shall we have one of our guests to participate?"

Well, we were the only guests. And for obvious reasons, I had to play hero and step forward to volunteer myself for the topic. When the topic was read, I could feel cold sweat starting to slip out from the pores of my forehead.

"Imagine you're asking a lady out for a date. Please demonstrate how you convince the lady to accept your invitation."

As if to add coal to fire, the cheeky Table Topics Master suggested,

"I think you need a partner. Shall we invite C to join you here so that you can demonstrate to us?"

Unlike the timid me, C was a "steady" lady and immediately obliged. When she stood beside me, I blushed. Long story short, I fumbled...terribly...

Thankfully, this embarrassing experience brought out the "kiasu-ness" in me. It taught me one very important lesson:

A person may have the best intentions or ideas in mind, but if he could not communicate them effectively to his targeted audience, it is just as though he has never had them in mind.

Surprisingly, this was the very experience which triggered my interest and got me into Toastmasters.

And I have never stopped ever since.