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The DoorThis is a speech I prepared for the 1998 International Inspirational Speech Contest. I won at all levels up to District. You may use it as is, but I believe it will prove more useful as an idea generator. If you like this work, please let me know -- like all creative souls, I really appreciate knowing someone was able to use my effort. You can also e-mail me an idea or two of your own. I'll add it to my page and give you proper credit.
Introduction[Start with your back toward audience – arms spread wide in a "spread eagle" stance. Say this with some excitement and look around at an imaginary door:] Here it is! This is it! [Turn head over shoulder to look at audience] Do you see it? [Again look away from audience,] It’s a door! [Break and turn toward audience.] Madam Contest Chair, Fellow Toastmasters, and Most Welcomed Guests. Before you is an open door and just beyond that door lies your dream. What is your dream – what would you like more than anything else in the world? Wealth? Fame? Improved family relationships? Perhaps a new bicycle tire (some people’s dreams are more practical than others)! Whatever you want, it’s here – just beyond this door! The good news for you is that it’s only two steps away. You can get to this door and have your dream! It’s only two steps away! Step One – Plan Your WorkI’ve had a number of conversations with my friends where I’d ask them about their dreams. One friend said, "I want a million dollars." Another told me, "I want to be a movie star." One once said, "I want to join a circus and wrestle a bear!" The next question I always ask is, "What plan do you have to achieve that dream?" It seems the conversation always rather dies at that point. Well, except the bear-wrestler. He said he’s already working on his technique – every night he wrestles his pet guinea pig. A dream without a plan is what I like to call a pixie-dust dream! Why would I say that? Because you laid awake in bed one night and sighed to yourself, "Wouldn’t it be great if I had a college diploma." Then, you rolled over and went to sleep. I suppose you hoped some pixie would fly in your bedroom window, sprinkle around some dust, and you’d awaken in the morning with a college diploma on your nightstand. I have a pixie-dust dream right here. [Display the "Clearing House Sweepstakes" envelope]. In case you can’t see this envelope very well, I’ll mention that Dick Clark’s picture is on it. A pixie-dust dream is expecting Dick Clark to walk up to their front door and hand them a million dollars! Here’s an example plan for you. Suppose your dream is a college diploma. Go down to the college and register for a class this term. Next term, register for another class. Continue attending classes until you earn your diploma. Have your dream, but then plan your work to achieve that dream. Step Two – Work Your PlanOnce my son decided to open a business. Brad was about 9 years old at the time. He came in from playing and announced, "Dad, I’ve decided I want to buy a new bicycle, so I came up with a plan to make some money." "What’s that?" I answered. "Well," he said, "you know those guys who always fish down at Mr. Wilson’s pond? I’m going to sell them worms for bait." Jim Wilson did have a small pond just down the road from us that he stocked with carp and catfish. There seemed to always be one or two men sitting at that pond drowning worms. "That’s a good idea," I replied," but where are you going to get the worms?" "I’m going to dig them up in the back yard." I didn’t mind, so I went out to our old tin shed in the back yard, got him an old, plastic pail and a rusty shovel, and showed him a spot in the far corner of our yard where I told him worms would live. Then he started digging very enthusiastically. After about fifteen minutes, he came into the house with his pail full of dirt. "Did you find many worms?" I asked. "No," he replied, "and I’m going to find some other way to make money. Worms are too hard to catch!" Achieving your dreams is hard work. My Dad used to say, "You gotta climb the mountain if you’re gonna see the view." Fellow Toastmasters; here’s a mystery. A millionaire tells a group of people just like you about the book that changed his life and made him rich, yet only four or five people seek out that book and read it. Why do so few people take action to achieve their dreams? Because it’s "too hard." [Note: whine the words "too hard."] If you would see your dreams come true, commit to working whatever plan you made. Work that plan every day, without fail! When you wake up in the morning, ask yourself (before your jump out of bed), "What will I do today to make my dream come true?" When you lay down at night, ask yourself, "What did I do today that helped my dream come true?" If the answer to those questions is "Nothing" then get out of bed immediately and start working your plan. Will there be setbacks? Yes! Will you run into obstacles? Of course! Will there be days when you won’t want to continue? You’d better believe it! But you can overcome those setbacks, prevail over those obstacles, and continue to work even when you want to quit! Remember that success is nothing more than getting up one more time than you fall. What ever you would do with your life – whatever goal you have for yourself – to succeed, work your plan. ConclusionFacing away from audience] here’s the open door. Just through this door lies all our dreams. I’m going through that door! [Take a step or two toward the "door," then stop and turn toward audience] Who will go with me? This Document Last Modified on April 12, 1998. |
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George R. Self |