What I Learned From a Speech Contest

I joined a speech club late last year because I wanted to practice speaking on topics outside of my technical expertise. I wanted to forum to talk about topics relating to finding one’s passion and living a purposeful life. After “talking science” for two decades of my life, it was time to talk about the things that I’ve thought about for almost all my life, almost when I learned how to think. These are the things that truly matter to me, because these are the things that help shape and guide my life.

About a month ago, I entered a speech contest. This was my very first speech contest and I did not know what to expect. I’ve learned that:

The first time can be the toughest, so find (or create) a supportive environment.
The first “level” of competing in a speech contest is at the club level. I was fortunate that my club is one of the most supportive clubs I’ve been in – at one time I held membership at three clubs to see which environment I felt most at home. I knew the people there, but I still felt very nervous, although I did not show much of my nerves. If you ever consider entering a speech contest, make sure you have a support nucleus in the audience, especially for the very first time. For me, this made the difference between performing well in spite of my nerves or performing poorly because of my nerves. Afterwards, I was a basketcase for a few hours, from the rush of adrenaline that bombarded my body from being in a new competitive situation.

I think this is true for many of life’s situations. When you want to change your career, start a new business, or think a different way, you want to surround yourself with a supportive nucleus of people. There are many people who want to tell you “no” because of their own issues. Know who you’re talking to when you’re sharing new or creative ideas. You may want to be mindful of different groups of people and how they react to your ideas, just as I had joined different clubs to see which ones I felt was the right club for me at the right time.

Know why you’re competing.
We compete to win, right? It depends. For some who fear public speaking, competing in a speech contest is a personal challenge that stretches them and help them grow – even if they don’t place at all. The act of standing on stage in front of a group of people and deliver a 5 to 7 minute speech is an act of courage for many people. For others, competition is a serious business. They compete to win and they work with coaches and strategize on their approach because their objective is a trophy.

As I’ve mentioned, I really did not know what to expect since this was my first time competing in a speech contest. I also had a tendency to take competitions too seriously to the point of no longer enjoying the experience, so I was very watchful of my intent entering this contest. I saw this contest as a way for me to share what I had to say with others. If I won, it would mean that I could reach more people with my message. If I didn’t win, I would be content knowing that I had the opportunity to share my message. This helped me focus more on the message and why I was speaking, than competing for winning’s sake. It also helped me put the contest in perspective, and I was able to enjoy the process.

When you enter a contest, ask yourself why you wanted to enter in the first place. No matter what your intent, it is important for you to be clear on that intent. This intent helps you focus your energy and center your perspective.

The Results. After winning at the Club level, I progressed to the Area contest, where I placed first. From there, I advanced to the Division level and competed last week. I placed first, and will be advancing to the District level next month. Did I enjoy hearing my name announced as first place winner? Sure. But what remains with me long after the contest experience is the people who came up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed my speech and how it touched them. That is what I want more of, because I know I’m using my voice for good.