Procrastination in Speaking

 Procrastination:  to be slow or late about doing something that should be done : to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it, because you are lazy, etc.

Although I have been busy writing speeches, attending meetings, earning educational awards, I have been procrastinating about updating my blogs.  I realized this morning that I have been wasting time by going back to sleep in the morning instead of getting up and getting started.  Because of this I end up rushing around and not accomplishing what I wanted to get done.

Recently I sat down to look at my goals for my clubs.  I had intended to complete a Competent Communicator Manual and Competent Leader Manual for all three clubs.  I did not succeed in completing these goals because I looked at it too late.  Although I obtained a Competent Leader in two clubs and a Competent Communicator and Advanced Communicator in one of my clubs, I did not complete all my speeches or meeting roles.

One of the roles that needed to be completed for the Competent Leader was a newsletter for the Club.  One other member and I worked diligently on this and put together a quality newsletter by the deadline date and obtained our credits for doing so in our books.

I also prepared some articles for a local paper and emailed them out.  I was rewarded by seeing one of the articles in print this week.  However, there is much more to be done.  Speeches to be written, agendas to be prepared, mentees to be nurtured, roles to be filled.  So, no more procrastination!!  Time to write down my Toastmasters goals in order to achieve them by the end of this year.

How about you?  What goals have you set for yourself this year?  Have you been procrastinating?  Is there something specific you want to accomplish?  Write it down in the comment section.  Writing your goal down is the first step to achieving it and when you state it clearly, you brain begins to work on achieving it.

To your speaking success

Fran Watson

P.S.  Need help in determining a speech topic?  Click here for a free list of over 800 speech topics.

Procrastination Prevents Public Speaking?

Do you believe that you have to wait until things calm down a bit before you get your act together?

Do you keep telling yourself that tomorrow you will get at that chore you’ve been putting off, that course you’ve been wanting to take, that phone call you’ve been going to make, take some time to look after yourself, go to the spa, take a hot bath, etc. etc.?

Well then, you are normal. Most of us are waiting until tomorrow, but the truth is, as Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “life never calms down long enough for us to wait until tomorrow to start living the lives we deserve. Life is always movement, always change, always unforeseen circumstances.”

So, what are our options? How do we begin working on this life of ours to make it more satisfying? Sarah says “We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going. “ Wow, what a concept. Accept things as they are. Give thanks for our circumstances and then just get on with things.

As I read the thought for January 25th from Sarah Ban Brethnach’s Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, I was struck by how many things I have let slide. How many times procrastination has crept in and how many opportunities this has cost me. How many times have you had a thought, “I should call so and so”, but then let it slide only to find out later that something happened to that person, they moved away, or they died and that opportunity will never come again. How many friendships have you let slide? How many times have you turned down the chance to do something just for yourself – taking a nice long bath for instance. I can hear you now - “Oh, I couldn’t do that, there is laundry to do, dishes to be done, the house to clean, etc., etc., etc.” Well, those things will always be there. It’s time to stop making excuses. You will NEVER FIND THE TIME to do anything. You need to MAKE THE TIME to do what it is you want to do.

Sarah encouraged me to “Call a friend for lunch, begin to read or even write that novel, organize your papers, try a new recipe for dinner, smile at everyone you meet, sit and dream before a blazing fire, pick up your needlepoint again, act as if you’re grateful to be alive, scatter joy.” Simple things to get us started on LIVING out life instead of letting it pass us by.

Now it is your turn. Think for a moment about one thing that you can do that will bring you genuine pleasure…and then do it.

Think about one thing that will move your business forward…and then do it.

Think about one thing that will improve your relationship (if you are in one)….and then do it.

Simple things, and easy to do…IF we just go ahead and do them.

What will you do today????

Fran Watson

P.S. Think about one thing that you can do and then speak about!!

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