If you have not failed, that means probably you succeeded in everything you did or you did not attempt to do anything at all.
The chances are that you never tried. Now why is that so? Most likely you were afraid to try because you feared to make mistakes. But then you already made the big mistake of not attempting.
What is the fear that keeps you from not trying. Isn’t it the fear of failure? Yes, it is!
What happens when you fail? The best thing that happens is that it shows you the stuff you are made of. Failures inspire you to do better next time, helps you learn from your mistakes and makes you desperate about winning. Failures can unmask your pretensions and show you your true character.
Failures also teach you humility. It teaches you that success is a process and not a destination. So there is no reality in classifying certain experiences of life as failures. What you probably call “failure” has done more to mould you into a person with strength of character than anything you achieved and termed as “success.”
So if you ask me, I prefer you to go and risk failure in something that you know to be good. The world may laugh at you. Let it do so.
But you go multiply your attempts. And when the nets come in empty after a long night’s hard work I hope and pray you will hear the voice of God saying“Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch!”*
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles. This is a great promise that God told his people through Prophet Isaiah (40:31).
It tells you about God who has not forgotten you or your struggles in life. He has immense power and wisdom to show himself strong on your behalf.
He is motivating and encouraging you to rise up from your bed of despair. He is calling you to believe in him who will help you to soar on wings like eagles.
When you feel like quitting or giving up; do listen to this motivational podcast.
It will surely inspire you to trust in God who will help you to fly high just like how eagles do.
“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” 1
1Isaiah 40:31 Bible NIV 1984.
Featured image courtesy: Photo by Frank Cone on Pexels | Microsoft Designer
If you look at circumstances, if you look at the wind and the clouds and the surging waves, you will never move out of the safety of the shore.
What does that mean? It means you lose your opportunity. And opportunities might not knock a second time.
Therefore have an eye that looks out for opportunities. They might not present themselves well-dressed and might even appear in beggar’s clothes. But it is your eye that looks out for the opportunity which sees potential hidden within.
Secondly, ask, seek, knock. Opportunities will never come for those who simply sit, wait, and daydream. They come only to those who actively seek for it. Be bold and persistent. And be gently persuasive. But do not give up.
Above all, never think closed doors as permanent. Trust God. He can open doors where no opportunity seems to exist. He can bring things to life out of what others term as dead situations.
Therefore be wise in the way you use God-given opportunities in life. It can mean the difference between failure and success!
You cannot please everybody. It is like trying to juggle a football, a cricket ball, and a table tennis ball along with a few cups and plates.
And that is not only impossible but even the attempt is futile.
Therefore it is wise to focus on what you do and attempt to do that well each time you do it. Of course there will be people to criticize your mistakes.
Simply accept the fact that no movement or progress is possible without being criticized.
But when that happens there is no need to lose heart.
First of all examine criticism truthfully.
It might have some lesson you can accept to correct your course of action and improve yourself. Never lose that opportunity. But accept it with humility.
Secondly, criticism can dishearten you easily. You might feel like giving up. If you do you lose a valuable opportunity to show the world how good you are in what you do. When people speak ill of you, sharpen your skills and come back more strongly than ever.
Thirdly, trust the true estimate God has about you.
It is not the colour of your skin that makes you look beautiful in his eyes. Instead it is sheer love for you that made him die for you. No one can snatch you out from his hands. Therefore do not worry, “Am I good enough?”
Let me conclude by asking you my dear friend to humbly accept criticism honestly. Use criticism as an opportunity to show your strength and not cower in weakness and fear.
Finally, be assured that in spite of all the criticism the world can throw at you and all that you think is not good about you God loves you and accepts you the way you are right now.
Why worry anymore about what others think about you?
When it happens the first thing to believe is that you can come out of it, God helping you.
Again, do not be surprised that you feel totally confused and unable to do so many things you did with ease in the past. That is how it is during a period of loss of confidence.
What you need to do is to look back, look forward, and look up. What you shouldn’t do is look inward and feel helpless.
Instead, look back to your best past performances and believe that you can do it again. Perhaps much better than how you did it then.
Then you need to look forward and focus on dreaming big for your future. Do not focus on the present misery and limit yourself. The greater your dream the better chance for your quickness of recovery.
And when you dream, always think of helping people to be at their best through your success. It will give a greater purpose to your dreams and enthusiasm in your present efforts.
The next thing to do is to look up. God loves you and is always ready to help you. The only thing you need to know is that his sense of timing is different.
He is patient. He takes time to rebuild your confidence. His goal is formation of your character and making you have inner strength and courage.
Perhaps the hidden blessing in loss of confidence is that you become a person with compassion for others. Instead of being puffed up with pride because of your talent and abilities, you learn to stoop down and give a helping hand to those who struggle with lack of confidence themselves.
So cheer up. Your loss of confidence is not going to last long. With hope in God and trust in his unchanging love for you, move forward to climb greater heights than you have ever achieved so far.
Leadership is an intentional exercise. If you leave it to chance, the chances are that you will experience power leakage in leadership. Here are 7 areas you need to be conscious about.
#1. Getting over-familiar with people.
There is nothing wrong in building relationships and friendships with people who are under your leadership. But never forget the principle of distance. Leadership that allows people to get too close to you personally can disable you to function well when you need to correct, discipline and persuade them to take action.
#2. Being a caring person.
Caring for others is a good quality. But there is a conflict here with power in leadership. The more you seem to care for people, the more they tend to steal your valuable time. A need that can be met in five minutes might go into a prolonged discussion of personal needs and difficulties if you don’t exercise proper leadership. Be matter of fact in your listening, give to-the-point advice, delegate wherever possible, and instil hope. Do that in quick time and get back to your work of leading. Don’t be pulled into the trap of seeing only the need of one person when you are leading an entire team or organization.
#3. Late intervention.
Leadership is best when there is anticipation of emerging situations. That calls for timely intervention. If as a leader you become a spectator watching others lead the show in a discussion, then there is power leakage. You have to show boldness to step in, take the lead, and control discussions. There will always be people who love to have the limelight, to show off how knowledgeable they are, and those who deliberately try to usurp leadership. Therefore you need to be alert to the fact that leadership is always open to competition and the seat you occupy is envied by many.
#4. Being surprised by information. One of the mistakes leaders make is when they do not take care to get information from the grassroots. Do not depend on your immediate chain of command alone for critical information. Bypass them and have a secure reporting system in place. The worst thing that can happen in a discussion is when you have to ask, “What is the discussion all about?” It makes you look weak and uninformed. Having vital information with you is an absolute must for any leader.
#5. Not leading with questions.
A leader who exercises power and influence is one who knows to ask the right questions. This helps to question wrong assumptions people have about situations and problems confronting them. Asking the right questions can shake people out of complacency and make people commit themselves to deadlines and plan of action proposed. Questions can help to elicit critical information that might become vital in solving problems or taking negotiations forward. A leader is one who should have persuasive ability and that cannot be true without the ability to ask questions. A simple question like, “What would you have done in this situation?” can get the listener become creative with his or her response.
#6. The Nero effect.
Nero was busy playing his fiddle when Rome was burning. Leaders who close their eyes to immediate needs and substitute them with other lesser pursuits, hobbies, or distractions fall into this category. Problems do not disappear on their own. They have to be tackled with diligence. St. Paul makes that point very clear when he wrote that if a person’s gift is leadership he should exercise it diligently1 which means that he should do it with careful and persistent work or effort. Yes, leadership should be approached as work to be done with a long-term vision and keeping long range goals in mind.
#7. Forgetting the killer instinct.
Leaders who forget the killer instinct are like athletes who relax when they see the finishing tape allowing others to edge them out. A leader should always be doing critical follow-up to ensure that nothing takes him or her by surprise. Whatever can be foreseen should be anticipated; and necessary measures taken to avoid surprises. A leader cannot take promises made at face value but should keep reminding people of their commitments often. It might seem annoying but that is part of the killer instinct. Get things done without fail. Don’t leave it to chance. That is the power of leadership in action. Read 7 Essential Stops to Leadership Power Leakage on LinkedIn
Do not give up. Problems in life will keep coming just like waves keep hitting the shore. Do not fear when you see them. Instead of running away you have to look for ways to ride on the waves.
Do not give up. Life is precious. You are given only one. So make the best use of it. Focus on what you can do today. God has given every man and woman promise of strength for each day’s troubles.
Do not give up.
Some people whom you trusted might have let you down. It is now your feel that no one can be trusted. But there are others who will come to help you and stand with you. Have hope.
Do not give up.
You might have lost many opportunities in life. You might have wasted many years. My friend do not brood over a dead past. God can always give you a new beginning. He will take care of all that was lost.
Do not give up.
Good things to happen in life takes time. Be patient. When difficulties come in life and no progress is made in what you planned to do, be patient. Use this time to slow down, make plans, and dream big. Do not allow people’s opinions to frustrate you.
Do not give up. You may not have much money. You may be lacking much needed resources. These are limitations. But they need not stop you from thinking creatively. Adapt to limited resources. Think big. Cut your expenses wherever possible. Put off certain purchases. You can make it through a rainy day. The sun will shine again.
Do not give up.
If you believe that God is watching over you, do not become anxious. I know it is easy to say, “Do not worry.” But it is difficult to practice. When loss and hurts and distress come it is quite natural to ask God, “Why?” You might not get all the answers. When you feel like giving up then, just ask God to hold you tight. Don’t You Quit
It is time to say goodbye. I have said it many times before. Yet it has never grown easy.
I now stand alone on the deck of my ship awaiting a new set of passengers.
I will wake up tomorrow with a heavy heart. I will miss you all.
Do not think that the sessions have come to an end. This is not an end but a beginning. What the caterpillar calls an end, the butterfly calls a beginning!
As a Trainer I cannot walk with you all the way. Like Rev. Martin Luther King said the night before he was assasinated, I may not cross with you over to the Promised Land. There is a place where I have to stop and you have to go on.
All of you have shown immense talent. At some point along our journey each one of you discovered who you truly are. You realized your true potential for the first time in your life.
Now it is time to use every opportunity that comes your way. You will certainly make mistakes. You will face criticism.
But remember three things.
One, aim for excellence.
Two, keep on doing what you are good at. Perseverance is the word for it but for ease of remembering let me say endurance.
Three, enjoy speaking.
These are the Three E’s I would like to leave you with:
Excellence!
Endurance!
Enjoyment!
I would like to thank each one of you for being part of this Batch. Each one of you contributed to the success of this class in your own unique way.
Thank you for the love, fun and friendship. I hope it will last for a long time to come. And thank you for the thoughtful gifts you gifted me with. It makes this parting even more difficult.
It is now time to say goodbye. I don’t promise that everyday I will be thinking of all of you. That is not possible. But at the back of my mind somewhere you will be there.
Let me end by asking why we go and watch sunsets even though they bring in darkness? It is because we are sure that the sun will rise again.
Some of you have already seen sunsets in life. This is my heartfelt prayer and wish for you: that each one of you will have a brilliant Sunrise in your life with better hopes, better dreams and better tomorrows. Thank you
Instead of seeing yourselves as failures; try to see yourselves as valued in the eyes of God. You are someone who can shine a ray of hope in some dark corner. For the darkness that clouded your vision is being lifed from your life.
The past died. And has been wiped out. It can no longer act today. Arise in the newness of this realization and fulfill the vision.
2. Do not limit vision by myopic vision.
Most people have a short-sighted vision. They make their life a mockery. To gain riches or fame or power are their life’s goals. Some just want to eat, drink and be merry. All these are like the grass that grows up today and withers tomorrow. Throw such silly things into the fire. Let it burn to ashes.
Instead enlarge your vision. Climb high. Look down from there. Have a bird’s eye view. See your entire life in one stretch. Or imagine all your life being played on the screen fast forward.
What would you like to have achieved at the end of it? What difference did your life make? When you look back at your life from the end of it; does not most things that you count most dear today seem like tattered rags instead of trophies?
So dear friends, awake to a bigger vision. A vision that looks impossible. And dare to live it.
3. Do not limit your vision by your circumstances.
To the one who complains; no circumstance is ever right. The winds are needed for the boat to sail. And its fury required to make a man a sailor in the truest sense. For a man who has seen no storms will never have a tale to pass on. He will never teach a vital lesson to those who get ready to sail.
Difficult circumstances are God’s chariots to lift you up high. They are the playgrounds where God teaches you to fly; to defy gravity and soar in spite of it.
Those who do so have a vision of seeing themselves kiss the stretch of blue and catch the orange gleam of golden sunrise on their wings. To the onlooker from down below it looks as if their wings are on fire.
But it is their hearts that are on fire; fully ablaze at their triumph over their negative circumstances. Powered forward by walking on dry ground through the midst of the raging seas.
4. Do not limit your vision by what others tell.
Almost always all others tell you is why you shouldn’t do it. Believe me; they are telling you their fears. They are afraid that their unspoken dreams will be fulfilled by you. They cannot bear that thought. So they advice you why you can’t live your dream.
But let me ask you; is this your life? Have you only one life on earth? If so, decide; who will be at its steering wheel? When your hand is held by the Almighty; fear none else. Be sure that His plans and purposes will never fail. For “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30).
And His vision is always to make broken vessels a channel to pour out His comfort and strength to the downcast, the oppressed and the needy. Dear friends, if you have a vision to touch the lives of people with hope; then go ahead and bring that vision to fruition.
Talent alone will not take you places. As Stephen King has said: “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
Now what should you do with your talent?
First of all be thankful to God that you have been uniquely gifted. On the other hand if you become proud, someday there will be a fall. And like Humpty Dumpty after his fall, no one might be able to put you back together again.
Secondly, do something to improve your talent everyday–be it singing, drawing, speaking, writing or anything else. Doing something each day will take you nearer your goal.
Fourthly, discipline yourself. You need to take care of your health, your habits, your relationships, and how you spend your time. As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. has said, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.”
Fifthly, when you are focused on bringing others happiness through your talent your light shines out. Someday, God will demand an accounting of how you used your talent. Then you shall earn your reward for best utilization of your time, talent, and treasure.
Sixthly, some people never take an effort to use their talent. It is like digging a hole in the ground and burying it. Be sure that it will rust to its death and ruin there. What is the use of it, then?
Finally, talent without perseverance cannot succeed.There will come obstacles, rejection, criticism, and setbacks. There will come times when you will pass through loss of confidence and self-doubts. These are common to those who are uniquely gifted and talented. But it is your ability to hold on and move in spite of all these that will help you finish strong.
Let me conclude reminding you once again that talent is God’s gift to you. Don’t let it remain unopened, unused, and neglected. Instead, fan into flame1 or kindle afresh the gift of God that is in you.
Excellence is a result of several attitudes. When these attitudes are combined together they become that one habit of excellence that shall springboard you to greatness.
The impact of excellence cannot be truly measured because it will outlive your life, create urges in ordinary lives to soar high, and set standards against which all future achievements will be compared to.
You might not master all the seven in one go; but you can make an honest attempt with one or two at a time until all of them become an intrinsic part of your life. So here are the seven:
#1. If you aim for excellence you should have an eye for detail.
Little things should not be ignored. When a space shuttle is launched think about all the minute pre-flight checks that are done and how things are put on hold at the minutest variation. History has proven the disastrous consequences of neglect of the same.
Therefore make it a habit to look, see and observe keenly what others fail to note.
#2.If you aim for excellence you need to keep polishing your craft daily.
Here, the only competition is against yourself. The only question that is asked is, “Am I doing justice to the potential God has gifted me with?” Again, the only audience you have will be you alone. So make sure you do something each day that will fine tune whatever ability, skill, or talent you have.
Therefore make it a habit to prioritize quality time each day for that one thing you are good at.
#3.If you aim for excellence a spirit of dissatisfaction should dominate you.
You should always be dissatisfied with your best. You need to learn to think about your best victories and performances as failures. The world will say great things about your victories. But as for you turn your back to the crowd like a music conductor does and look intensely to make your perfect, better.
Therefore make it a habit to forget your past successes and press on to do something new beyond belief.
#4. If you aim for excellence you need to race against time.
There is always a sense of calm urgency taking hold of a man dominated by a higher purpose in life. Such a man like a soldier in war has no time for the frivolities of life. He is sharply focused on making the best utilisation of time. That requires cutting off all distractions–bad, good, better–everything that does not contribute to helping you achieve your goal.
Therefore make it a habit to be a cut-throat in tearing down all time-wasting activities in life.
In other words the habit of saying excuses is not in your genes. If you get stuck somewhere you will think of how to find the best way out instead of feeling helpless and entertaining self-pity while you lick your wounds. Another important aspect of being prepared is to have processes in place to manage all that you do. Double-check even when you are certain you are fully prepared. Follow-up if others are involved. Make absolutely sure that all in human power has been done and taken care of.
Therefore make it a habit to do all in your power, wisdom, intuition, and foresight to be prepared.
#6. If you aim for excellence you will do your best each time you do something.
You will not rationalize and think, “Oh, this is only the trials. I can relax. But tomorrow for the real performance I will do my best.” Never will someone with excellence in his blood think like that. For him every single opportunity, big or small, is a chance to give his very best. Only such an attitude will take you places. Only such an attitude will help you do things in all earnestness even when no one is watching. Even when others counsel you, “Oh, this much is enough,” you will not listen. As the American legendary basketball Coach of UCLA fame John Wooden said, “Make each day your masterpiece.” I might add, “Finish each task you do as if you have no second chance.”
Therefore make it a habit to make each rehearsal, each activity, each routine thing you do stamped with “nothing short of the best.”
#7. If you aim for excellence develop an impeccable character.
Above and beyond discipline, hard work, doing something more than you are asked to do–the greatest work you do is working hard on developing character. It is important that you perform but far more important is who you are. It is far more important to finish well in life than to taste success and then lose it all in one thoughtless action. Again, Success is never sweet when those close to you experience you as bitter. So put a greater premium on being true to yourself, someone true to your word, someone who does not need to be ashamed if powerful spotlights are switched on even while you sleep in the dark.
Therefore make it a habit to have integrity in your life that will stand up to any close scrutiny.
To conclude, as you consciously practice these attitudes not as techniques; but as a true, sincere, and earnest approach to life; it will ingrain in your life as habits inseparable from who you really are.
It all starts with desire. There should be a burning desire to win. Forget all negative circumstances, people who tell you how what you dream cannot be done, and lack of money.
Secondly, start somewhere. Do not wait for ever planning. Take action even if it be a small step. Each single day do something that will take you nearer to your goal.
Thirdly, look for competition. Athletes and sportsmen do best when the competition is the toughest. Keep yourself motivated and challenged by the best you can compete against in your field.
Fourthly, but of great importance, you need wisdom. Pray to God, ask those who have succeeded in your field to share life lessons they learned, and seek guidance from those who can give you wise counsel.
Fifthly, make mistakes.That is the only way you make progress. I am not asking you to make mistakes through negligence. But I am asking you to be daring in your attempts, to push yourself out of comfort zones, and try your luck at new things you naturally shrink away from doing.
Sixthly, be single-minded in your pursuits. Do not get distracted. Burn bridges behind. Do not look back and wish that you should have remained in your old ways and habits. Instead look forward with determination.
Finally, have a killer instinct. It means that you will not rest until you finish what you have begun to do. It means that you will allow no obstacle, no defeat, no negativity to make you give up in despair. You might feel discouraged at your lack of progress, but you will hold on, fight on, and will not say “quit” until you have won.
My friend, there is a time to prepare the nets. There is a time to launch out from the safety of the shore. There is a time to cast your nets into the deep. There is a time to fight the winds and the waves.There is a time to persevere when absolutely no progress happens.
But the man who wins is the one who while awake or asleep dreams of and acts towards and relentlessly pursues the goal of bringing a boat full of fish to the shore. That is killer instinct that makes winning a habit in life.
You cannot make it big if you fool around with time. I agree that coming for your training sessions does not excite you the way the real game does. But that is no excuse for you to come late.
When you come late you are showing disrespect to others. You are showing that you don’t care for leadership and authority.
When you come late you are disrupting carefully laid out plans. Now what does that mean?
Think about it: Whether plans just happen or plans have to be well thought out? And that takes time, invaluable time.
When you come late, you are telling us you are somehow bigger than the team. You are showing us that you can afford to keep all of us waiting.
Taken together how many hours of all of us you wasted when you came 20 minutes late?
That is why I am asking you to give your best each time you are out here for the practice sessions.
But that alone is not the purpose. There is a higher one that should motivate you. You are here to be a good player who learns to be disciplined.
Without strict discipline none of you will make it big in real life. You might win championships and lose in life. Will that not be disastrous? Think about it.
So today I demand that you come on time. It is a commitment that you should make. If you think you are above all this; the team will do better without you.
You should learn to be proud about the jersey you wear, the cap you don, and the team you represent. You say, “I don’t care about any of these things,” when you come late for our training sessions.
Today I am cancelling all practice sessions for the next one week! You know what that means?
It means that the majority of players suffer because a few of you came late. “Isn’t that unjust Coach,” you might ask?
Yes, it is unjust. But that is the only way I see to make you understand the value of time and discipline. That is the only way I see to drill some character into you!
And next Monday sharp 5:00pm we meet for training. If anyone is late by one minute, you don’t play with this team again. Is that clear?
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“You’ve got to have great athletes to win, I don’t care who the coach is. You can’t win without good athletes but you can lose with them. This is where coaching makes the difference.”
I talk to you today because I’ve been there.
Not once or twice, but many times.
I know what it feels like to be discouraged.
I know what it feels like being a failure.
I know what it feels like when all around you people are full of fun and happiness but you are down.
Yes friends, discouragement has put more people in the side benches than have casualties in war.
It has sapped the strength of talented people committed to their cause and calling.
It has taken away from people their confidence.
It has made people forget that there is a purpose for which they can live for.
I hope I am not speaking to listeners far away, but to you.
Yes, to you, who now with dropping shoulders stand before me with that desperate look in your eyes as if there is no tomorrow.
Let me thunder in your ears.
The night shall not remain.
The dawn will break.
And you shall rise from your bed of despair with renewed strength and hope.
First of all, know that someone believes in you. Yes, I along with God, believe in failures. I believe your rotten performance today cannot erase what you truly are within you.
Hey team, you are talented; but talent will not take you places.
What you need is grit.
A game lost; a trophy not won is not the end of life.
Fame is a bubble; when for a moment all lights flash on you.
But today, we show character when all eyes are turned away from us.
Yes, we choose, to stay undefeated in our failures!
Eyes can speak without words. It can express love, hate, anger, excitement and so on. Therefore it is the speakers best connect with audiences.
In spite of this fact many beginner speakers fear to look in the eye of people in the audience. They might look up or far away. This is self-defeating as the speaker loses rapport with the audience.
Now part of the problem is caused by feelings of inferiority or loss of confidence. But a larger part of the problem is because the beginning speaker lacks knowledge on what to do on stage to maintain healthy eye contact with audiences.
The basic thing to know is that people expect you to look at them. This shows your confidence, preparedness, openness, as well as your good intention to connect and engage with people sitting in front of you.
The second thing to note is the manner in which eye contact can and does happen. If it is a big audience just send your gaze to the back of the auditorium. Then let it scan towards the front. What you will probably see is a blur of faces. That is how it is.
Once that is done you can give sideways glances. This will make sure that you have the entire audience covered with your eye making contact with them. As you speak whenever you look to any one part of the auditorium you will feel as if your eyes are interlocking with one or a few people. Every time you turn in that direction your eyes will interlock with the same person or group (They may or may not be people known to you.). When this connect happens know that everyone in that part of the crowd feels included in your speech.
On the other hand when you are talking to a small group within a room make sure that you look at each person in the eye. If they are seated in a semi circle with you standing in the middle make sure that the people sitting at both ends of the curve are given due notice occasionally. Otherwise they will feel left out, lose interest in your speech, and maybe in the worst case go to sleep.
Having said that, do not gaze at any one person for too long. For 4 to 5 seconds can feel like an eternity when a speaker is looking at one person alone. Especially those who participate in Group Discussions should ensure that they do not engage in a one to one conversation too long. Instead break eye contact with the one to whom you are responding to and look at the entire group as you continue to speak.
Now coming to the positive side of eye contact; you should smile with your eyes. Let the audience know how delighted you are to be with them. As you exhibit ease and confidence through proper eye contact; you will feel the same reflected back to you in a magnified way from the audience.
As far as reading from manuscript is concerned, proper eye contact is the key to its success. You might have seen American Presidents do that in a thorough professional manner for their inaugural address. The secret is to look at a group of words and deliver them looking at the audience.
A well-prepared document in big point size with wide margins and typed in double space is a must for this. So also many rehearsals will make it look natural; full of energy and enthusiasm, and make it look stunningly confident.
Well, you may not have the expertize of a classical dancer to express a variety of moods with your eyes. But with a little practice you can show delight with a twinkling eye. A stare can communicate anger, hatred, resentment or rebellion. A far away look can signal disinterestedness, dejection, wishfulness or sadness. Yes the eyes can speak volumes without words.
As I look back I see that this journey was a learning process not only for you; but more so for me. I learned to be more compassionate even when making no compromise on matters of discipline. And let me tell you, that balancing act was never easy.
At the early stages of my tenure here, many of you did not believe that you had the potential to be winners. Instead you mirrored what your critics said. You voiced aloud the negatives that others whispered in your ears. But soon you learned to shut your ears to all that and focus on just winning and nothing else.
Now it is time to say goodbye. Some things in life are not decided by logic, but by the dictates of the heart. Today I step down because I know with certainty that you can go ahead without me.
And now I get time to spend with my wife and kids. After having taught you to be the best how can I fail to set you an example in the arena where I cannot afford to lose?
The band is playing; the flags are fluttering; and kids are playing football here in the ground. But to me, it is time to walk away; to say goodbye with the knowledge that I have done my best; and by the grace of God have brought to the limelight a few who otherwise would have dwelt in the shadows; undiscovered and not valued.
So with a thankful heart, let me say goodbye. It breaks my heart to think that I will not walk with you one more time to these grounds that holds so precious memories to me. But that is how life is. The show has to go on; the torch has to be passed, and new leadership has to take over.
Thank you one and all for all the support you gave me over the years.
Now, what is the truth regarding this thought? The truth is you are not good enough! So what? Who is? Do you know anyone who is perfect? Have you ever seen the failures and mistakes of those you consider perfect?
Why should you compare yourself with someone else? Don’t you have an identity of your own? Is there any other individual like you on planet earth? Aren’t you unique? Made so very special by your Creator, God!
Then why do you entertain negative thoughts about yourself? God knows your faults. He knows your frame. He remembers that you are dust. And like a father has compassion on his children he has compassion on you.
God is not here to solve your inferiority complex. He is here to reveal his awesome power in weak vessels. He is here to make you strong in spite of all your feelings of “I can’t” and “I am not good enough.”
When God transforms a person, he does it patiently and lovingly. He takes long years, but he never gives up on you. Until his face gets reflected in the gold being purified in you, he will take you through tough and challenging experiences.
But God’s unconditional love for you will tug at your heart. He will say,
“Be strong and courageous. Have I not commanded you? Get up and try one more time. It doesn’t matter if you fail. My love for you is bigger than your failures. Trust me.”
Coach Gives Motivational Speech the Day Before Final Game!
Hi Team,
The power of defeat lies not in the score but in your attitude. A game lost is not the end of life; nor is it the end of your career. It is true that you made mistakes. Now what does that prove? It tells the world that you attempted to do something. But it did not turn out well. So what? There is still that final game ahead tomorrow. Let me tell you my friends, “Yes you can!”
We will look at defeat squarely in its eye. We will not give up in despair. Instead we will rally our best reserves of strength. We will sharpen and polish our skills. We will not focus on the reputation of the opposition but we will fight as if it is our last game on Planet Earth. In tomorrow’s final, my young friends, I do believe, “Yes you can!”
Young men, I see a look of fear and doubt on all your faces! Let me tell you what is bothering you. You are thinking: “It is OK Coach for you to say all this. But we are the ones out in the field; and that too before our home crowd. The opposing team have won the championship the last five years. Do we have a chance? What if we fail in front of our home crowd?”
The nod on all your faces confirms that what I just said is true. Now, here is my answer to your doubts. There is nothing to be ashamed of failure if you have done your very best. In fact, we all need to learn to fail graciously. We need to know that there are some days when our best is not enough. We need to accept that our opposition deserved to win. And in fact rejoice that we lost to a better team. But I am certain that tomorrow will be your day, “Yes you can!”
Young friends, success does not teach you much. But failures do. They are the best teachers if you are humble enough to go down with a winning attitude. Yes, learn to go down fighting. There shall be a resurrection yet. Out of ashes, you shall rise. That is my sure hope.
Therefore let nothing rattle your confidence. And the day will come when the world will stand up to applaud your crowning moment.
Tomorrow will be that day! There is no doubt; there is no uncertainty. Only assurance of victory. Victory in spite of the talent, the reputation, and the support for the opposing team from their fans world over. Believe in just one thing. Tomorrow you will win. They might be the hot favourites; but we will be the winners this time. My dear friends, Yes, you can!
No one can hold audiences spell bound without giving due attention to how he uses his body to communicate. It is proved beyond doubt that the way one uses one’s body to communicate can enhance the appeal of any message.
A raised arm, a sweeping movement, a bow, a playful raise of the eyebrows, a shrug of the shoulder, a pointed finger, a swift cut through the air, a bending forward while asking a question and then pause; all these are examples of powerful use of the body to emphasize, underline, and highlight what you say.
Your Eyes
The power of a look has to be experienced to be believed. Your eyes can express a variety of emotions like love, anger, joy, playfulness and so on. More importantly it is your first connect with audiences. So use your eyes to maintain eye contact with the audience.
If it is a small group you can look at each individual once in a while. If it is a larger gathering, you will feel comfortable looking at one or two individuals in each segment of the large gathering whenever you turn in that direction.
Your Smile
This is your second connect with audiences. A smile can not only open the ears of people but also their hearts as well. It makes it easy for the audience to identify with you and also open up a dialogue with you. Sometimes you can get tensed during your presentation that you forget to smile. So remind yourself once in a while to smile.
Your Posture
I have seen many people lean on the lectern. This is not good. An erect posture not only communicates a sense of leadership and purpose; it also helps you to breathe normally. That helps in your voice production as well. And most people make the mistake of keeping their two feet together while they speak. This makes them look like a robot. Such a stance gives little room for spontaneous movement. Creativity is stifled.
Your Arms
Some people would like to hold on to the microphone or the lectern. It gives them a sense of security. Nothing wrong about it. At the same time one should know how not to deal with the arms on stage.
Crossed arms will distance you from the audience quite easily. Arms flying around will distract. Palms up are very weak. Any move of the hand to face is a signal to the audience that you are not at your confident best. So be bold in stretching out your arm and use gestures that will support, highlight, illustrate and make plain your content.
Your Movement
Formal occasions might not give you a chance to move around. But many speech situations will give you the possibility of moving on stage. Do not stay behind the lectern always. Why not step out to make a point and move back? If there is no lectern and you are holding a mike in your hand, gracefully walk into the midst of your audience to ask a question or to interact with them. Such moves are welcomed by the audience and will help them to connect with you in a deeper way.
A Speech Is Not Just About Words
A speech is not just about words. Though content is important; you the speaker through whom the message is delivered is also equally important. So make sure that you are able to impact the audience through the way you use your body to communicate!
Words serve as signposts while compering. They are to be used sparingly. As King Solomon wrote: “The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?”1 If words are used sparingly, many mistakes can be avoided by the compere.
A simple, direct, dignified style with words that come from the heart yet stimulating thought would carry the day. A compere sets the tone, facilitates smooth transitions, takes on leadership roles when situation demands and signs off with elan.
But often those who compere make several mistakes. Some of the more serious ones I have tried to point out in this blog post:
Example Mistake #1
Once at college, a friend of mine at the end of a debate competition announced that our Professor would share his valuable ideas on the topic. It was a tense moment. For my friend had not informed our Professor that he would be asked to speak. And the auditorium was packed to full capacity. Anyway, he spoke as he is a great speaker. But later he called my friend and advised him quite strongly never to
do this to another person.
Insight: Never surprise eminent people with off hand announcements that they’ll speak on the topic, that too in front of a packed audience.
Example Mistake #2
At an Inter-University Debate competition a young college student was made the compere of the programme. She might not have had much previous experience. When it was time for the Chief Guest, who was the Vice Chancellor of a University, to be invited to speak, she did so while she sat down at the rear of the stage. It was shocking to say the least.
Insight: Common sense and basic courtesy should not be forgotten while compering.
Example Mistake #3
I once learned a valuable lesson unexpectedly. I met a person known to me. So we talked for some time. Then he asked who the other person with me was. I introduced him saying he is a painter because that is what I thought he did. At that time he said nothing. But later he told me that he is not a painter but an artist who also paints for a living. I then understood that his esteem suffered a blow when I said he is a painter. Therefore we should seek to understand how people like to be introduced. Here many who compere fail.
Insight: When introducing people, always ask how they want to be represented before the crowd. Ask for a brief profile so that you can read it out and introduce them to the audience they way they want it to be done.
Example Mistake #4
“Our Chief Guest of the day is so and so. He’ll be speaking on the topic xyz. We can expect some great insights from him today. But before I invite him to speak let me share some of my ideas about this topic.” This kind of compere is an insult to the Chief Guest. If this person could do the job, why call a Chief Guest and then destroy anticipation, and interest in the topic he has prepared by giving a mediocre presentation just before the keynote address?
Insight: Do not overstep your functional role. You are asked to invite the speaker to share his thoughts; and not to speak on his/her topic.
Example Mistake #5
Much damage is done when those who compere misuse their freedom with the person being introduced. The compere might crack jokes from their shared past by saying that while studying together at college the Chief Guest was called, “. . . .” That might be true, but a public function is not the occasion to share it. Such remarks definitely destroys the serious mood of the audience and will make them view the speaker in a light-hearted manner. That is disastrous as far as the speaker is concerned.
Insight: A compere should be able to understand what is the apt remark for the occasion. Generally frivolous statements should be avoided. Remember what King Solomon said: “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”2
Example Mistake #6
It is not good to indulge in what many have termed “verbal gymnastics” while compering. Recently I heard a compere, who, instead of simply inviting the choir for the welcome song, went on to present a thesis on the importance of music. What he said was mostly irrelevant even as many bombastic words were stringed together without ryhme or reason in his short speech. It was totally inapropriate and uncalled for. He should have simply said, “May I invite the choir for the welcome song.”
Insight: When a simple direct statement is apt and appropriate, do not spoil the moment by making a garland of words with all kinds of wild flowers tied together without sense or sensibility.
Example Mistake #7
Gestures with the hand can spell trouble if not used with caution. Many who compere spread out their hands in wild sweeping motions to their sides and towards the person who is being introduced or invited. Except perhaps in informal settings, this has to be avoided as it destroys the ceremonial propriety that has to be observed. Casual, lazy gestures that spell over-familiarity with the speaker has to be avoided at all costs.
Insight: Always strive to make the audience respect the speaker and hold him/her in high regard even with the way you gesture especially with your hands.
