I am an introvert, but when I get comfortable with anyone, I start blabbering. Do you remember Geet, from ‘Jab We Met,’? That’s me, in real life. I simply love talking. That’s it. That’s how I discovered my passion for public speaking.
Be it debates, Model United Nations (MUNs), extempores, or anything similar in the world, am always up for it. Now I babble in front of people who surprisingly are very keen on listening to me, and also pay me for talking, (cash prizes when I win such competitions).
The best part of being a part of public speaking contests is that they really want you to talk. Most of the time, I am surrounded by great yappers, and that is the only time I am quiet. But the judges often notice these silent bees and encourage them to speak up.
I used to annoy my mother by babbling every minor detail of what happened at school. Still talk to myself in the mirror. I realised that you need to hone this skill, no matter which profession you are choosing. A teacher, doctor, lawyer, entrepreneur, social worker, all have to communicate to the masses.
Public speaking is considered to be a part of an extracurricular activity and is not given much heed, with students just running behind marks. According to reports, most of the Indian students who have brilliant marks fail to get into Ivy League colleges because of their poor interview performance.
This field, despite being extremely important, goes unnoticed. Public speaking should be made a part of curriculums for holistic development of our youth, as it has the power to shape the future of a person, opening paths to unconventional careers.
Imagine sitting for a job interview with 20 other candidates, having brilliant scores and marks. Why should they select you? What extra quality do you uniquely possess? At that point of time, it all comes down to things which we consider as an “extracurricular activity” today.
Following my passion has given me confidence, recognition, appreciation, and has made me the person I am today (I am a good person by the way). Before this, when I was a scared cat, I used to think Red, but by the time I would say it, it got mixed with White, and came out as Pink. Thus, when I say public speaking has taught me confidence, it is through putting forward my opinions and saying what I think, without changing it in fear of what others will think about me.
So anyone out there who is reading this, this is a push to follow your passion, be it public speaking or anything else.
