Stir Up your Juices 🙂

• What occupies your time? Why and how do you enjoy that?
• What are your hobbies?
• What do you enjoy doing together with your friends?
• What do you do at clubs, other voluntary initiatives, or activities?
• What kind of books, readings appeal to you, and why?
• From different subjects or topics from what you learn at school, what interests you more?
• What kind of experiences has stayed close to your heart? What emotions do they inspire in you (whether that is happiness, fear, challenge, anxiety, fun, etc.)?
• What worries you, what brings anxiety to you?
• What are your dreams and goals?
• Which movies did you enjoy? Which movies left a lasting impression on you? Why?
• Describe a problem you’ve solved or a question you’d like to explain?
• What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years?
• Did any of the current events intrigued you or made you think?
• Are there any new ideas, topics, or subjects that intrigue you? What are those? Why?
• What brings fun and excitement to your life?
• Is there a belief or an idea that you have challenged or would like to do so? Why?

Your Speech Project Objective(s)

At Toastmasters, you prepare for a speech to achieve a specific project’s objectives. The speech topic should make it easier for you to accomplish the project objectives.

Examples:

1. If your speech project is about researching a topic:
   1. Would sharing a personal story help? Probably not, as you won’t have much room to conduct research and use it.
   2. Would a speech topic on nanotechnology work? Probably yes, since the theme would create an opportunity to do research, compile ideas and present them with your speech.
2. If your speech project is about using vocal variety:
   1. Would telling a story help? Probably yes. Voice inflections can help you develop emotional connections; dialogues in your account can easily lend themselves to vocal variety.
   2. Would sharing a personal experience help? Probably yes.
   3. Would presenting a technical topic help? Yes, and No.
      • Yes, if you consciously attempt to inject passion into your delivery. (It would still be more difficult compared to the first two options.)
      • No, if the focus on content takes away from your ability to engage emotionally.

Note: Maintain a speech bank for yourself. Whenever an idea pops in, please write it down. The speech bank can come in very handy while brainstorming speech topics for your next presentation(s).

> PREPARED SPEECHES