Food for Thought  🙂

• Is there an activity where you spend a good chunk of time? Why and how do you enjoy that?
• Is there a hobby that energizes you? If yes, why or how?
• What draws a more profound meaning or passion if you are in a school club and enjoy it?
• Are you involved in a voluntary organization? How is it helping you make a difference in some way?
• What kind of books and readings appeal to you, and why?
• What interests you more about different subjects or topics you learn at school?
• What kind of experiences has stayed close to your heart? What emotions do they inspire in you (happiness, fear, challenge, anxiety, fun, etc.)?
• What worries you? What brings anxiety to you? Maybe there is a concern or a cause close to your heart.
• Is there a dream or a goal that ignites a fire for you from the inside?
• Is there a movie that 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 intrigue you or make 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 idea you have challenged or would like to do so? Why?
• Any other specific topic or conversation that intrigued you – examples:
  • Carbonated drinks – are they good for you?
  • Why preserving the water is so crucial to our climate?
  • Paper recycling
  • An initiative or idea that is helping with alternative energy or alleviating global warming
  • A topic from one of your science classes, social studies, or history class: a few examples I have seen – artificial intelligence, robotics, culture, and the background of a specific country or group of people
• A problem that can add value to your audience
  • A knowledge topic
  • Your unique perspective and take on a topic
  • Something that shows how you think to solve a specific problem potentially

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 study and use it.
   2. Would a speech topic on nanotechnology work? Probably yes, since the theme would create an opportunity to 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 complex than the first two options.)
      • No, if the focus on content removes your emotional ability to engage.

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

> PREPARED SPEECHES