As I clicked on the link my sister sent me to watch J.K. Rowling's commencement speech to Harvard University, my sister's comment saying "it's worth it!" had me wondering...would it be? Time is of the essence for me as a law student, and thus I speculated as to the utility of watching the talk. However, I watched it and I am so glad I did. Not only was Rowling optimistic, inspiring, and down-to-earth, I enjoyed the fact that her speech was humorous and witty. Additionally, I learned quite a number of things from her speech. Among them addresses the theme for today's post: Search for Public-Speaking Skills.
As someone who a) spent four years of her life public speaking at venues in various states across the country and b) is going to base her entire career on her public speaking and writing skills, I want to use J.K. Rowling's speech and my own experiences to highlight some ideas to help those who want some advice on how to speak to an audience.
1. Release that Fear of Failure: Although I greatly value and hope to keep in mind the ending quote of J.K. Rowling's speech, "As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters," that is not the one that touched me the most. The line in her talk that struck a core deep within me is this one:
"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default."
-J.K. Rowling's Commencement Speech at Harvard University
With this quote, Rowling speaks about fear of failure, an underlying source of distress and loss of success for many individuals. I am a firm believer that to achieve liberation and success, one must destroy and be freed of the fear of failure. If you do not act because of failure, then why live at all?
It is the same with public-speaking. Inherently, you may have that reoccuring nightmare of standing in front of a crowd, microphone in hand, only to realize that you are standing in your underwear. Or that fear that when you begin to speak, suddenly the low murmur of discontent becomes a loud booing. However, those visualizations are not realities. And even if they were realities once upon a time, they need not be your future reality. Tearing away from the fear of failure and visualizing your success is the key to succeeding.
Rowling also quotes the Greek author Plutarch saying, "What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." I believe that if you visualize the crowd listening avidly, the clapping hands after you speak, or the enthusiastic response of volunteers after you are done speaking, that is the reality that will ensue.
2. Speak with Confidence: From the Sound of Music, she sings, "I have confidence in confidence alone!" That is no less true in public-speaking. By projecting your voice and speaking with confidence, others will listen to you. You may say "no it doesn't! I've tried." Then you weren't talking loud enough. Speak loudly to have everyone to quiet down if you are speaking to a rowdy crowd. Then, project that voice with confidence when everyone is quiet to begin speaking about the reason you are in front of them. If everyone is quiet and there is only a microphone for you, that is all the better. If you speak like people should listen to you, people will listen to you. Confidence results in speaking slower so people can understand you and thus pay attention. Have confidence in what you are saying. Be loud and be articulate!
3. Smile: I have always found that people respond better to those who smile. So when you talk, smile :). Unless it is about something sad like a tragedy. Then don't smile.
4. Look Up: If you are speaking to a large crowd in an open lit environment, make eye contact with the people you are speaking to. Look around the room as you speak, as if you are having a one-on-one conversation with each person you are looking at. Then they really will feel like you are. Speaking to the ground means only the ground can hear you. Eyes up, chin up, and project that voice! If you are speaking in a dark room (or in my case it was pitch black), focus your eyes on something straight across and talk to that as if it is your best friend or your sibling. For me it was the bright red EXIT sign.
5. Short and Sweet: Do not ramble! I found that keeping what you are saying to concise and short sentences is the best for keeping attention and for having the audience understand you. If you talk for a long time, people lose interest and then they will start to drift away in their own conversations or ignore you. While you have their attention, maximize it by punching the BIG takeaways in short and sweet sentences.
Lastly, GOOD LUCK!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Search for Academic Success
The semester has begun again. For many of us students out there, academic success is what we are striving for: whether it be to ensure better employment prospects, to be able to get into college or graduate school, or just to be good at something. However, maybe this last semester's grades just weren't quite what you had hoped it would be. Maybe you want to do better and improve. As a law student who has gone through many layers of education, I have noticed some trends in my own academic performance and in that of others that have prompted me to write this entry about some suggestions for how to succeed in academics. I will list 5 Dos that have led me and others to academic success:
1. Preparation before Class: Although you might hate the idea, reading assigned pages about the next lecture's topic greatly increased my ability to learn in class. I personally have experimented (in other words, reading my assigned readings promptly, procrastinating it for the last minute, or not doing it at all), and I can attest that I am more engaged in the next day's lecture and capable of comprehending what the teacher hopes to teach me if I have read diligently beforehand. Otherwise, how do you know what you are supposed to get out of lecture? You learn what the major points are through the readings and through self-learning so that when the teacher is "teaching" you, you will have already seen it and it wil be easier to remember. Seriously try it. It makes a difference. This leads me to the next point.
2. Attendance in Class: Although some times it may feel like the professor or teacher is rambling on and is not getting to a point, every teacher has something they want to teach you in a class. Make sure you stay alert and engaged in class so that when you leave class,you can tell someone else who wasn't in class what that teacher's point was. Many students feel they do not need to take notes, that they understand everything. But trust me, come exam time, you will want those notes to remind you what the teacher wanted to see you take away from the class.
3. Don't be Passive: Many times in lecture classes, you see the students' eyes glaze over. Their mind is wandering about what their lunch is going to be or whether their new crush thinks they look nice today. When you are trying to do your homework, you find that you are mechanically writing things down. Stop it. Focus and keep your mind active on what is going on in class or what your assignment is on, because that is what you will have to do on the exam or on a paper. So don't be passive. When the professor or teacher is talking, listen. I mean, really listen. If he or she asks a question, think about how you would answer it. It may very well be what he or she asks on an exam.
4. Practice Makes Perfect: If you have practice exams, TAKE THEM. And take them early so if you have questions on them, you can ask. They are most likely going to be similar to the thought processes you will have to undergo on test day. If you don't have practice exams, think of hypothetical questions for each topic and answer them. In other words, try to make your own exam! Re-write and review your notes, because on many exams, you may just regurgitate what you wrote in class and then elaborate. I have found reviewing my notes each week really helped hone my understanding. Practicing also makes you realize what you do know and what you thought you knew but really did not. When you hit that roadblock, read the textbook again or ASK. Work with other students on problems or go to your professor or teacher. But make sure you do not leave it to the wayside. Make yourself understand it. The knowledge may not be useful for you in the future, but the process and method of understanding and learning will follow you throughout your life.
5. Don't Procrastinate: I have found my own greatest enemy is myself. Procrastination has kept me from many better grades. Start early. Don't underestimate your time. Always overestimate how long something is going to take. Because chances are, it will take longer than you think! Make a calendar or chart of all the due dates for assignments and exam times. Then allocate REALISTICALLY the amount of time each one will take, when you will start, and how you will do it. Then follow it strictly. Time management is one of the most difficult things in academics, especially if you are like me and have a lot going on! Stay organized and don't procrastinate.
This quote depicts a great culmination of the overall theme in your search (and my search) for greater academic success.
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." - Lou Holtz
Stay motivated, optimistic, and determined. Attitude is everything. If you think you can do it, you can. With persistence to learn, hard work to finish assignments and study for exams, and enthusiasm for what each class is about, I have confidence in you and your ability to have a great semester.
Good Luck!
1. Preparation before Class: Although you might hate the idea, reading assigned pages about the next lecture's topic greatly increased my ability to learn in class. I personally have experimented (in other words, reading my assigned readings promptly, procrastinating it for the last minute, or not doing it at all), and I can attest that I am more engaged in the next day's lecture and capable of comprehending what the teacher hopes to teach me if I have read diligently beforehand. Otherwise, how do you know what you are supposed to get out of lecture? You learn what the major points are through the readings and through self-learning so that when the teacher is "teaching" you, you will have already seen it and it wil be easier to remember. Seriously try it. It makes a difference. This leads me to the next point.
2. Attendance in Class: Although some times it may feel like the professor or teacher is rambling on and is not getting to a point, every teacher has something they want to teach you in a class. Make sure you stay alert and engaged in class so that when you leave class,you can tell someone else who wasn't in class what that teacher's point was. Many students feel they do not need to take notes, that they understand everything. But trust me, come exam time, you will want those notes to remind you what the teacher wanted to see you take away from the class.
3. Don't be Passive: Many times in lecture classes, you see the students' eyes glaze over. Their mind is wandering about what their lunch is going to be or whether their new crush thinks they look nice today. When you are trying to do your homework, you find that you are mechanically writing things down. Stop it. Focus and keep your mind active on what is going on in class or what your assignment is on, because that is what you will have to do on the exam or on a paper. So don't be passive. When the professor or teacher is talking, listen. I mean, really listen. If he or she asks a question, think about how you would answer it. It may very well be what he or she asks on an exam.
4. Practice Makes Perfect: If you have practice exams, TAKE THEM. And take them early so if you have questions on them, you can ask. They are most likely going to be similar to the thought processes you will have to undergo on test day. If you don't have practice exams, think of hypothetical questions for each topic and answer them. In other words, try to make your own exam! Re-write and review your notes, because on many exams, you may just regurgitate what you wrote in class and then elaborate. I have found reviewing my notes each week really helped hone my understanding. Practicing also makes you realize what you do know and what you thought you knew but really did not. When you hit that roadblock, read the textbook again or ASK. Work with other students on problems or go to your professor or teacher. But make sure you do not leave it to the wayside. Make yourself understand it. The knowledge may not be useful for you in the future, but the process and method of understanding and learning will follow you throughout your life.
5. Don't Procrastinate: I have found my own greatest enemy is myself. Procrastination has kept me from many better grades. Start early. Don't underestimate your time. Always overestimate how long something is going to take. Because chances are, it will take longer than you think! Make a calendar or chart of all the due dates for assignments and exam times. Then allocate REALISTICALLY the amount of time each one will take, when you will start, and how you will do it. Then follow it strictly. Time management is one of the most difficult things in academics, especially if you are like me and have a lot going on! Stay organized and don't procrastinate.
This quote depicts a great culmination of the overall theme in your search (and my search) for greater academic success.
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." - Lou Holtz
Stay motivated, optimistic, and determined. Attitude is everything. If you think you can do it, you can. With persistence to learn, hard work to finish assignments and study for exams, and enthusiasm for what each class is about, I have confidence in you and your ability to have a great semester.
Good Luck!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Search for Happiness
I know it has been a long time since I have posted. What better time to start again than the New Year?
This Winter Break was one of self-assessment, as I am continuously on my Quest for Hope. Even though I have not had time to write about it, it does not mean I quit my search. Indeed, I would say my pursuit has only strengthened and become more focused. I am still searching for the underlying hope that serves as my motivation. Typical words and phrases came up during my brainstorm: serving others, doing good in this world, being successful at what I do, making money, etc. But then I asked myself: why? With some stimulating discussions with my sister, I finally came up with the fact that it is all for the "pursuit of happiness."
My decision over break is that if my ultimate goal is to achieve happiness, why not reach that accomplishment every day? Some who read that may think inaccurately that I mean to indulge in hedonism. However, I believe the world of instant gratification that we live in (of internet and TV, of sex and alcohol, of beauty and materialism) is not the true answer to achieving happiness. At least I do not think it works for me. Thus, I would like to make my Resolution for the New Year to achieve happiness every day. So what does give me happiness? I thought the following quote was one I would like to try out:
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
-Thomas Merton
When I think back on the times that truly made me happy, it was when I was the most balanced, the most orderly, and the most in sync with nature and life. It was when I was the most successful because I was in tune with my academics and my personal life. I tried to enjoy each aspect of what I was doing, truly savoring it and seeing what I could learn. I looked at each sliver of an obstacle as a challenge that I could beat, a series of test that I could pass (think in positives rather than negatives!).
In my Quest for Hope for this New Year, my Resolutions (or my list of "to-be-betters") encompass these 4 aspects as an experiment:
1. Balance
2. Order
3. Rhythm and
4. Harmony
At the end of the year, I would like to look back and see whether I felt these ideas and goals made a difference in my year and allowed me to achieve better success and ultimately: Happiness.
1. Balance: I look to achieve this through a balance of academic and personal life. In the past, I put an inordinate amount of time, energy and thought to my academic life. I hope to make academic life more an enjoyment rather than a burden as well as keeping a personal life. This balancing act will consist of maintaining fruitful and healthy relationships with others (through consistent contact rather than intensive hang outs), a healthy mind and body (through doing 1 happy thing a day and exercising at least 3x a week), and not striving for perfection in every aspect of academics (through sticking to my schedule and thus having a stopping point).
2. Order: Structure I have found is important to my happiness. Thus, I want to maintain an organized life-style through schedules on Google Calendars, alerts through my phone, and keeping my room and school work clean and orderly. Disorder comes from procrastination. Thus, sticking to a schedule is paramount for me and that must result from making realistic goals.
3. Rhythm: Finding my rhythm is a trial and error experiment as well. Consistency in each day will provide that rhythm. Therefore I will work on keeping each week as constant as I can. Does this mean that I leave out spontaneity and fun? No. I believe rhythm includes flexibility. In the past, inflexibility has proven detrimental to happiness. With any drastic change or uncertain circumstance, anxiety has been a key emotion. However what I hope to work on with rhythm is to keep hiccups from affecting my rhythmic pulse. Even if plans alter, and things get in the way, I will strive to maintain flexibility by adjusting my plans accordingly and making those plans realistic. Despite this comment on flexibility, finding a schedule has always been a successful way to maintain balance and order. In keeping with rhythm and schedules, I will try to post every Saturday. However, I will not post if I have a paper or exam that week. We shall see if I can keep up with that!
4. Harmony: What I said above runs into the idea of harmony. Stress is a large hinderance for the pursuit of happiness. Therefore I will do 3 physical things to keep stress levels as low as possible. You can try it too!
1) Meditate for 3 minutes each day. How? Set an alarm for 3 minutes. Close my eyes while sitting Indian style. Let my brain be completely blank and think about nothing. (It is harder than it sounds!) If I find myself straying away with thoughts, I mentally focus back again on "nothing" by saying over and over "Aieem." A teacher in meditation taught me that. Does it work? It might! We shall see...
2) Exercise at least 3x a week, doing 30 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of weights, and 15 minutes of abs.
3) Count to 10 with slow deep breaths to calm myself if something stressful arises
We shall see how this works! I will keep updated on my experimental progress. Hope that was insightful for you too.
This Winter Break was one of self-assessment, as I am continuously on my Quest for Hope. Even though I have not had time to write about it, it does not mean I quit my search. Indeed, I would say my pursuit has only strengthened and become more focused. I am still searching for the underlying hope that serves as my motivation. Typical words and phrases came up during my brainstorm: serving others, doing good in this world, being successful at what I do, making money, etc. But then I asked myself: why? With some stimulating discussions with my sister, I finally came up with the fact that it is all for the "pursuit of happiness."
My decision over break is that if my ultimate goal is to achieve happiness, why not reach that accomplishment every day? Some who read that may think inaccurately that I mean to indulge in hedonism. However, I believe the world of instant gratification that we live in (of internet and TV, of sex and alcohol, of beauty and materialism) is not the true answer to achieving happiness. At least I do not think it works for me. Thus, I would like to make my Resolution for the New Year to achieve happiness every day. So what does give me happiness? I thought the following quote was one I would like to try out:
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
-Thomas Merton
When I think back on the times that truly made me happy, it was when I was the most balanced, the most orderly, and the most in sync with nature and life. It was when I was the most successful because I was in tune with my academics and my personal life. I tried to enjoy each aspect of what I was doing, truly savoring it and seeing what I could learn. I looked at each sliver of an obstacle as a challenge that I could beat, a series of test that I could pass (think in positives rather than negatives!).
In my Quest for Hope for this New Year, my Resolutions (or my list of "to-be-betters") encompass these 4 aspects as an experiment:
1. Balance
2. Order
3. Rhythm and
4. Harmony
At the end of the year, I would like to look back and see whether I felt these ideas and goals made a difference in my year and allowed me to achieve better success and ultimately: Happiness.
1. Balance: I look to achieve this through a balance of academic and personal life. In the past, I put an inordinate amount of time, energy and thought to my academic life. I hope to make academic life more an enjoyment rather than a burden as well as keeping a personal life. This balancing act will consist of maintaining fruitful and healthy relationships with others (through consistent contact rather than intensive hang outs), a healthy mind and body (through doing 1 happy thing a day and exercising at least 3x a week), and not striving for perfection in every aspect of academics (through sticking to my schedule and thus having a stopping point).
2. Order: Structure I have found is important to my happiness. Thus, I want to maintain an organized life-style through schedules on Google Calendars, alerts through my phone, and keeping my room and school work clean and orderly. Disorder comes from procrastination. Thus, sticking to a schedule is paramount for me and that must result from making realistic goals.
3. Rhythm: Finding my rhythm is a trial and error experiment as well. Consistency in each day will provide that rhythm. Therefore I will work on keeping each week as constant as I can. Does this mean that I leave out spontaneity and fun? No. I believe rhythm includes flexibility. In the past, inflexibility has proven detrimental to happiness. With any drastic change or uncertain circumstance, anxiety has been a key emotion. However what I hope to work on with rhythm is to keep hiccups from affecting my rhythmic pulse. Even if plans alter, and things get in the way, I will strive to maintain flexibility by adjusting my plans accordingly and making those plans realistic. Despite this comment on flexibility, finding a schedule has always been a successful way to maintain balance and order. In keeping with rhythm and schedules, I will try to post every Saturday. However, I will not post if I have a paper or exam that week. We shall see if I can keep up with that!
4. Harmony: What I said above runs into the idea of harmony. Stress is a large hinderance for the pursuit of happiness. Therefore I will do 3 physical things to keep stress levels as low as possible. You can try it too!
1) Meditate for 3 minutes each day. How? Set an alarm for 3 minutes. Close my eyes while sitting Indian style. Let my brain be completely blank and think about nothing. (It is harder than it sounds!) If I find myself straying away with thoughts, I mentally focus back again on "nothing" by saying over and over "Aieem." A teacher in meditation taught me that. Does it work? It might! We shall see...
2) Exercise at least 3x a week, doing 30 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of weights, and 15 minutes of abs.
3) Count to 10 with slow deep breaths to calm myself if something stressful arises
We shall see how this works! I will keep updated on my experimental progress. Hope that was insightful for you too.
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