Be patient

Do you know Tom Hopkins? Who is regarded as the greatest salesman in the world?

It doesn’t matter if you have not heard about him, let me make a short introduction:

Nowadays, more than 90% of the sales training courses are originated from his knowledge. And he himself was invited to thousands of speeches to share his experience on persuasion and other sales related topics which are obviously useful to our toastmasters. Since even if most of us do not have to sale specific products in daily life, we need to sale our opinions on various of tasks almost every day.

（踱步）

And here is a true story about Tom Hopkins.

When it came to his retirement, he was asked to organize a career farewell speech to the public. The speech was hold in a gym that could contain 3000 people in total while each was charged 3000 dollars for the one hour “speech”.

At the beginning, the audience were excited about the speech and wondered about the huge iron ball hanging above the middle of the gym with a big hammer placed on the ground. Tom asked volunteers to try to swing the iron ball with the hammer, but no one succeeded.

Then he took out a light hammer out of his pocket and started knocking the iron ball constantly with an interval of 4 seconds. Just kept knocking without a word.

Before long, the audience in silent turned into whispers and later chaos while Tom seemd nothing innormal just kept knocking. The host came up to the stage every 15 minutes to remind the noisy audience that they could leave freely with their 3000 dollars back. And for each time, half people gone.

To the nearly end of the speech, only 300 people left. Suddenly, a women shouted “The ball starts swinging!”, Yes! And Tom Hopkins finaly gave out a sentence “If you are not patient enough to wait for the success, then you have to spend your whole life company with failure.”

We need to be patient waiting for the harvest season come. It may sometimes be late but never miss.

(踱步)

It takes a long time for a bamboo to grow its roots as deeper and wider as it could for sufficient water and nourishment before grown out of the ground. Just like our bamboo project in EF Pheonixes, the officer team has inserted this spirit into the project to remind us to be patient for our personal harvest seasons in toastmaster. Do you agree with me?

I could still remember my first time giving speech in front of strangers. That was at 706 youth club speech salon. I was excited to share my views but on the stage I was sooo nervous and without logic. Then I became a volunteer of this youth space and joined in organizing the speech salon for two years. During this perioud, there was no single time I was not being nervous before giving a speech. Two years without a single one.

While some of you may remember my first prepared speech during this year's Spring Contest. Actually, that time means a lot to me. It was the fist time I did not panic a little, the first time I felt a progress in myself. It seemd that after 2 years exercising, patiently waiting, I finally could welcome one small harvest season in my public speaking journey —— Not to be nervous.

There are harvest seasons every year and in every aspects of life. But none of them is simple. Each harvest season needs our patiently waiting and constantly hardworking.

As you know, I changed my major in the 2nd year of university according to my interest. I thought I could do something special. But I did nothing only middle level scores and inactive in student unions. Just an ordnary student.

So when I came to my present company as a primary researcher. I did not expect much. All I wanted is to grow slowly but solid to gain personal professionism. For every projects and tasks, I tried my best just as I could. Until one day my line manager asked me to be in charge of a big project, and make presentation in front of clients. And this week, she asked me to try In-depth interview which, according to my colleagues, was the chance for a one year experienced researchers. Me? Only 3 months.

In their eyes, I grow sooo fast. But in my view, thanks to my insistant in the area of my personal interest all these years, I am finally on track.

I am here sharing my happininess to my first harvest season at work and also my most important reflection tips recent years: Be patient waiting for the harvest season come. It may sometimes be late but never miss.

Thanks for listening.