Dean Martin and Toastmasters

Many years ago I started the process of becoming a professional speaker. I started with Toastmasters, as have many other fine speakers, and it was a wonderful choice. I own much of what I am able to do now to my training and experience I gained practicing public speaking in the Toastmasters clubs.

Now, it is important to know that I was terrible at public speaking when I first started. Afraid, forgetful, shy, terrified, stumbling...I had it all. I would spend hours agonizing about a speech, writing it, trying to memorize it, practicing it and finally surviving, barely, the process of delivering. I kept at it and after quite a few speeches, perhaps 30 or so, I was getting good to great reviews on a fairly consistent basis.

Then Dean Martin entered the picture. Remember Deano? My father loved his music and I can remember watching the Dean Martin show, which I surely did not understand, with my father when I was a young boy. Thru an interesting twist of fate, I was given a Dean Martin CD shortly after I started public speaking and I found myself really enjoying his music. So what on earth does this have to do with public speaking and Toastmasters and trusting your unconscious and capturing and digital tape recorders? Next time....Jack