09/09/2015
“I hated but also craved to be like Jackie at University because she could get up and instantly talk to a crowd of people without preparation or even showing any discomfort. She was good, people listened to her when she spoke and her words carried meaning that were crisp and clean.
She was my friend but unlike her, I dreaded even introducing myself in meetings. The muscles around my neck would tense up and choke my voice, my breath would cease, and the eyes staring at me would cut straight through like arrows, I would be terrified. The more I fought it, the worst it got.
In private, I could craft up such wonderful speeches and had such eloquence to put Jackie in the shade but nobody would ever know. I had given up, until one day riding at the back of a taxi on the way to my first job, I came across something written at the back of another taxi, it said “You only fail if you stop trying“, You only fail, if you stop trying. This was so deep, it was a message to my heart, I felt it, suddenly, I lost the fear to try again and again and again, whatever, it took I would make it.
That cold grey morning immediately glowed bright as I reached my stop; I jumped out with a spring in my steps and determination written across my jaws. I have never looked back since”
As I finished telling the story to a graduate student, tears of passion welled up in our eyes; she had approached me after my speech to ask how she could do public speaking like me. I could see myself in her a few years back, I would have been shaking like a leaf just thinking about it. Even so, as I wiped a tear, I recalled that message, “you only fail, if you stop trying.” And now it was my turn to pass it on.
Part-time Evening and Weekend Public Speaking Classes now on at Kampala, Bukoto Street, Evenings at 6pm to 9pm from Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday. Fee UGShs 90,000 for the full course. For details inbox or email: [email protected]