Adversity to Ambition

I was five years old when I had my first public speaking experience. 

The memory resides in pre-school in a corner eloquently labelled “the corner to talk.” It was an expansive lime green wall that canvassed the huddle of little children, each giddy with excitement to talk about the chosen subject – what is your favourite colour? There were eyes glinting in exhilaration and I can still pinpoint the buzz that swept through my peers. 

Then there was me.

The “quiet kid” of the lot. Shy and timid with a permanent panic-stricken expression plastered across my face. Sitting near the corner, I remember analysing my surroundings. My mind interpreting the situation like some escape room.

I sat there, observing others converse about their fascination with colour. Blue, pink and the occasional turquoise - pronounced in what could be passed off as foreign for all I knew. 

Time ticked away until the final person before me spoke. It was my turn. 

I was ready. Everyone did theirs so I might as well do it too.

But as fortune goes, just as I was ready to present, the bell rang. 

It was time to go home and I was the only one who didn’t have time to present. 

I was filled with a strange feeling. I wasn’t disappointed or upset at the missed opportunity. I was relieved. Heck, I felt saved! Start playing saved by the bell ladies and gentlemen, I was the luckiest guy on the planet. But little did I know that it was that very moment that would be so detrimental to my experience growing up.

Slowly but steadily, that relief that I subconsciously manifested turned into fear. 

Fear of speaking. Fear of being judged. Fear of not having enough time.

These are elements no children should be concerned about at an age when creative expulsion is at its peak. 

Three in four people are said to possess a fear of public speaking. Glossophobia as it is known. But in the growing age where we are plagued with humanitarian global and local issues, can we afford to pertain this fear?

Absolutely not!

Change needs to be encouraged from a young age. To be a changemaker of any capacity, we need to utilise our voices as the vehicle of advocation. What we say and how we present it will determine the outreach that our message can attain. Whether it be your passion for broader ordeals such as climate change or combating racism or a local concern like community inclusivity, change-makers far and wide need to be assertive in the way they speak.

I found myself doubting my own abilities in the most inopportune moments; talking in Infront of the class, meeting new people, etc. A turbulent fear shackled with terror at the sight of speaking my mind. But that should have never been the case. From a young age, we need to foster a culture of open-ended discussions that promote speech writing and public speaking. Over the years, this is what I garnered to tackle the fear of public speaking.

Your voice is your superpower.

Look at it this way. We all look at superheroes on the big screen in awe. They are exhibitions of people with characteristics we can only fantasise about. They are loud, tenacious and immensely purposeful in their nature. That’s what makes them so appealing to our creative senses. Do you know what else is conveyed loud in volume, strong in resolution and has a message to deliver? The potential of your words. Your words are special when nurtured with the correct intentions. Words spoken without the sincerity of the heart is akin to sand writing on a beach destined to be washed away by the first set of waves.  What you need to harness is self-belief. Easier said than done, yes but you have a voice to be proud of. Every single one of us has had differing, cultural upbringings with a unique experience. The only way we are able to be a forward-thinking community is to share our stories for others to learn. Believing in yourself creates the fertile ground for miraculous impact. Like every skill you learn, you need to start off with foundational sketches before white-knuckling broad strokes. Be firm in your practice and speak with absolute resolve because you deserve being there. Before you know it, you will be soaring in the exhilaration of sharing meaningful conversations and let me tell you, there aren’t too many feelings that compare to that. 

People don’t care about your faults as much as you think they do.

A lot of fear comes from the risk of failure. What will other people think of me? Are they going to like what I say? How does my voice sound? There is a deeply instilled impression that someone else will just stop you midway or have your speech hijacked by entrenched naysayers against what you are saying. That is nothing but outlandish scenarios your mind simulates to exaggerate a perfectly calm situation. It’s normal as humans to have an innately fundamental propensity towards validation. The real picture, however,  is much cleaner than that. Your audience realises the courage you took to get on stage to speak. As aforementioned, they too are most probably trying to grasp public speaking themselves and seeing you present is statement of respectable intent. Feel the words dripping from your mouth like honey and feel its resonation throughout the room. It really is an immersive and ethereal experience once relish the weight of the words.

What you say can change lives.

Words change the world. History is a potent representation of that. Speeches have salvaged people from the depths of their troubles and rejuvenated change-makers of all ages as a result. What you strongly believe in and how you present it can be instrumental in perpetuating an unexpected epiphany for someone in the audience. Even if it’s not that drastic, the least it will do is draw introspection for those in your audience, making your words responsible for igniting the first steps for someone improving their lives. So, continue to elevate, enhance and illumine your meaningful prowess to benefit the lives of others. Your speech, presentation or talk can be the reminder that instigates a potentially life-long commitment to change. You can be the catalyst for tomorrow’s solution. You can do so much more with your voice than you give credit for. Just let yourself be heard.

There is nothing more terrifying than feeling unheard when you have something viable to be said. The human mind is full of jubilant ideas that should be given an avenue to expiate productively. 

It is our responsibility to let our internal voices be heard. We must allow our untapped potential for speech to be echoed far and wide so that the issues that hurt our society now can be changed tomorrow. We need to encourage productive dialogue, engage in communion values and most importantly, let the intellectual colours of our soul be heard and not feared.

That’s the story we need to share.  

The power of our voice.

Jahin Tanvir is an Optometry student with a keen eye for writing, poetry and philosophy. He currently works with Red Cross, World Vision and Headspace in youth positions to bring youth voice.

WORDS: JAHIN TANVIR
PHOTOGRAPHY: DOUG LINSTEDT, ANNIE SPRATT, TREVOR COLE