This Is What I Call The Speech Contest Hangover

Matt KramerPublic Speaking

tactical talks public speaking matt kramer toastmasters contest

The past four weeks we’ve gone on a journey! The Toastmasters speech contest Journey to be exact.Now that the contest is long gone, what now? Fair question.  Today I’m going to share with you how I felt after the contest ended. I call it the contest hangover, but don’t get it twisted. Don’t confuse it with an alcohol-induced hangover, the opposite in fact.   Simply … Read More

Toastmasters Judgement Day: My Final Speech

Matt KramerMotivation, Overcoming Fear, Public Speaking

toastmasters public speaking tactical talks speech contest journey matt kramer competitive speaking district

**Be sure to check out PARTS 1, 2, 3 of the speech contest journey** And now we’ve arrived at the District contest. Judgement Day! This is the last contest before going to the the big dance—the Toastmasters International Convention. That’s where the semi-finals and the finals go down.No pressure :/The preparation leading up to this level was intense. Apart from practicing my … Read More

My Experience In A Toastmasters Speech Contest – PART 3

Matt KramerMotivation, Overcoming Fear, Public Speaking

toastmasters public speaking tactical talks speech contest journey matt kramer competitive speaking

**Check out PART 1 and PART 2 of the speech contest journey** Fierce competitors. Check. More audience members. Check. Larger venue. Check. More pressure. Absolutely.It had all the ingredients to send a guy to a psychiatrist.First, let me take a step back to the early morning. I was feeling the usual anxiety knowing I’d be competing later that day. I expected … Read More

Tactical Talks TOP 5: The Best Public Speaking Articles On The Web – Vol. #7

Matt KramerPublic Speaking, Tactical Talks Top 5

tactical talks - public speaking

ROUND 7 OF SCAVENGING BEGINS! Each month I will scour the interwebz looking for the best articles on public speaking.I’ll be looking for topics like these:Overcoming the fear of public speakingPresentation tipsBody language and other technical speaking tipsAnd anything in between…I’m looking for the interesting, the fascinating, the practical, and anything with worthwhile information to help you become a better communicator. … Read More

This Is What It’s Like To Compete In A Toastmasters Speech Contest! – Part 2

Matt KramerMotivation, Overcoming Fear, Public Speaking

toastmasters public speaking tactical talks speech contest journey matt kramer

Be sure to checkout PART 1 of the contest journey!  The journey continues…Public speaking in general can be a trying time mentally and physically. A public speaking contest is more grueling.Just as it was at the club level contest, a place where I’d spoken countless times before, the Area contest cut me no slack; the extra mental pressure I put on … Read More

My Experience In A Toastmasters Speech Contest – Part 1

Matt KramerOvercoming Fear, Public Speaking

toastmasters public speaking tactical talks speech contest journey matt kramer

Some days suck. We’ve prepared our speech, we’re ready to go, but for some reason our mind and body start to go all wacky. We feel physically weak. All the negative “what-ifs” start flickering about. These are the days we silently wish would never come. This happened to me on the day of the Toastmasters club speech contest for the Toastmasters International Speech Contest—the starting point in an … Read More

Get Vulnerable And Get Over Your Fear Of Public Speaking

Matt KramerConfidence, Overcoming Fear, Public Speaking

vulnerable tactical talks public speaking fear toastmasters matt kramer

One of the biggest roadblocks that prevent people from overcoming the fear of public speaking is refusing to admit that it exists…at least when asked about it.In fact, in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), the very FIRST step in their Twelve Step program to overcoming addiction, is to admit there is one. The same can be said for overcoming a fear as terrifying … Read More

Tactical Talks TOP 5: The Best Public Speaking Articles On The Web – Vol. #6

Matt KramerPublic Speaking, Tactical Talks Top 5

tactical talks - public speaking

ROUND 6 OF SCAVENGING BEGINS! Each month I will scour the interwebz looking for the best articles on public speaking.I’ll be looking for topics like these:Overcoming the fear of public speakingPresentation tipsBody language and other technical speaking tipsAnd anything in between…I’m looking for the interesting, the fascinating, the practical, and anything with worthwhile information to help you become a better communicator. … Read More