#1 Icebreaker: Chasing Dreams

Note: This is normally the first speech delivered by a Toastmaster in their club. The time is 4 to 6 minutes and, while you can say whatever you want, it’s normally used as an opportunity to introduce yourself to the other club members. That way at least you know the content and can concentrate on getting over the nerves.

Mr Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen,

One of the most important things in this life is to love and accept who you are and chase after who you want to become.  

I am a Flake. I have always been proud of my maiden name.  Corn Flake, bran flake, frosted flake, dandruff flake…I’ve heard them all before. If you have another more interesting crack at my last name, I'd love to hear it. Snowflake is my favorite because my great-great great grandfather William Jordan Flake colonized Snowflake Arizona.  It reminds me that for years and years, my relatives have also chased their dreams and became who they wanted to be. 

The word "flake" generally has a pretty negative connotation.   By definition a flake is an unreliable person; someone who agrees to do something, but never follows through.  I am here to introduce you to a new kind of flake.  We stand for the truth.  We stand for the right.  When we commit, we are in it till the end.  We chase after what and who we want to become.  Some experiences from my life will help illustrate this.

First example...When I was 2 years old, my parents took me to Pensacola University to watch the BYU Ballroom and Folk Dance teams.  I was fascinated with the dancing…the costumes...the excitement that lingered in the air after the show was finished.  I leaned over to my parents and said in my two-year old voice, "I want to be a B-I-U dancer." 23 years later, I fulfilled that dream.  I was accepted to BYU-Idaho. When I made the Ballroom dance tour team, my dream became a reality.  I was a BYU-I dancer. See…my two year old self knew there was an “I” in the mix somewhere.  I enjoyed every minute.

Next example:  I figured out my career at the ripe old age of 5.  I loved my kindergarten teacher, and knew that's what I wanted to be.  On the last day of school, while other kids ran out screaming for their new-found freedom, I went through the teachers piles of throw-out worksheets.  I took the bulk of them home and played school in a fall-out shelter with my neighbors all summer long. The only problem was we all wanted to be teachers, so I never had any students in my class.  I am currently teaching in my fifth year and learning and loving every day.

My last example of chasing dreams explains why I am standing in front of you tonight.  When I was 14, I started listening to motivational tapes of youth speakers from my church.  Troy Dunn, Joann Hibbert Hamilton, and John Bytheway were my heroes.  I listened to a variety of topics that really helped and encouraged me in those troubled teen years. I knew that one day I wanted to become a motivational speaker myself.  I started preparing talks and speeches at home and I currently have around 20-25 talks and speeches ready to give at a moment’s notice.

I heard of Toastmasters from a friend a few weeks ago who I had shared this goal with.  Now I stand before you sharing my life story with new and undiscovered friends.  To become the public speaker I want to be, I know it will take many times of getting up in front of you, sharing my thoughts and feelings on various subjects. This journey I will take in Toastmasters reminds me of the process of how gold is made.

In the process of refining gold, it is heated up to a very high temperature. This causes the impurities to come to the top and then that dross is scooped off of the gold.   The temperature is increased incrementally and this process is repeated. When there is no more dross that floats to the top and the refiner can look at the gold as a mirror and see his own image, he knows that the gold is finally pure. 

I am sure I will struggle with different aspects of speaking and evaluating myself and others.  I am sure there will be many tears of frustration.  No dream comes without them. And just as gold is thrown in and out of the fire, it is not finished until the temperature has increased and all of the dross has been removed.  I hope to work out those kinks in my speaking and pursue this life-long goal of becoming an influence for good.  Chasing after this dream is the right choice for me at this point of my life, and I thank you in advance for being a part of it.  

Mr. Toastmaster

Evaluation of icebreaker

I had a feeling that someone might cancel their speech.  I also had the feeling I would try to volunteer a week earlier and take said spot! Well that is exactly what happened.  Joy cancelled and I quickly volunteered, although I knew I could have done better if I would have just waited.  Oh well...I was excited to start.

Dick Carr was my evaluator.  I was ready to go.  I was the second speaker.  The one before me went 10 minutes.  I was about to pull out my hair before it was over.  He was an okay speaker, but he rambled on and on and on.   He didn't have a script, and I really don;t think he prepared anything.  Well, then it was my turn.

I had my notes and outline, and never did look at my outline.  I looked at my whole written speech instead....and I did look down at it, but I had memorized most of it.  I shook a little, but not as much as when I gave it to my family on Thanksgiving night.  Mmmm... what does that tell me.

I missed one complete big thought about me actually becoming a teacher.  So I think I am going to base me next speech on being a teacher.

Rick told that I had a great speaking voice.  Some critique I received was to try to memorize the speech, and move away from the lectern.

For a first time, I didn't feel I did too bad, and I have spoke five times in the last year in church so it wasn't like I went in their cold turkey.  I want to try to do without my notes next time.



Chasing Dreams Outline

One of the most important thing in this life....

A.  I am a flake!

1. Corn flake
2. Snowflake
3. William Jordan Flake
4. Reminds me relatives have also chased

B.  Flake=negative connotation

1. Unreliable person
2. Agrees to do something
3. No follow through
4. We stand
5. When we say
6. Examples from my life

C.  2 years old

1. Pensacola University
2. BYU Ballroom and Folk dance teams
3. Costumes, music, excitement that lingered
4. 23 years later
5. BYU-Idaho
6. A few letters off

D.  Career at 5 yrs of age

1. Kindergarten teacher
2. Worksheets
3. Fall-out shelter
4. No students
5. Venture Academy

E.  Why I am standing here today

1. Motivational tapes
2. Troy Dunn
3. Variety of topics
4. Troubled teen years
5. Preparing talks and speeches

F.  Toastmasters

1. Friend introduced
2. New and undiscovered friends
3. Many times of getting up
4. Journey of Toastmaster reminds me of how gold is made

G.  Process of refining gold

1. Heated up
2. Impurities to come 
3. Dross is scooped off
4. Temperature is increased
5. No more dross 
6. Gold as a mirror
7. Finally pure

H.  Struggle

1. Tears of frustration
2. No dream
3. Just as gold is thrown
4. it is not finished until
5. I hope to work out these kinks
6. Chasing after this dream
7. I thank you in advance

Extra "stuff" that wouldn'tfit in a 4-6 minute speech


First paragraph
Opening yourself to others is always a little challenging.  Most are afraid to reveal what is inside.  Some are too willing to give pieces of themselves away.  So many times in life, people try to peg you as a certain type of person.  Stereotypes overwhelm you.  Disappointment, discouragement and failure destroy what you are trying to be.  

Extra stuff that wouldn't fit but that would have gone after my "school" paragraph
I grew up in a small town in southeast Georgia.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and our small branch or church group had a set of missionaries who would teach others about our church and beliefs.  My family invited the missionaries over at least once a week.  I grew up with these 18-25 year old men and women who set prime examples of who I wanted to be.  My father and 3 brothers served honorable missions in various places throughout the world, and I yearned to become one myself.  I also wanted to share what I knew. 

I was honored to be called to serve for 18 months in the Nevada, Las Vegas mission. Before entering the mission field, every elder or sister must undergo some training in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.   I remember feeling frustrated with my district I had been assigned to.  The elders and sisters were nonchalant about being there.  It seemed the decision was already made for them and it was something they were just supposed to do.  I had looked forward to this experience for so long, and my expectations were so high that when it finally came, I was disappointed that it wasn't everything I had hoped. I wrote my dad and explained my frustrations.  This was his reply: 

"Be a Sister Flake.  You are the first sister missionary of Grandma and Grandpa Flake. I know they are very proud of you and your decision to go on a mission. You join a long line of Flakes that have a served a mission from the William Jordan Flake family. You represent the whole family in what you do."

Signing up for Toastmasters

Today I signed up for Toastmasters.  I heard about it from Christina and decided to see if it would benefit me with my goal as a public speaker.  I was excited to go.  I love giving talks and speeches so I though this would be ideal.

Everyone in the Twilight Toastmasters club was super friendly.  The meeting was a little formal, but organized with clear objectives and purpose.  Two speakers spoke, someone evaluated them, and then my favorite part of the night was the Table Topic.  Jodi, the first lady I met, came up with the Hobbit as a topic.    Then she read quotes from the Hobbit and asked questions about the quote.  Since I was a guest, they usually would not call, but I gave Jodi the thumbs up when she looked at me.  She said the wrote about Pippin asking if there were first lunch, second lunch, noonsies, etc.

My question was at of all the meals, which was my favorite, why, and what would be my favorite food for that meal.  You get a minute to respond and I used 56 seconds.  I explained that breakfast was my favorite meal because it meant good times with my family.  It was one meal we all shared together, and the best foods are cooked at that time.

Bacon is my favorite and I went on to explain that on Christmas morning, my mom would send bacon aromas wafting down the hallway towards us,  We would crawl out of bed and fill our tummies with nice, fat pieces of pig.  :)

I was looking for the green sign they would hold up to tell me I had reached a minute, but I barely missed it by a few seconds.  Oh well it was a good first experience.