Talking and Relearning

Keeping on, keeping on with karate creeds. The next one is for our Green belt rank. The creed is below:

If you are talking, then you are only relearning what you already know.

- Unaccredited

There is so much value in your voice!

Whether you are arguing a point, venting frustrations, protesting injustices, telling a story, teaching a lesson, or sharing an opinion, your voice is the best tool to do so. And as I type that, I think that I need to make this blog a vlog…

When you speak, your words are not just heard, but experienced!

The written word does not convey as much information as the spoken word, because in content they are the same, but the spoken word includes volume, pace, tone, pitch, and emotional expression. If the spoken word is also seen, then you also receive non-verbal communication techniques! So much more emotional expression can be delivered through body language and facial expressions. Your voice is powerful and impactful.

There is a small issue with your voice though…

"You must unlearn what you have learned." - Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

Our current knowledge and experience are our only references for what we can talk about. Even if you try to make stuff up, tell a lie, or imagine something, it is referenced in something known. So when you are talking and not taking the time to listen to the voices of others, you are unable to grow, change, or integrate. Listening to others allows your mind to wonder on different ideas and develop new thoughts. Collaboration leads to growth. Diversity is needed in collaboration to create; otherwise, the voices are just an echo chamber of the same thoughts and ideas.

"Stop! The cup is FULL!"

The Chinese Scholar Tokusan, who was full of knowledge and opinions about the dharma, went to learn from Chinese Zen Master Ryutan asking about Zen. At one-point Ryutan re-filled his guest's teacup but did not stop pouring when the cup was full. Tea spilled out and ran over the table. "Stop! The cup is full!" said Tokusan.

"Exactly," said Master Ryutan. "You are like this cup; you are full of ideas. You come and ask for teaching, but your cup is full; I can't put anything in. Before I can teach you, you'll have to empty your cup."

Not only do we have to listen to others in a diverse environment, but we must open our minds to change if we are to create, innovate, and grow. Holding tight to ideas and beliefs stagnates growth and thought.

In my Toastmasters training, I have found that my initial practice and preparation techniques for speaking in front of others was all wrong for my confidence and self-esteem. I used to write out the entire speech and choreograph the entire speech. I'd rehearse until I could do it by heart. It worked great... for practice. As soon as I was in front of an audience, I had to be perfect. If I goofed anything, it made me sweat and it threw the entire speech off track.

I learned quickly through experience that my approach was not effective, which was a big part of my fear of public speaking and my poor performance; however, it was the feedback from my fellow Toastmasters with their diverse experience and points of view, which taught me how I could become more effective.

Now, I take a much more casual approach to speech writing. I jot down some notes about what I want to talk about, maybe work out a line or two which will be the takeaway for the speech, then I just speak the speech over and over. I get to know the points I want to make and discover how I naturally say them and look for better ways to say them just working on my natural abilities. This allows me to be more comfortable in front of the audience, since there is no strict script to follow. I just need know my material forward and back which allows me to think on my feet better and focus on connecting with the audience. My goal for public speaking is to make an impact on the audience, give them something to walk away with, and influence lives. When I started Toastmasters, my goal was just to not be horrible and get over my fear of public speaking. Today, I am beyond that and enjoy public speaking. It has given me leadership opportunities which I thought would always be out of reach.

Without listening to my Toastmaster friends, I would likely be making the same speech preparation mistakes today.

There are lots of areas where we fill up our minds with knowledge and opinions, but to truly grow you need to look past what you already know or think. You will need to listen to others to see things from different perspectives, try different approaches, and experience new things. To speak is to repeat what you already know. To continue to do things the same way, you will only get the same results. Change is growth. Empty the cup. Unlearn what you have learned. Open your mind and listen to properly prepare yourself to be enlightened.