Speech Project No. 3: Get to the Point : "To Live Once"

Purpose of Speech

At the end of the speech, I want the audience to have these different kinds of reactions:

• The speaker has imparted his idea on plotting your life’s journey in a big spreadsheet showing the different accomplishments in the past and the plans for the future. He even showed us an illustration on how his “life journey” worksheet looks like by showing us in front the printed sheets. He showed this technique as one of the ways by which we can make use of the short time we have on Earth. He greatly emphasized that the real purpose of life is to live once in the right way. Living once is enough; besides, no one can ever demand a second life!


• The speaker has pointed out that to live once means giving more importance to what you want your life to achieve. He discussed that one way to give value to life is to plot a timeline of your life just like an autobiography. But, unlike an autobiography, a timeline of life can show us that big picture of things we want to achieve in the coming years till the end of our life.


• The speaker has discussed new terminologies in defining your life’s timeline:


• Start of Life (SOL) – is the time you were born in this world.


• Ideal End of Life (EOL) – is the time your life will end


• X-Axis – shows the time progression from SOL to EOL


• Y-Axis – shows the chronological events in a period (i.e., year)


• Point of Retirement (POR) – this is the time you want to rest and just enjoy life without worrying on anything.


• Celebration of Old Age (COA) – this is the time from POR to EOL wherein you are just waiting to die and at the same time enjoying the fruits of your labor maybe thru your family or touring around the world or helping other people.


• The speaker also pointed out that one of the keys to making life worthy is by organizing time, money and God-given gifts and talents. He pointed out that he is a person who came from nothing and he doesn’t want to end up nothing.


• After hearing my speech the audience should be able to get the link to my website and download a sample of the worksheet. The audience should be able to make their own life journey worksheets by applying the techniques and terminologies taught in the speech.

------------------------------------

To Live Once

By Edwin D. Viñas
Silver and White Toastmasters Club
Speech Project # 3 “Get to the Point”
March 08, 2006


In my dream last night, I asked God this question, “Lord, how many times can I live in this world?” Then He responded, “Son, I am only giving each and every person a chance to live once in this world”. And then I asked, “Why just one life my Lord? If you could give me at least three chances to live in this world, I would have more time to correct my mistakes.” Then God said, “Your goal in this world is to live once in order to give chance to others who maybe better than you”.

My fellow Toastmasters, good evening! Let me share to you my personal point of view on how we can weave our past, present and future in order to make use of the short life that we have on Earth and turn it to something that God can be proud of by utilizing our God-given gifts.

I am a person who came from a simple life but I want to make the most of my God-given gifts to make a difference in this world. One technique that I use to plan for my life is to plot my life’s journey timeline in a big spreadsheet showing the different accomplishments in the past, present and the plans for the future. Here is an illustration on how my “life journey” worksheet looks like. To live once means giving more importance to what you want your life to achieve. One way to give value to your life is to plot a timeline of your journey just like an autobiography. But, unlike an autobiography, a “life journey timeline” can show us the big picture of what we want to achieve in the coming years till the end of our life. My fellow toastmasters, I’m showing in front of you my life journey timeline. As you can see, a life journey timeline has six major components:

• Start of Life (SOL) – is the time you were born in this world (i.e., birthday)


• End of Life (EOL) – is the ideal time your life will end (i.e., death). Of course, no one knows when we will die. But, I believe God can give us enough time as long as we pray for it. As shown in my timeline, 72 years old is my ideal EOL.


• X-Axis – shows the time periods from SOL to EOL (i.e, 0 years to 72 years old).


• Y-Axis – shows the chronological events in a given time period (i.e., year). As you can see in my timeline, I have a very active life in the past year 2000 to 2005 as indicated by my accomplishments, places traveled, technologies learned among others. As I progress thru time, I have plotted my plans on the next 30 years, I have so many plans such as working in Accenture for 10 years and save money. Afterwards, I can build a school in our province, which I see as one of my legacies to other people. To be able to build a big house for my family, develop new technologies and establish an Internet business in our town is also one of my dreams. All these are just plans, it’s up to us to show God and ask His guidance to take us to the right direction.


• Point of Retirement (POR) – this is the time when you want to stop working and just rest or enjoy life without worrying on anything. This is the time when a person can appreciate his life.


• Celebration of Old Age (COA) – this is the time from POR to EOL wherein you are just waiting to die and at the same time enjoying the fruits of your labor maybe thru your family or touring around the world or helping other people.

My fellow toastmasters, I have just shared to you my personal point of view on how important it is to live once by showing you my personal life journey timeline*. To end my speech, I truly believe that we will only live once- but if we work it right, once is enough.



* See sample here:
http://www.wisoy.com/toastmasters/lifejourneytimeline/LifeJourneyTimeline.htm