Long time no blog. I'll more than make up for lack of blogs this week. Be on the look out for LOTS of blogs!
Recently I asked a few friends if they could write a testimonial for me. I asked them to write about how I've assisted them with their speaking abilities.
My friend Oloho was the first to respond. The letter is amazing and true! Enjoy!
I remember when I first started college, I didn’t really know what to expect. When I was in high school, I believed that college was something for the really smart kids. For me, going to college to accomplish my dream of being a doctor seemed impossible, because I stuttered. I was raised to work hard, get a factory job, and pay bills, and ultimately that’s what I did. I got into a great company, making great money, with great benefits, but there was one thing wrong, I wasn’t happy. Deep down inside I knew that the factory life wasn’t for me. It was great work, but it didn’t utilize the skills that I believed I had somewhere inside me. I knew that I had to go to college, but how do you quit a great job? Where would I start? Could I do it? I didn’t know, but something drove me to figure it out. I told myself that if I was going to do it that I was going to give it my best effort, and whatever happens, happens, and I went for it.
One of the first people that I met was Frank Kitchen. Here’s this tall, slender guy who was always smiling and always positive. I was like, what’s wrong with this guy no one can be that happy all the time! But there was one thing that really drew me to him, his genuine love for people. And that gift that Frank has inspired me to perform my first speech ever in my entire life. Actually it was a speech that I wrote for him to speak, but he wouldn’t do it. He told me, “You wrote it, you have to do it,” and he just stood there smiling. And I’m thinking, “what an ass! I don’t do public speaking.” But deep down inside I really did want to do it, but I conditioned myself so well to fear speaking because of my stutter that I really believed that it was impossible. But Frank worked with me, coached me, and told me to go do it! Well, I did it, and then went on to do several more speeches, and today I coach and inspire high school students to be all they can be.
What Frank did for me, he can do for anyone who attends his coaching seminars. Whether or not you believe you can do it or not, just show up, and let Frank do the rest. If you really have a desire to get better at public speaking you won’t be disappointed! Just show up, smile, and start speaking. Like Frank told me, just do it!
From a lifetime friend,
Oloho
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