25 Attendees
Marathons – there are all sorts from trying to keep up with your toddlers, to trying to stay awake during exams, to running in the famous New York or Berlin marathons. All take an action plan, endurance and a positive outlook.
Tonight we had five speeches in our marathon and everyone came out a winner.
Ruth introduced herself to us with her Ice Breaker entitled “Mountains” – mountains that have inspired her, mountains that provide a reassuring and validating echo.
Juan also gave his Ice Breaker in which he challenged us to be part of his innovative mission to establish a sustainable city. This is a marathon project with a timeline of over 30 years.
Volker never fails to give us something to think about, a new direction to help us with leadership and communication. This time he told us about Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan’s “Three Laws of Performance”. Each law centering on how we can more effectively use language to motivate.
We took a break here for short, spontaneous speeches in which Felix kept experienced Toastmasters on their toes constructing stories.
Armin was the first speaker after the break. As preparation for a talk he was to give in Bahrain, Armin explained how the digital world plays a role in the fight against diabetes. (By the way, Armin sent me an SMS from Bahrain saying he’d addressed a room of 300 people and the talk went splendidly!)
Our special guest, Oliver, treated us to a witty dialogue with the voices in his head. Some of which, he decided, were better to ignore.
For those of us who don’t wear out the soles of our running shoes, here are some thoughts:
„In some respects, progressing through life is like running a marathon.“
– Joseph B. Wirthlin
„I am a marathon worker and marathon mother. I’ll spend three or four days completely swallowed up by work. And if I make it home in time to say good night, I may have one good hour with the girls, maybe a brief family dinner or a family walk with the dog, and then it is back on the computer to prepare for tomorrow ….“
– Mika Brzezinski
„The world is full of people who have dreams of playing at Carnegie Hall, of running a marathon, and of owning their own business. The difference between the people who make it across the finish line and everyone else is one simple thing: an action plan.“
– John Tesh
Khushi Pasquale, Founder
Center Berlin Toastmasters