Little thing Do you do your recording by Zoom when you do your podcast ?
No , we use Riverside . Oh okay , I have two podcasts . I've got another one that's up to 150-something . It's huge . The other one is property .
Oh , okay , cool , oh you have to send me the link to that one . Are you into property ? Not in terms of like , not , I'm happy to listen to it , but I like houses . But yeah , yeah , but no , keen to have a listen to that one too . All right , am I recording ? Yes , I'm recording . I like to do my little check . All right , sorry , recording .
Yes , I'm recording . I like to do my little check . All right , sorry , I just need to . All right , so I'll start in three , two , one . Welcome , ladies and gentlemen , to episode 33 of the Talkative Toastmaster podcast . This week I'm excited to welcome Hilary Saxton to the show .
Hilary's been a member of the Caloundra Toastmasters Club for three and a half years and she says that in her first club competition she won three of the four categories but didn't realise that it meant she'd need to move on to the next level of contest and that she'd never been so nervous in her life .
Hilary clearly conquered those nerves because she came second in the recent District 69 Humorous Speech Contest , which I had the pleasure of seeing live . It was a great speech . Hilary is a professional speaker and author of the book Three Wines In . She also hosts a podcast called Bounce Back Better , which is all about redesigning your life .
Hilary , I'm not sure when you get a chance to sleep , but welcome and thank you so much for joining me on the show today .
Well , thank you , it's great to be here . Interesting . You say professional speaker . We'll see how far that goes . I'm not as professional as I'd like to be , but yes , I am speaking professionally . But I'm sure you know what I mean and many Toastmasters are probably the same .
Well , I'm looking forward to delving into your speaking journey , however it's playing out for you , so let's start by first talking about your Toastmasters journey , and can you start by telling us why did you decide to join ?
Well , many years ago over 20 I think I joined . I was in New Zealand and I joined a Toastmasters club for a short amount of time it was under a year , I barely remember , and it was in the days of the books , but I do remember and it was in the days of the books , but I do remember there were a lot of older people there .
The club had around , I'm going to say , 20 people , probably similar to Caloundra maybe . And then I sort of realized what was possible from going there for that short time . And then my life went off on other journeys and I've continued to study most of my life .
But we moved to Caloundra and I thought it's probably a great opportunity for me to perfect my speaking . I have to do a lot online .
A lot we host events online and we have a huge social media presence in our real business not my business and so I wanted to be able to articulate without the filler words and I wanted to be able to learn to construct information that people wanted to hear in a way that made it exciting and just . I just wanted to be better .
So I thought , right , I'll go along to Toastmasters . So I just rang up and off , I went and the rest is history . You know , at Toastmasters , within weeks you're on the committee and you know .
Competing and all the things . I think people have a perception of Toastmasters about what it is , and then when you get in , you realise how massive the organisation is and how many opportunities to be volunteered into things that you never imagined doing . Have you had that experience ?
Yes , completely , and I just I'm just on my last meeting as president . So I've done this last year as the president of the club and so it's actually three years must be coming . I've only been in three , not three and a half . I was pretty much straight into the committee .
In those three years I've actually been on the executive , I've filled in and then last year and this year I've done two roles . So you just kind of jump in and you're right , you end up just having a lot of opportunity . It's definitely , you know , more confident .
Yeah , and I'm an outgoing president of my club as well . So what have you learnt in your role as president ? What were some of the takeaways for you in that experience ?
Yes , presidency was great . I remember my first meeting that I sat there , maybe the second because I joined at the first time . I went back I said I'm joining . And at the second meeting they were talking about the roles changing , I think , and I looked over at the president and I said I'm joining .
And at the second meeting they were talking about the roles changing , I think , and I looked over at the president and I said I want that job If I'm going to be here .
I want to be running the show . They would love that .
But no , it took a bit longer for me to get there because I needed to understand how it worked and I honestly believe that by the end of my as I'm going as an outgoing president , I finally understand what's required . So I'm sure I'll be back there one day and I'll be a much better president .
But for me , the biggest , without doubt , the biggest learning was the confidence . I remember back a year ago , leading the first meeting , and now it's just second nature . But that first one meeting , and now it's just second nature .
But that first one , nervous and preparing , and , oh goodness , and I would say definitely the confidence that I have grown by being president .
I think as well having to speak or being able to speak every single meeting , whether you do both the beginning and the end , or just the end , as some do , even just those little snippets , and trying to get a message across succinctly , about motivating or whatever it happens to be , a call to action or motivating the members .
It's so many speaking opportunities .
Well , I don't know if I've motivated them every time . I think in now we have a lot of giggling . There's a lot of not giggling , laughing . There is quite a lot of laughing , and we had a really large meeting last month .
We've done a few promotions and we've had a lot of guests coming , but we actually had members from other clubs come who said that our club is a lot of fun and that's something . That's because it's one of my values . I probably injected that into the club a little bit more being president .
I'm not sure I can't remember that to when I wasn't , but we've always had in the past the last two presidents that were there prior to me , or three actually . Yeah , so it was . Yeah , there was a one for a couple of weeks . They humor was a huge part of it , I think .
So maybe our club is known for humor , yeah , oh cool and I think if people are seeing a fun environment and , you know , not everyone taking themselves so seriously it's easier to fit into that kind of environment and relax and let your hair down . And yeah , I guess who doesn't like a laugh ? We all need a laugh , right ?
Yeah , we all do need a laugh , yes , with all the craziness . So in terms of that's the president role and it's given you sort of skills , and what do you most enjoy about being a member other than having fun at your meetings ?
What do you most enjoy about being a member other than having fun at your meetings ? My , probably the biggest thing I get would be it gives me an opportunity to push myself . I really love personal challenges . I'm very competitive , but I'm competitive against myself . That's not . I'm not competing against anybody else .
So I love golf as well , if that makes any sense . You know the sort of games that you do and I fish . Things that I do are all things that are personal challenges . So when I go to Toastmasters I look at okay , what's the next speech I need to do , what's something I haven't done ?
Even my first meeting out of presidency , I want to jump on timer's rolled just to really display to the new members how it's done correctly , but also just to push myself to do it as well as possible , like everything I want to do is to be done as well as possible .
So the what I get out of it would be the opportunity to push myself , and you're sort of accountable , because I push myself in life . But and you're not always accountable , but when you've got a meeting , I think the whole time .
I've missed two meetings and I think one was because my father's funeral and the other one I had COVID , so I'm just not a person that doesn't show up . So , yeah , I think that's it for me personal , personal and accountability for that yeah , that's , that's awesome .
I haven't heard that perspective of you know of of toastmasters before , but it's , it's . Do you meet fortnightly or weekly for your club before nightly ?
Okay , yeah , but , and I think fortnightly is not too taxing on your time and and by the time the fortnight rolls around , it's like cool , okay , I get to go to toastmasters again and it's , it's not that much of a drain on on time .
So , yeah , for me , when I if on the odd occasion that I miss a meeting , traveling for work or whatever , it's like oh , it feels like a really long time . So , yeah , I think it's that consistency too . It offers so many opportunities for consistency that you don't necessarily get to practice speaking anywhere else .
No , you're in more than one club though , aren't you , melanie ? I am , yes , so how many meetings do you end up going to each month ?
Four . So every Wednesday I have the two clubs I meet . Both meet on Wednesdays and , yeah , alternate Wednesdays , and one of the clubs will also have a meeting on the fifth Wednesday . So pretty much every Wednesday for me is taken up with Toastmasters , which you know , but yes , and both clubs are slightly different as well . One's Mount Gravatt .
I started there and then went into Leading Edge , which is an advanced club . There's there's quite a few , yes , and professionals , professional speakers and trainers there . So , yeah , that's , that's where I go to really terrify myself . My , that's my challenge .
Um , yeah , but I've learned so much in both clubs , you know , I think they both Toastmasters clubs , so there's a lot of similarities . But , yeah , just the mix of people in the clubs is a little different and it's great , I love the mix .
Yeah , you've got Colin Williams in your club and he helped me with my speech this year , so he worked with me on it and we knew we were both going for the same competition . And I said , because my goal was just to make that stage this year . And I said to him you get first and I'll get second . And he goes , I'll be happy with that .
And I blimmin' will put it out there , didn't I ? And yes , absolutely .
Yeah , it was such a close competition too , like we were all sitting there watching it and it was so close .
You know , there were so many great speeches and I'd seen quite a few of the speeches in and you probably had two around that area and division and district contests and everyone just really was so good on the day , like really , you know , top notch speaking . So , yeah , congratulations on your second place . That was fantastic .
Yeah , as you sit there , I started inhaling , so it's like ooh .
Yeah , there's something about that raised stage and , yeah , that's the biggest crowd of Toastmasters I'd spoken in front of , and as welcoming and supportive as Toastmasters can be , I think you also know that you're under scrutiny because everyone is evaluating , silently evaluating , which is , you know , is great , but it was a great experience .
How did you go , melanie ? Because I didn't stay for that . How did you actually go ? Oh , I didn't play for that , I . How did you actually ?
go with oh , I didn't , I didn't play . So I uh yep , no , it was , was not my stage . I did without , without crying or dying , pretty much . So yeah it , uh yes , but uh , no , I'm glad I learned a lot along the way and I learnt about even using microphones . That was kind of all quite new to me .
So just some of those things that I will know to practice with and be prepared for next time . But , as we were saying before , we're probably both not competing this coming year , having a bit of a break from competitions , so what are you going to do instead ? Like , what's your goal for Toastmasters for this year , for yourself ?
Well , I have booked him to the judges training .
Oh , yes , me too .
Oh yeah , okay , we'll see you there and I intend to do a little bit of travel this year . So what I found is last year I actually qualified for the evaluations as well , but my son the year before my son got married .
So I there , I couldn't make it to the competition and just being you know all of that practice that goes into it and the effort that I put in . I think I'll do the judge training . If it works out that I'm available , I'll do it and I think that would just be a handy skill to have and will help going forward if I choose to compete again .
But I'd really like to spend that time and as well , not being on the executive , having that extra time just on myself , because my actual everyday job is huge , so I don't have a lot of spare time and I'd like to just have that time for me , one to work on my own speeches for what I deliver community , because I think I'm going to get around to them .
I've got one on Thursday . It's three quarters done , but it's not 100% done and then a couple of weeks after that I've got another one . It's the same I want to get . I want to be a bit more polished with those , because that's what it takes to be a professional speaker you , you have to absolutely know those .
So spend some time on that and spend some more time playing golf . To be honest , it's Tuesdays . I want that time to play a bit of golf as well .
Okay , and you were saying that we talked about the Bounce Back Better podcast , but you have another podcast , so how has Toastmasters helped you with that skill ? Is it another sort of outlet for practicing speaking , or how are you going ? How's that all work ?
Oh my goodness , I would not , I can't , I don't even know how to put the words in place that can tell someone who is wanting to do a podcast about going to Toastmasters and I'm not even this isn't a promo , If you listen to my . We have two . So I have the Bounce Back Better podcast . That's only on episode 40 .
And we have another one within property development , because that's what I do in my real job and we're up to episode 150-something on that . Oh wow , we have a huge , massive . So people ring up and they go oh my goodness , I can't believe I'm talking to you and I have to like mimic myself because I have the same starting .
I heard you start yours , so in mine I go hello and welcome to Property Mastermind Podcast , and so people get used to that . Yes , and it has changed . If you listen to those first few and then listen to me now , they are so much better . I used to not like hearing the filler words in there .
I barely have them now and I sometimes I've got to listen to them and I might put a new one in . You know how you get those filler words if you really listen to your stuff . Oh yes , yes , so I do . Oh yes , yes , so I do . I watch myself , but most people are unaware that they have them .
So Toastmasters made my podcasting go from absolute bumbling to I just . I find it so easy . Podcasting to me is nothing . I smash out two a week . I don't even think about it . Yeah , it's so fun too , even think about it .
Yeah , it's so fun too . Oh , yes , yes , I like the bouncing of ideas with guests . My podcast every alternate one , I do an episode by myself because I wanted to get some educational content out , but I think at some point real soon I'll swap to all guests , just because I'd prefer that less , less preparation and and more interaction . And it's not just me .
But but you're right , when you have to edit yourself and edit the podcast and you're hearing yourself , it's like , okay , I need to do some things here , I need to stop some things and I need to do some things here . I need to stop some things and I need to do some things better .
We don't eat it . I just flick mine off . I've got a guy . I can give you my guy if you want . It's so easy . But yeah , one of them's recorded , so one's on video and that's a lot harder because I've got to have my hair down like . I can't just you know so the property one , we are .
There's two of us we're dressed , but on my other one , half the time I just do it in my pajamas , I just throw spaggies on , I rip over to the office at 5 30 in the morning or five in the morning , I'm fresh , I just smash it out , it's and I , and I just flick it off to my guy and it comes back 24 hours later and I load it to where it goes .
I push five buttons and it happens .
It's so easy , perfect , yeah now tell me about the challenge that you have with Gary Vaynerchuk and that particular podcast . I love this story . I heard it in your first episode so tell me about the very Gary Vaynerchuk challenge .
Well , me on that whole challenge thing and always wanting an opportunity , I was about to so many years ago now that would have been about 2018 , was it , or 19 ? I can't actually remember when it was . I've got the , I do have it . And he was in Brisbane .
I was living in Brisbane at the time and I went to an event I actually dragged my partner and Tony Robbins was there and all of that sort of stuff was going on . And he's sort of rolling his eyes at the time . And I went to an event I actually dragged my partner and Tony Robbins was there and all of that sort of stuff was going on .
And he's sort of rolling his eyes at the whole jumping around thing , like , do we really have to do this ? And I'm getting into it because it's just my jam . Ooh , this is life , how did this ? And then Gary Vaynerchuk was on stage and he asked if anybody had questions . And people went and lined up and I kept myself why didn't I do that ?
Why did I not go and ask a question ? I didn't even have one , but I should have asked a question . But a girl got up and she said I've just started a podcast . Would you be my guest and he said , yes , I'm like , oh my goodness , that should have been me .
So I went home that night and I was kicking myself and I said to my partner I can't believe I didn't think to do that . That's so smart . And then I said , hang on a minute , he's going to New Zealand . I know he's going to do the same thing .
If I fly to New Zealand , I could be ready and go to the front of the queue because I know he's going to say that and then I'll get to say that . So that was on about a Thursday . I think he was in New Zealand on about the Monday . It might've been Friday to Monday . It was really close .
I went home , I booked tickets to New Zealand and I jumped on a plane . I know because , remember , new Zealand's my home and my daughter lived in Auckland at the time and I knew she'd . You know it was reasonably easy for me to do . So I jumped on a plane , or first of all I had to make a podcast and I didn't even really know how .
So I did a different style that you can do . You can use some apps and do them .
So I did one via an app and I called it Three Wines In , actually , because that was the title of my book and I was writing my book at the time and I did podcast one and I thought , right , this is it , I've just launched it , I'll go and ask him and he'll be on my podcast and then people will jump on and want to listen .
Well , I get over there and it all rolled out , I've got the ticket and I'm at the front of it . I'm going to ask questions . I'm like up there , straight at the front . And he asked me you know what's your question ? Because he was asking people questions and they had marketing questions , like you know how do I do this or how do I do that ?
And I said I've just launched a part . No , I told him the story . I was at your show in Brisbane . I heard somebody ask if that if you'd be on their podcast . You said yes , so I booked a ticket to be here to ask you will you be on my podcast ? I launched it yesterday and he goes , no , oh my god .
And he said , well , it's a no , because I will be on your podcast at episode 101 . And so I thought , okay , and then I never went back to doing that podcast because life got in the way and I had all the excuses in the world and I wasn't at tons toastmasters and I wasn't confident enough and all of that stuff .
So then we launched the other podcast and it got to episode 101 , so we skipped it . That other podcast goes from episode 100 to 102 . The magical number . You can always go back to that if I don't ever get there .
But now I'm well on my way , because last week was episode 40 and I'm starting two a week now with mine , so I'll be there before and I'm flying over to do it with him . I'm not doing that online , I , so I'll be there before and I'm flying over to do it with him .
I'm not doing that online , I'm going to go do what . Gary Vaynerchuk , I can't wait . I can't wait for episode 101 . Yeah , so funny . So when do you think that'll be Like ? When on the timeline should that come out at your current ?
Well , if I start to , I just need to get organised , really .
So it's in the pipeline . It's just me , could be this year , so once I start doubling it up .
Yeah , yeah , could be , could be , yeah .
Oh , there you go . And if you're recording in advance too , because you might have to do that so it can air , you know when 101 is meant to go live , so it could be this year .
It could be . I actually don't record in advance . I record on the day before . It's part of how I live my life .
Yeah , and I guess that whole recording in advance has Toastmasters helped to give you the skill to be able to construct an episode and a speech in a way that gets your material across . Is that sort of ? Can you see where Toastmasters has kicked in and helped with that structuring ?
Yes , it definitely has , because I have the practice and probably it's the competing that really pushes you forward .
Just the saying of this piece for me wouldn't have propelled me , I believe , as fast as I've gone Because I think my speaking now is not bad and I don't think that I got there without competing , putting myself under that much pressure and just pushing myself all of the time Because the second year when I because the first year I got through to division and I
got second at division yeah , that was my first year , yeah , I know , and I didn't even know . So , you know , did area ? It was like what , oh my goodness , next ? But yeah , then it kind of put things in perspective .
So the year after that in the club I went one second over , so I got a D , you know , anna , and so I joined a second club at that time so I went in there , but that was against Marilyn , who won , who got first over at District . So it's pretty tough on Kristen to beat her . She's been in it for like 25 years and yeah .
So I do believe that the competing is what has pushed me to go further and I've done a few other speaking things . I put myself out there . I've done a six-day speakers workshop . I've recently did a full-day event with Catherine Malloy . She does events every now and then she's a professional speaker .
Just yeah , I'll push myself to practice and learn new things , but you have to put them in practice and that's where Toastmasters comes in .
Yeah , definitely , and I think with competing as well , when you're refining the speeches and getting better and incorporating the feedback and I've seen and heard Colin talk about that and Steve Bate , who was competing as well and , yeah , just sort of hearing people's experience of refining speeches which , unless you're competing , you don't really do in Toastmasters .
You do a speech and then move on to the next one in a pathway and have you practised parts of your , say , signature story or the things you tend to talk about out , you know out , in your work life ? Do you practice elements of those speeches in Toastmasters or do you keep them separate ?
yes , no , I always use my content . I stay on my , I stay in that lane . I'm pretty time poor , so I see as an opportunity to brush up and myself and think , oh yeah , I like how I said that or I like how it worked for me . So , yeah , definitely , I'll just stay within my , my lane .
I don't very often not speak about stuff that's not anything I'd speak about . Right gotcha , yeah , you're not going to catch me talking about boats or , you know , aeroplane engines or something like that , or even golf . I wouldn't . It's not a hobby , I wouldn't . I'll use those for table topics , but otherwise I just stay within what I like to talk about .
Yeah , well , it makes it easy and I think as well , that becomes part of the personal branding about .
That's the person who speaks about , that , that's that's her thing , that's what she speaks about and that's what you become known for , and I think , from a personal branding perspective , that's important yeah , for me I've been , it's been the same message I've had all my life , so I just I've that's .
It's probably the only thing I've ever really talked about . So I'd'd get to that easy for a while , but just in different ways of saying it , or probably through Toastmasters packaging it up a lot better .
Definitely , and so you've mentioned a few of the skills that you've learned through Toastmasters , not the least of which was increased confidence and that packaging information up , I guess , and being able to tell it in different ways .
But are there any other skills that you can think of that you know you've learned and that you know would be good for other people who might be thinking about joining Toastmasters ?
Well , this year at our division , our division conference , we had Kate , and you would have heard her speech on how she talks about the roles in Toastmasters , but does it in a business sense . So she talks about the president as the CEO and then the VPPR is the marketer and the VP is the salesperson . Yeah , yeah , so I'm very much .
I have a very strong business sense . I love business . My partner and I , we work all seven . He's still in the office right now . I just came home to do this and it's not fine , but it's not like a pain for us and he'll come home and we'll just talk about business . So business is a big , I like it , and my grandkids as well . About business .
So business is a big , I like it , and my grandkids is . So business when it comes to um , but how did ? What was the structure of the question ?
I'm sorry it was about what else have I learned the skills ? Yeah yeah .
So I think that on the executive committee you probably not so much for me , because I get to do a lot of those roles and what I do within my job , like I can't raise millions of dollars . So I'm having conversations with people , I'm very quick to adapt to their conversation style . It's got to be informational and enticing enough , but it can't be salesy .
It's all of those skills that you you learn and I think that whether on the executive committee you do learn those sorts of things and I suppose I'm a doer so I always jump in and do something but I think for somebody else the roles in the executive would be really useful .
Probably , yeah , I probably do them on a regular basis , but I found them easy yeah , yeah , yeah , definitely .
I think , um , I know , for example , some of our incoming executive this year , you know , may not have done anything with marketing I mean , I , I'm a marketer by by day and um , so being able to , you know , help new club execs in that space or whatever , when they don't have any experience they might be , you know , engineers or nurses or whatever it happens
to be I mean that can be confronting , I mean quite a challenge if you haven't done anything like that and you don't have any exposure to it . So it's again another great opportunity to learn . So it's again another great opportunity to learn .
But I guess , with your business mind , you're probably pushing those roles when you're in Toastmasters to like all right , you know , how can I take this role to the next level , because it sounds like that's what you would do Exactly .
I was emailing someone saying why have we not got a Google Drive ? Why is everything just not sitting in a Google Drive that everyone can access ? That would be so much easier . I said I'm happy to host it . Can I start one because and I'm sure a lot of clubs have them ? But I think what happens with toastmasters ?
There's a tipping point now where technology is starting to take over and these sorts of tools are around which , for a lot of people , aren't that easy to learn and so they don't understand accessing a google sheet that we can all use and stuff and it's just I I sort of try and explain that to people . If you can imagine , it's like in the sky .
We can all write on it and then put your hand down so I can write on . It stays there . Yeah , it's kind of bringing people into how we can make things easier .
Yeah yeah , definitely . I mean , I remember the days of the Toastmasters books and everything was paper-based and you would actually have to mail in your application forms to Toastmasters International and you know , three weeks or four weeks later you'd get the certificate .
But it's so instant now you know .
So , yeah , it's good to see that Toastmasters is coming into the digital age and so your message about confidence because I know this is from listening to your podcast and the Bounce Back Better podcast and it sounds like the book as well Three Wines In .
That seems to be a big theme in your life and you know sharing that message , particularly with women and , I guess , anyone . But it sounded like you enjoyed talking to women and getting that message across Again . What would you say to people or anyone really looking to improve their confidence ?
What are some strategies that you've used ? Well , I work in I sort of coach and we mental people every day and I work with a lot of men all around australia . That's my job , job meaning , but my , my side gig , my actual three wines in lifestyle , my podcast is .
It's more aimed at women , but I do know that men listen to it because I , you know , I get um responses , you know , from them . People send me emails and stuff . They love it , which is awesome . But I just think that it doesn't matter where you've been or where you started or where you are right now .
Everyone has the ability to just draw an imaginary line in the sand or go and put one in the dirt or in the real sand and step over and say I start new now . This is how I begin my life right now , and it's just . Every time you take one small step , you just increase your confidence .
Whether you're walking in that first Toastmaster meeting , whether you're doing a warm-up session and saying your name for the first time , whether you're stepping up into anything , whether that be Toastmasters , whether that be anything in life , I just know that it's the small steps that we take continuously . It's the aggregation of marginal gains .
It is that , compounded , that means that anything is possible for anyone , and I'm so an example of that . I mean , I used to be a hundred kilo single mum . You know how do you go from ? Yeah , it's just , I'm all about . I'm just all about setting a goal and believing that you can achieve it , and so my actual message is CBA , clarity , belief , action .
That's what I say all the time . You can hear about what you want , believe possible , take action , and that is . It is so simple , and last week I came up with something and I've never heard it and I thought I might be the first person that ever came up with that and that was goals are the framework that take our dreams and make them reality .
So goals are just a framework , and I'd never heard that . I was training , you know 20 or 30 online and we were just talking about achieving stuff , because everybody loses focus but everyone feels like they are , that you know they lack confidence . We get a knock or something .
I was speaking to some people on the , some clients and that had a knock because somebody had tricked them and sort of fooled them financially a bit and they said we just feel so foolish and we feel so stupid and we've lost confidence . And it happens at any age . That happens at 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 70 .
So I just my goal is to just let people know that anything's possible and I got you , I've got you .
You can , yeah , and it's never too late to to start or to take the first step on a new goal either . It's not , you know I I share very much the same mindset as you and I think anything is possible . And you know , it's never too late to start .
Even if you have shelved something , it's like resurrect it , give it another go with a different experience level and a different mindset this time . It's not over necessarily , you know .
If you fly too low for too long , your wings will disappear .
Yes , you know that's a great saying , I love that .
Sometimes we've just got to spread our wings , and I think another message I have is just why not you ? Somebody else has already done it , you can do it too .
Definitely . Yeah , I love that . But there's also the element of action as well , and a lot of communities can promote , just set intentions and visualise it and it'll happen . Well , that's all well and good , but there needs to be action and I think some people get a bit slack on the action front .
So yeah , Well , the law of attraction has the word action action so yeah , you've got to take action . Just tiny ones . You know , if you've got to call someone , action one could be look up their phone number . Just the smallest actions make it achievable yeah , definitely , and that grows confidence .
Yeah , definitely . And what would you say to people out there who may be thinking about Toastmasters ? They might have heard about it . A mentor might have said you know you should go , but they've been putting it off because we know that that happens . We know that people will procrastinate about walking into that first meeting . What would you say to them ?
Yeah , just the same as what Nike said just do it . Just do it , because if you don't like it you don't have to go back . It's not like your wedding day . You know you're not in there for life or you know it's going to be hard to get out . This is just . You go check it out and if you don't like it , then at the end you go maybe it's not for me .
Or you think , oh , that's a bit weird , because it's a bit weird the first time . Sometimes , what are they doing ? Yeah , and then go again and think , oh , okay , I kind of like this weirdness , this is kind of fits me . I was working with a coach a couple of years ago when I first joined , and what we were talking about me joining Toastmasters .
And it was when that first conference was on and even though that I wasn't in it I'd only got to division I said I'm thinking about going and it was a flight to go and it was up in Cairns and yeah , and and so I thought , and she said , hilary , you gotta go , these are your people .
And I thought , yeah , you're right , I do , and that's the reason I went . And that was a game changer for me attending the conference and seeing the level of future . That's when your mind goes , and I did that this year with a few of our members came along and there's two massive shifts in what they see as possible .
Yes .
Yeah .
Yeah , and I think that's part of getting outside of the club and even in the role of president you get that extra exposure to area you know and division and district and then if you are attending the conferences you get to see all of that at different levels .
But I think that district level conference is quite the eye opener to see what's possible for any Toastmaster .
Well , I haven't missed one since I joined and I don't think I will .
Oh well , the one in Caloundra was my first , but I'm a tragic . Now I will be going back . In fact , I was such a tragic . I was in Malaysia the week after Caloundra and I happened to find myself at the District 102 conference that I didn't even know was on , but I went to a club visit there , oh my goodness .
So I literally had two district conferences in two weekends and I would have gone the hat trick in Singapore had I actually been going to Singapore , because I discovered it was on , because they're all running them about the same time .
So yeah , I went from none in my Toastmasters journey to two in two weeks and it was also interesting being able to walk into that environment in Malaysia where I knew no one and the club visit I went to they welcomed me with open arms and then they told me about the conference and then they introduced me to all their friends and now I have a lot of
Malaysian Toastmasters friends , which I just was not expecting from a holiday in Malaysia . Wow , that's crazy .
It was great . It was really good . You're definitely a treasure . You're there .
Definitely yeah , but it's . I love how this organisation offers way much more than meets the eye . When you first walk in to that first club meeting , you know that that's just the beginning of what can be a massive , a massive journey .
Um , but you're saying you're taking a break from toast , from competing this year , but do you have aspirations to compete again at some stage after you've done the golfing and you've had some time to yourself ? Are you kind of looking at competing again and knocking Colin off his district winning position ? Colin ?
I really don't know . I can't answer that right now . I just don't know the answer to that . It'll see how I feel this year . I think I'll see how I feel getting some time back . I'm looking forward to that . I just don't know , I can't say no , but I'll probably struggle being in the club and watching it go ahead and I'll want to jump in .
So no , I know . I know what it takes to sort of get organized for a speech . So I don't know , I can't , I honestly don't know .
Well , there you go . Well , I'll talk to you in a year and see where you're at . And did you use the same speech all the way through , or did you have a couple that you were refining for your ?
humorous speech . No , I used the same one . I modified it . Yeah , I had a lot of help as well from Lewis Jones . Okay , he does a bit of coaching . He helped me with the acting side of it . There's a lot of performing in my speech , if you noticed .
I was quite active on stage but he helped me do that and so I had a few sessions with him , which paid off and yeah , but yes , it was the same speech . It just evolved over time as they do . It was the same message . That speech , yeah , yeah , it started off with . It was always about skydiving , but just how it evolved .
It sort of the always about skydiving , but just how it evolved . The bit about how I started , the bit about Monica , only came in in the last sort of three weeks prior . It's burned into my brain forever . You know all those shower practicing times . I don't know if you know that that's where most people practice .
It's where I practice mine or I go out for a power walk and I'll do it like seven times .
Do you talk aloud when you're power walking like , do you actually just walk and talk ? Yeah , do you get ? Yeah , I'm out there doing . Do you get ? Uh , some looks about that or people listening in and walking with you to hear what you're saying well , most people would think I'm on the phone , because people are always on their phones anyway .
I've got headphones in , but the first few times I have to have my piece of paper when I'm learning it , yeah , so I'll be looking at that . And then people look at me like I'm a bit of a freak and I say I'm just learning .
I actually say I'm just learning a speech and they're like , oh okay , yeah , I , because you are a bit crazy when you're sort of storing up and down , yeah , the esplanade , renting it . I'm renting on and trying to be humorous .
And how many times do you estimate that you would have practiced the speech ?
That one or those two , the other one that took to the vision as well , Probably this one more .
Oh , I would hate that It'd be more than than , oh , I don't know , a few hundred , at least 300 maybe . Wow , I still do it .
Now I'm driving in the car you're reciting it because I have to do it in the car , exercising in the shower , first thing in the morning when I wake up in bed . Wow , yeah , because then I like to know that you could throw me in and I could just pick it up from wherever yeah , yeah , yeah .
It has to be that my brain to not have to think about it but that's amazing because when you're watching a speech like that and and as Toastmasters we probably know to some extent some of the effort that's gone into it , but I'm not sure even other Toastmasters might appreciate that you practice that speech several hundred times , so it's and I think that's where
you know unless you are aware of that and that that's what it takes to get that kind of speech . You know it's hard to wing it , and so I think that's good for other kind of speech . You know it's hard to wing it , and so I think that's good for other Toastmasters to know . If you want to get to that stage .
It's a pretty , you know , solid level of commitment to getting to know your material and you do it however it works , I suppose . But yeah , that's huge .
Well , I mean , I was pretty Colin Williams beating me , I'm okay with . And then the guy who got third was a radio announcer hey , I mean Colin Williams beating me , I'm okay with . And then the guy who got third was a radio announcer hey , I'm thinking that's not too bad .
And that's 157 clubs , 2,000 members Amazing , there's a lot of clubs that were in there . It just gets weedled down , weedled down . But there's a lot of people that go in to get to that point . Even when you say you got second , people probably think when I got first at division , that was like wow , it was amazing .
I'm like no way , this , this thing for here , the for me , that was my , my gold standard . So I'll probably need to win it one day . Who knows ?
well , and both Colin and Graham are in Leading Edge , so , yeah , I get to hear them every second week , which , yeah , and sort of evaluating , because I was competing for the evaluation contest for Leading Edge , I was having to evaluate those , you know , some of those speeches and that was , you know , in the club level , just as practice , and that was what I
was practising my evaluations for . So it's sort of yeah , it's . I find it hard to evaluate speakers like that , but you still have to give feedback and that's always the challenge as an evaluator and that's where I've competed before . I've never really got out of the club with an international or a humorous speech . I just haven't sort of really gone there .
But evaluation and table topics , yes , but yeah , when you're evaluating those speakers , it's like one of the things I've , one of the . I guess the points that I can always come back to is like what would Tony Robbins do ? What would that speaker need to do to be a Tony Robbins , you know , and make that leap to what they're a fantastic speaker ?
Now , what would they need to do to throw them , you know , to be a Tony Robbins , because he's one of my favourite speakers and it might not necessarily be jumping around on the stage like Tony does , because I've seen his presentations and he's very , very active on the stage . He's a good word , yeah .
Yeah , I mean I've done the firework and the like and yeah , but I sort of look at all right , what would they need to do to take it to that next level ?
And that always gives me a point for improvement , which it's never failed me to date Because they're at the level where they can handle that sort of feedback , whereas you're not going to give that level of feedback to someone doing an icebreaker speech .
They just need to know that they're not going to die when they give their icebreaker speech and that they were great and that they can do it again .
yeah , you're not gonna die , you'll be okay yes , I'm actually taking a note of that , because I think that's a great one . What would Tony Robbins do ?
yeah , yeah , or favorite speaker , but uh , it's . It's been my little secret , sort of little secret sauce . Yeah , the , the , when I'm really scratching its jaws , okay , so yeah , but yes , I think the evaluation program .
I love evaluations in Toastmasters , I love giving them and doing them and getting the feedback and I just think it's such a valuable part of the organization . So how did you find getting so much evaluations or evaluative content on your speeches ? Because no doubt you'd have done the rounds with different clubs and practising the speeches .
No , no , I didn't do any rounds . I practised it at my club probably twice . I just practised at home , practised in front of my daughter most days . So she works with me okay she'll be like audio , do your speech and so , and she'll call a friend around every now and then I'm doing in front of them yeah , but otherwise I didn't do it in any other class .
Okay , okay , I'm incredibly time poor , so it's just like grabbing . Well , I grab it . I don't wouldn't even find that sort of time to go ring a club and organize it . To start with I just practiced myself , and then at home and if anyone was around my mum on the phone once , my sister via video once .
Oh , wow , but I mean even doing that in different environments , you know , over the phone or this way or that way . I mean there was probably not a lot that could have phased you by the time you got onto that stage .
No , well , what did phase me ? I don't know if you know , when they called me out I made sure the night before and the morning before that they practiced putting that headpiece on me , because I've got long hair and I have to flip it up because you can't wear it down with a mic . It hits the mic and goes yeah .
So I flipped my hair up and we practiced it and I said I'm concerned about this . They said no , it'll be fine . Did you know that I couldn't come out for like four or five minutes ? They couldn't put the headpiece on . It made , or five minutes they couldn't put the headpiece .
Now , it's just it made me so I felt sick , so I was going on there and anxious . So that was in the practice around 400 times , or however many times I did paid off because I just knew where to go with it . I didn't get out there in a good space . It was really quite horrible . Yeah , and that wasn't my fault .
It was the people putting the headpiece on who assured me it was going to be fine , even though I'm , like you , sure I practiced twice and it wasn't . I was , so I was sick . Oh , I mean , like you know , like all of that work , yeah , and then it's .
They called me out three times and they're like you can't go because they couldn't get the mic on my hair yeah , yeah and , and there's that sense that everyone's waiting and you can't do anything about it and you're not going to go if you , if it's not working probably you can't go with no mic .
No , no , it's a little bit scary .
Yeah , do you use headset mics a lot is , do you sort of have .
I used to teach aerobics 100 years ago , so I'm used to using one . Then have used one like every day of my life for years , but not for speaking . No , yeah , no , and we speak now . We use a lapel , just a clip-on because , I do . We in our business we have to speak and I've got lapel and like some little . Yeah , we've got those .
So it's not really an issue , but it's a bit of a problem with that pieces , with the , with the hair clipping yes , well , I had an issue with with um with the mic in the evaluation contest .
I could feel it slipping down my face and and I just kept going and I think it was still working . But I I was the first time I'd really used a mic , because I just have avoided them the whole time .
I've been in Toastmasters and there hasn't been a lot of opportunity to actually use them , especially the headset mics , and I had the same thing it was slipping off my head and I'm like I don't feel good about this yeah , that's distracting your prefrontal cortex , or how can you deliver your best performance ?
oh , my goodness , I think in hindsight I would . I probably should have worn a ponytail , but like it's not professional enough to be on stage with a ponytail , because I take the whole thing quite seriously . You know , yeah , dress , dress for it . Yeah , yeah , for sure .
And a ponytail to me is , it's not quite right for that sort of thing and and I sort of put it back , thinking it was fine , practiced it , but they couldn't get it on .
Yeah , yeah , it's oh , it's one of those things , but I guess even out in professional speaking land that happens and I've sort of done a bit of work with CEOs in PR capacities and where they've been given a microphone or a lapel mic and it you can see it's bugging them and yeah , I guess that's just one of the you know challenges that speakers have to deal
with . So I guess it's good practice .
Yeah , I mean it's good not to have to hold a mic , that's for sure . Yeah , I don't know how they get around with the lapel . I mean I don't know why you can just use a lapel mic . It's just as easy . The little clip on the back and it just clips there . Mind you , I think they tried that the year before and they had some trouble with that as well .
I think they had the hair thing going on for one lady .
Oh , yeah , it's . Uh , it'd be good to do . I think if toastmasters were to do anything more . Microphone work would be good , you know , with different types of mics and and just getting used to it it's . I think there's more and more of a need for it , whether it's even doing podcasts with desk mics and just understanding how different mics work .
I know we've got a sound expert in Leading Edge , which is fantastic , and you know any questions about sound he's always there and sort of happy to answer . But yeah , when it's not something you come up against either in your work or everyday life , to be confronted with a microphone is quite scary really . But it's a challenge , right ?
It's just one of those things you've got to overcome .
Yeah , I just prefer not to be challenged in a competition .
Yeah , exactly exactly Challenge me the other time , and so , hilary , is there anything else you'd like to share before we wrap up ?
No , I don't think so . I think well done you for doing this podcast , and I know it's on one of the pathways . But it's also a great way for you to share the word about Toastmasters and how great the organization is , and so thank you for having me on . I really appreciate it .
But I do encourage anyone else as well if you're ever considering going , go along , try it . You don't have to marry them the first day . Try it a couple of times and you might like it . It's kind of a . It'll suck you in , though yes , it's addictive . Yeah , it gets a bit addictive . You get kind of a love-hate relationship sometimes .
It's crazy what goes on .
You become tragic .
You still want to go back because you do , you become a tragic . But no , I want to thank you for having me on here . Well , I would like to tell people to listen to my podcast , Bounce Back Better .
Tell us about it .
You can jump onto that one too . What's the name of it ? We'll put the link in the show notes . So Poverty Mastermind with Hilary Saxon and Bob Anderson is one , but my one , which I'd love you to listen to , is Bounce Back Better , Excellent .
Well , I will no it's on Apple and Spotify Excellent , I will put the links to both of those in there . And particularly , I was just listening to the latest episode of Bounce Back Better , which was about the excellent mindset , or the excellence mindset .
So again , if you're thinking about joining Toastmasters or listening to this podcast or looking for a bit of a nudge in the backside , go and have a listen to Bounce Back Better in the latest episode , and it's all about staying committed to lifelong learning , self-awareness and personal growth and all of that good stuff which Hilary has shared with us today .
So again , hilary , thank you so much for your time and for sharing your enthusiasm and passion about everything . It's been great . Thanks so much , thank you . Thank you , okay , bye , bye .