Toastmasters International -Finish Strong to Start Strong

Toastmasters International President Morag Mathieson

Morag Mathieson, DTM

We have one more month to go of this Toastmasters program year. I believe our members will continue to reach their goals and achieve educational awards, our clubs will continue to welcome new members and become Distinguished, and our club builders will take the chance to add those last remaining clubs we need for their Districts to be Distinguished.

World-renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Robin Sharma, the 2011 Golden Gavel Award recipient, said, “Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic.” When we finish strong, we have more energy and momentum, and we bring more motivation and inspiration to start the next Toastmasters year strong. If we don’t finish on a high note, it’s easy to get weighed down by that baggage the next year. It’s easier to get going on July 1 if we finish the current year on a high note—because we start the new program year feeling stronger.

What are you telling yourself about success? Are you doubting what is possible, are you lacking belief? We can allow our beliefs to set our limitations, or we can look at our reality and work out what is possible and determine what needs to be done to make our goals happen. We are all surrounded by people who can help. We simply need to ask. Our beliefs determine our behavior, and we get to choose the difference we will make.

When we finish strong, we have more energy and momentum, and we bring more motivation and inspiration to start the next Toastmasters year strong.

As we prepare to finish this program year strong, it helps to remember our goals and break them down into achievable actions we can take. Meeting the small milestones and celebrating the small victories builds momentum and stops us from feeling overwhelmed when the larger goals seem unattainable in the time available. Pay attention to those small details that will make a difference. If our tried-and-tested approaches are more trying-and-testing than reliable, why not invite and embrace fresh ideas to help us make that final leap to success?

As we work toward a strong finish, let’s remember the support our loved ones have given us, and the contributions our team members have made all year. Remember the encouraging words they spoke at the right time, how they challenged us, and how they helped us develop as leaders. Appreciate how you, and they, have grown as you have worked together, and express your gratitude.

I encourage us all to concentrate with clarity, execute with excellence, and appreciate with audacity as we finish strong for a strong start!