2018 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, Ramona J. Smith

Summary

Ramona J. Smith shares her motivational journey through life's challenges in a powerful speech titled 'Still Standing.' Using boxing metaphors, she reflects on her personal battles in college, marriage, and public speaking. Despite multiple setbacks, including dropping out of college, a short-lived marriage, and losing a major speech contest, she emphasizes the importance of resilience. Smith encourages the audience to stay in the ring of life, learn from failures, and keep standing strong, ending on a humorous note about finding new possibilities in life and love.

Takeaways

• 💪 Life will feel like a fight, with challenges coming in the form of obstacles and failures, but perseverance is key to staying in the ring.
• 🎓 Round one: College. The speaker dropped out four times but eventually returned and graduated magna cum laude, showing persistence.
• 💔 Round two: Marriage. The speaker's marriage lasted only eight months before ending in divorce, another tough life challenge.
• 🎤 Round three: Speaking. Despite early success in speech competitions, the speaker faced a tough loss at the district level but learned to bounce back.
• 🤔 Most of our toughest battles are often with ourselves, as self-doubt and challenges test our resolve.
• 💥 Even after facing failures in multiple aspects of life, the speaker emphasized the importance of continuing to stand tall and fight back.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 When knocked down, it's important to lean on family, friends, or faith for support to get back up.
• 🏅 The speaker encourages everyone to stay in the ring, whether as a fighter or a coach, learning from setbacks and pushing through adversity.
• 💡 Life’s hardships can be turned into windows of possibility rather than mirrors of defeat if we keep pushing forward.
• 🎶 The speaker concludes by urging everyone to keep fighting, no matter the hits they take, so they can proudly declare, 'I’m still standing.'

Q & A

What metaphor does Ramona J. Smith use to describe life's challenges?

Ramona J. Smith uses the metaphor of a fight or boxing match to describe life's challenges, where the punches, jabs, and hooks represent obstacles and failures.

What are the 'rounds' Ramona J. Smith refers to in her speech?

The 'rounds' represent different life challenges: college, marriage, and public speaking, where she faced personal setbacks.

How many times did Ramona drop out of college, and how does this relate to her message?

Ramona dropped out of college four times. This illustrates her resilience and determination to keep standing despite repeated failures.

What does Ramona J. Smith mean by 'Round two' in her speech?

'Round two' refers to her marriage, which ended after only eight months, symbolizing another major personal challenge.

What happened during Ramona’s first experience with the International Speech Contest?

Ramona succeeded at multiple levels, winning at the club, area, and division levels, but she ultimately lost at the district level.

What helped Ramona J. Smith get back up after facing setbacks?

Ramona suggests that family, friends, faith, and inner strength can serve as lifelines to help individuals get back up after facing setbacks.

What accomplishment does Ramona highlight after dropping out of college four times?

Despite dropping out four times, Ramona eventually graduated magna cum laude, showcasing her perseverance and ability to overcome adversity.

How does Ramona J. Smith incorporate humor into her speech?

Ramona uses humor when discussing her failed marriage and her search for 'Mr. Right,' particularly by jokingly addressing single Toastmasters at the convention.

What is the central message of Ramona J. Smith's speech?

The central message is resilience—staying in the 'ring' of life, learning from challenges, and continuing to stand tall after adversity.

How does Ramona conclude her speech, and what is the final message she conveys?

Ramona concludes by encouraging her audience to stay in the ring, raise their hands in victory, and 'remain still standing,' no matter the challenges they face.