In Toastmasters, we have paths, levels, and projects. Each path is a direction, each level a milestone, and each project, is a new challenge meant to stretch our abilities as communicators and leaders. Now .. Toastmasters expects us to work through these projects, not just finish them. We’re meant to learn through mentors, self reflection, and experimentation.
….Yet, somewhere along the way, a quiet epidemic has spread, the recycling of speeches.
You know what I mean. That same speech, slightly reworded, polished at the edges, squeezed into the next project objective, just to tick a box. The same story, same emotion, same message, now wearing a different title and pretending to be something new. a Costume party for our concept of Toastmasters’ wear many hats.
And the saddest part?
The evaluator; In the noble attempt of using the “sandwich method” ends up sugarcoating the truth. They adapt the project’s objectives to fit the speech rather than asking if the speech fit the objectives. The audience applauds, the evaluator smiles, the speaker collects another tick on their Pathways dashboard and everyone walks away feeling good. Task well done….. Really?
Except… no one actually grew.
When a senior member dares to call it out to say, “You didn’t meet the objectives, I suggest you redo the project” , He/She suddenly becomes “too harsh,” “too critical,” or “unfriendly.” But the truth is this is not about being tough. It’s about being honest.
Because honesty is the fertilizer that helps growth.
There’s no rule that says you can’t reuse your speeches. But there’s also no point in pretending that you’ve learned something new when all you’ve done is repeated the old. A recycled speech may make the stage feel safe, but it also makes your journey stagnant.
I always tell my speakers, choose topics that challenge you. Don’t constantly speak only about what you already know or have mastered. Step into discomfort, because growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. Bring something new every time you step on that stage, for yourself, and for your audience. Remember, your audience spends two hours of their evening listening to you. Two hours they could have spent elsewhere. Give them something that makes them walk out with a new thought, a new emotion, a new spark.
So here’s the question I leave you with:
If every speech is a step in your personal evolution …. then why stand still by recycling?
And if every evaluation is meant to nurture growth… then why keep watering the same old dying plant?
Maybe it’s time to stop recycling and start reinventing because real progress isn’t in reusing old words, it’s in innovation, creativity and inspiration.
