Planning a Speech.
I am planning a speech for my alma mater’s alumni association. I was invited to speak this fall, a few weeks before I run the Marine Corps Marathon. I’m thinking of essentially giving an AA talk without the booze. I don’t feel the need to talk about my history with alcohol in that setting. I don’t want it to be too motivational speakery, but I was also told not to make it a technical, academic talk. It’s a speech. Not a talk. And it’s nice to be invited.
I’m going to talk about incremental progress, and about moving forward in the face of uncertainty. Achieving things by taking small steps in the right direction, not always knowing the best way, but in trusting forward momentum to carry me through the difficult and uneasy moments. About having to take leaps of faith and trust that the outcome will be a surface to land on.
I’m going to try to weave in three themes: careerism, personal health, and hospital improvement. How each has goals and challenges and how identifying what’s an ambitious but achievable goal is crucial to success. What can I do now? Where do I want to go? What are the steps to take to get me there? What do I want to get out of life, and what do I want to contribute?
And finally, I think, that is the big key. That if my goals are all about me, achieving them doesn’t endure. It matters that I contribute to my career, my environment, my society.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s a stupid idea. But I think it’s a speech I can give. And I hope it’s a speech people will want to hear.
Infactorium 
I want to hear that speech and the interconnectedness of each other and all that surrounds us, quietening the inner critique and listening to our inner wise selves showing up for whatever shows up as our best selves. What else is there??
sounds great to me – taking steps in the right direction, for oneself and one’s larger goals… great.
I hope it goes well! I would come to that speech:-)
I think that sounds like a good speech–something that is meaningful and useful to your audience. As academics, we often forget about the audience, because we’re trying to impress them or put a notch on our vitae or whatever–and in the end, no one really cares. I think what you have planned sounds great, and I hope it goes well.
I think it sounds great. I wish I could come and listen.