Anyone tried Toastmasters?

warrenyang · 2012-02-17T17:05:23+00:00

I'm in Toastmasters but really to improve my public speaking and confidence rather than for seduction. Many of the things I've learned has definite similarities though. Another thing to try is Improv (again, many similarities to seduction).

For instance, you can learn:

how to appear / be confident
how to talk about topics you have no clue about
how to organize your thoughts into a coherent speech
what exactly you should be doing with your hands, eyes, body to project confidence
idea of framing (talking about things one way or the other to affect how the audience perceives you)
idea of escalation in conversation (how to get out of small talk and into topics more substantial / the difference between rambling and making your audience care about what you are speaking about)
showing authority / knowledge

(Happy to answer any questions you might have about TM if you do have any)

leftajar · 2012-02-17T17:04:06+00:00

I've done a lot of Toastmasters, even down to competing.

Oddly, when I was really into it, I was also really depressed. I found that my stage confidence was very disconnected from my overall life confidence. That being said, every time I nailed it on the podium, all the women present would throw out IOI's like they were dollar bills at a strip bar.

Can't hurt! I recommend it.

DoUHearThePeopleSing · 2012-02-17T23:35:47+00:00

I've been to it for 6 years, even opened up my own club.

Excellent exercise for three reasons. First - you learn to talk to people (during breaks, in the pub after meetings), second - you learn to tell stories, and this is great on a date (even if you're a stamp collector, you know how to excite people talking about your hobby :). Finally, it's a nice hobby to have, and it makes you a more interesting person.

I highly recommend it! :)

ThrowawayButRecycled · 2012-02-18T00:35:55+00:00

I did it for three years, was the youngest guy in my club, and ended up becoming president of the club. It is a tremendously rewarding experience, because like anything else in life, when you face your fears, and slowly improve through practice (though in a controlled supportive environment at toastmasters) and see your own improvement, it feels damn good, and lets you realize that your current level of skill in anything does not mean you're naturally bad at it...it means with enough work, you can and will become a badass at it.

TL;DR: Stop thinking and do it.

LivingDaylight · 2012-02-17T16:06:19+00:00

I've been to a few meetings and I plan to become a permanent member. The people there other than the executive, at least in my club, are a lot more awkward that I would have thought. They are obviously there to improve themselves.

I think it's good because it forces you out of your comfort zone. You will have to say at least a short speech at every meeting, and they give lots of tips on public speaking. It will definitely help build confidence, but nothing seduction-specific.

I'm in a LTR anyway so that's a non-issue for me at this time. I'm there mainly because I eventually want to go into politics, and public speaking skills are awesome all around.

mileshigh_23 · 2012-02-18T09:54:48+00:00

Yes. I'm a member right now, served as an Area Governor last year, and started my university's first Toastmasters club in its history! Needless to say, TM has been a pretty major part of my life. Highly recommended.

RaymondDuke · 2012-02-23T08:33:25+00:00

I love Toastmasters. I have been doing it for a year now and I can now strike up a conversation and make people laugh in any situation. I feel I am more outgoing and don't back down from things I would have backed down from a year ago. It's also opened up opportunities like improving my network and improving my financial situation.

Totally recommend, but find yourself a good club first. That is important. If I let a bad experience a club deter me, I wouldn't be where I am today. Look around, and find a club that you like. Every club is a little different.

badandy80 · 2012-02-17T23:54:54+00:00

I have average skills when public speaking. The first few meetings I went to were EXTREMELY awkward, as some of the people were absolutely terrified to speak. The socialization factor before and after the meeting was almost as uncomfortable. Not to mention our meeting was in a nursing home... at night. Ugh.

Title	Anyone tried Toastmasters?
Author	LesbianPUA
Upvotes	22
Comments	12
Date	February 17, 2012 3:42 PM UTC (14 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/seduction
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/seduction/comments/ptyn1/anyone_tried_toastmasters/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/seduction/anyone-tried-toastmasters.1328490 https://theredarchive.com/post/1328490

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