MARTIN LUTHER KING's MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy"

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase"

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that"

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal"

"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends"

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools"

"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people"

"The time is always right to do what is right"

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"

10 Tips for Public Speaking

1.Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more
about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.

2.Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.

3.Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

4.Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

5.Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.

6.Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.

7.Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.

8.Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.

9.Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

10.Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.