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       Around four years ago, I received a call from the principal of our school as to the “Parents View” talk the next morning. He asked me to speak to the group. After the call, my whole body became feverish and panicky. The time from his call to the next morning seemed like years. The whole night, I could not sleep with many ominous_apprehensions in mind. One of them was to call the principal with regret and tell him that I could not come. Finally, I gathered some courage. I thought, “If I miss this opportunity, surely the school will never invite me again to any of their programs.”

       I reached the school in time. Before my turn came, my whole body was trembling. When my turn came and I started speaking, my heartbeat increased and my mouth went dry. I wasn't even able to read the written speech properly. I was not aware of where I was standing and what I was reading. That was the day when I realized my biggest weakness: Public Speaking.

       After my speech, I met with the principal and explained what happened to me. He told me that this happens to everyone. Even great speakers faced the same things when they started. He suggested that I come again next time.

       Around one month later，I was invited to refer to a topic on motivation. This time I was feeling comfortable. My speech was appreciated by the principal as well as the teachers, because I was able to get my idea across to them. They encouraged me and praised my efforts.

       After delivering it successfully, I became more confident. I said to myself，“If I can speak in front of such a learned audience, like the principal who educates others, I can now speak in front of others too.”

       I started delivering lectures on various topics like Self Motivation, Personality Development, Personal Excellence, Spoken English and Presentation Skills. This has become a passion for me. I have learned that everything is possible if we have the courage to take the first step.