July 1, 2019, You wake up and realize that you are in different shoes altogether. Doors open for newer opportunities and learning, which awaits you on the other side. The role of Area Director was something that came in just like new shoes, and I had to adjust, wear, and make sure I was comfortable in the days to come.
The best lesson I learned throughout this journey as an Area Director is that, if you can work in a team, nothing is impossible. This has been my biggest take away in this role. Whether it was conducting TLI Kathmandu 2.0 or making sure that members understand the importance of the event, encouraging members to renew their membership in Toastmasters International, or even being the first area (Area A3) to achieve 100% pathways enrollment in the whole district, if I may claim.
All of these things did not happen because I was there. All this happened because each one of us worked hard towards achieving this goal as a TEAM.
The second lesson I would like to share is that not every day is a good day, and not everything we do needs to turn out great. From my second lesson, I learned to accept mistakes and take sole responsibility for the same because we learn from our mistakes, and that’s where I grew as an individual, accepting the mistakes and improving upon it.
Finally, the last take away from this tenure for me, something that I have always learned from the Toastmasters journey, is to be humble, sincere, and give 100% in whatever I do. It is not about expecting something in return; instead, it’s about sharing as much as we can as an individual so that we see a future leader in the making.
Remember that the new shoes which you were wearing will not always be new; they can become torn. They may not fit you anymore or be suitable for its use, and it won’t be as comfortable as it once was. However, that doesn’t mean I am not going to stop my learning here and call it quits; I will step into new shoes and let the adventure begin all over again.
I am ready for it. Are you?
Ankit Goenka, Area A3 Director
Published in Inkspire Issue 4. Click here for the full newsletter.