Premier Advanced Joint Meeting Opening Address - 23 May 2009

“COMMIT to be YOUR BEST.. and YOU SHALL BE” - this is your theme for the year.

It was 2 a.m. and I found myself grappling with the theme. I couldn’t tell if it was encouraging me to be my best or to be the best. A very thin line separates the two, but the outcome of each can be so drastically different.

Many of us commit to be our best. The question is, what is your best? In essence, each time we set our “best”, we essentially construct a ceiling. And we find comfort when we achieve that mark. I did my best, we proudly tell ourselves. After a while, it becomes second nature for us to seek refuge in this “ceiling”, rarely allowing ourselves a challenge to go beyond. We did our best mah, most of us would say!

One day, my boss asked me, “What do you mean this is your best?” She had seen beyond my self-imposed ceiling. She threw my work back at me. I struggled to do better. I had to write an essay and thought I had come up with brilliant prose. I proudly showed it to her, anticipating a broad smile and a congratulatory pat on my back. I had committed to do my best and I really had, by my definition. But to her, it was mediocre. After 3 to 4 attempts I finally produced the work that met her standards. Two days later, I re-read both my work scripts. Only then, I realized what best meant. (Obviously, it was the revised script.)

I had always had it in me – the capability of doing and achieving more. Everyone does. And we will, if we allowed ourselves to dig deeper within us – into our reservoir of resources. As I begin to observe the hallmark of what best meant, I had to acknowledge that I do not use even half of my capability – so how can my efforts ever be my best? I don’t want to be another talented failure!

This calls to mind a French novelist, Jean Giraudoux who said, “Only the mediocre are always at their best.” Now that I am conscious of it, I take great pains, have a burning desire and am committed to go beyond my best – to continually break the ceiling that I set for myself – and become the best. I have done it and I will continue doing it – bettering my best – because that is what I am capable of. We are all capable of doing better than our best. And when you have, I tell you, it is so incredibly gratifying.

At 3.30 a.m. I finally figured it out. Premier Advanced Toastmasters Club is not child’s play. The success of Premier Advanced Toastmasters Club is testimony of your commitment to be your best – settling for nothing but the best – and paving the way for many to follow. Commit to be your best, and you shall be. The best.


Best regards,

Deborah Hoe, CTM
President 2008/2009