"On point, super classy, aesthetically pleasing and impactful"
- commented Mrs. My Linh Phan, one of Vietnam's top debaters.
I'm the Champion of "Speak to inspire, Vietnam 2022", a public speaking contest organized by Netflix, the US Embassy, and NPX Point Avenue.
I didn't win the competition only because of my "authentic take on the motion" (as stated by Mrs. My Linh Phan), but because I knew just how important visual aids are compared to what I had on the paper or what the judges heard from me or whatever actions I did with my two hands.
While body language convinces the eyes, I believe slides convince the mind.
And here's how I made such a strict judge jump so excitedly at the sight of me.
(literally lol)
SPEAK TO INSPIRE, VIETNAM 2022 | FINAL SHOWCASE
TOPIC - 'What does "sustainability" mean?'
POWERPOINT - alvin
*the attached music is to enhance viewers' experience and not included in the actual speech.
Full Speech with according slides
What does sustainability mean?
I don't know
Despite the fact that I talked about being water-wise and walking more, thinking twice before my curiosity becomes a reality in round 1 with great confidence. But weeks passed and I gradually came to a realization that all I ever did was define this (Sustainability) without these (“…”). So I’ve been trying to figure out the meaning of this, the one final missing piece to fit in the puzzle.
And I believe I’ve finally found it. Can you see it? It’s me. I’m the final missing piece.
During the last few weeks, my life has been riddled with uncertainty and self-doubt questions.
How do I truly achieve what I want? (1st pic) Will I be able to live up to my friends, family, and others’ great expectations? (2nd) Would I be able to outperform my previous rounds, which had been my finest thus far? (3rd) And… What does ‘sustainability’ even mean? And they kept coming (4th), bringing along a sense of frustration and throwing me into an emotional turmoil (5th) until one day… I saw my face, pale and with fine lines, in the mirror. That moment hit hard.
Because in search of greatness, I’ve somehow missed the greatest (myself).
I’ve missed this one question above anything else: “Have I cared?”. Have I cared to go to bed at 11 p.m., wake up early feeling excited about exercises and breakfast? Have I cared to give myself the permission to cry like a baby on bad days or to eat anything I want in the name of success?
In a world driven by pressure, expectations, and instant gratification, we’re forced to force the outcome, and it is obvious that force only triggers resistance: anxiety, stress, confusion, panic, and turmoil.
I’ve seen many giving life their all, pushing, and working to the point of burnout to finish their final puzzle, only to create more and more puzzles.
Today I’m speaking not just to myself, but to all of you to tell you to stop forcing; because an overfertilized plant will never mature into a fully-fledged tree with strong branches and sturdy roots. And to start flowing; because the oldest-known trees in the world are found in the wild, growing in the most natural way possible.
From a tree’s perspective, we’re just seeds, and whether or not we could thrive among others in the forest and get the most sunshine possible depends on how well we care for our seeds (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th pic).
When we truly love ourselves, we make healthy adjustments to our lives, and those tiny details gradually become significant. When you truly love yourself, you want to be healthy (eating less junk food), you want to be fit (cycling more), and you want robust mental health (spend more time outside with fresh air). Each of these adjustments brings us closer to our ultimate goal of sustainability. And, once again, the only thing we should do is to surrender, accept, and find that balance within ourselves. (5th)
Right now, if you come to me with the same question, I’d happily and proudly tell you that sustainability is to love yourself.
