Quora Answer: What Personal Story Can We Share for a Humorous Toastmasters Ice Breaker Speech?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “What is the best thing in one’s life one can talk about for a Toastmasters ice breaker speech? I want it to be humorous.” 

This is difficult to answer since we are all different.  You have had an entire life, your hero’s journey.  As such, pick an event, something that you feel is significant, and resonates with an audience.  It has to be a story of failure and triumph, or a journey of discovery, or even a poignant moment in your life.  When you examine your life, and consider it with an artistic license, there are thousands of stories you can tell.  However, there are some conventions you should adhere to. 

Firstly, begin with an opening statement.  People need to know where to begin.  You then craft that story with this opening statement as an anchor.  In the course of your story, stick to one event.  Focus on depth, as opposed to breadth.  When you are done with that, circle back to that opening statement, and make it inclusive.  That statement has now become a call to action.  That is the intent of the speech. 

Humour is a challenging aspect of speech, if you are not, naturally, a funny person.  You need to practice telling jokes, and making witty remarks.  That is a skill acquired over time.  In the mean time, you can “borrow” humour by building your story around a humorous quote.  Humour is found in the delivery.  That means slowing own your speech, and varying your pitch.  You also need to embrace the uncomfortable pause at the end of the joke to give the audience time to laugh.  For newer speakers, that takes courage.  You can consider situational humour, in which case, your powers of description must be honed.  Alternatively, play with words and engage in misdirection as a form of humour.  This requires mastery of timing coupled with deadpan delivery.  The only way to be good, is to start.