P3 – The Peripherals
Thesaurus defines ‘peripherals’ as ‘able to be attached to and used with a computer, though not an integral part of it’.
Peripherals are the accessories that may not be of great use if used separately. But once used with the main commodity, they are of great significance. Keyboard, mouse, a pen drive, you cannot use all these accessories alone for any productive purpose but when used together, they smoothen the functioning of a computer.
Fellow Toastmasters and Dear Guests,
A very Good Morning to all to you. Let us begin with a story.
I was in 3rd year of graduation. Yes, all stories begin when you are in graduation. So, during graduation I fell in love. I actually am a graduate in relationships.
Look at our faces right now. We all are so keen about love.
I will not begin the story with love because I feel stories that end at love are more interesting than the ones which begin at love. So we will talk about love at some other point.
So the story begins when I was in 3rd year of graduation. And I got involved in so many extra-curricular activities and was just not able to concentrate on studies. I was into so many things and I started missing my classes. As a result my grades fell. The after effect of which was I wasn’t able to participate in these activities too whole heartedly. I visited a professor of mine for his advice and he said something to me.
Do you want to know what my professor said?
We will get back to what she said for sure. But before that let me narrate another incident to you.
I met P the last time he was here. I asked him the same question which I asked to my professor. The context might be a little different but the gist was same. I asked P that how can I juggle between the project related activities and the Toastmasters related activities.
And since I was asking the same question, P gave the same answer as my professor gave 2 years ago.
Looks like P has met her.
P said, that whatever we are doing at toastmasters should not hamper our project work. Rather people should say that R or for that matter each one of you has become more efficient since the day you have started attending Toastmasters meetings.
My professor had said that whatever you are doing is the extra effort you are making to improve the quality of your life. This should complement your main task but it cannot replace the same.
Ladies and gentlemen, in our life there are many activities that take the major part of our day. It may be studies, if you are a student or it may be your job if you are a working professional. This is the main equipment that drives your life ahead. And then there are some activities which we do to enhance the quality of our life. I call these activities – The peripherals. These activities themselves might not be of great significance if used alone – Just like the peripherals of computer. But we need to find a way to attach them with our life and to improve the experience of our life.
But before finding a peripheral for any device we need to find which peripheral is best suited for your device. Which peripheral is supported for your life? There is no point buying a 3.5 mm jack headphone for an iPhone 7 now. So, today, when you leave this room, I want you to find out the peripherals in your life. The peripherals that will improve the quality of your life. Peripherals that will give you joy. And once you have found them, use those peripherals to increase your productivity and take yourself to a new zenith.
We all use a cellphone. Does after buying a headphone for your brand new headphone you throw away your phone? No, not at all. Rather both, the device and the peripheral are used together to enhance the user experience. Then why can’t we apply the same in our lives. Why can’t we enjoy the fruits of two separate activities to experience life to the fullest? Why do we think that we can do something only if we sacrifice the other? Why don’t we coordinate the equipment and the peripherals in our life?