スクリプトは事前提出されたものですので、ビデオの音声とは異なる場合があります。

Trying Something New Makes a New Dot

Goto Maki (National Institute of Technology, Numazu College)

Connecting the dots – I think many of you have probably heard this phrase. Yes, these are the words of Steve Jobs, who was CEO of Apple. Based on his experiences he spoke in his speech at Stanford University, “you can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

These words deeply touched my heart because this is exactly true of my experiences. Today, I would like to share with you two experiences that made me realize that taking a step forward connects us to something truly valuable.

Although I am making a speech in front of you today, I was very shy and introverted when I was a junior high school student. I tried not to stand out in class and almost never spoke my mind, even with my close friends. But one day, there was something that made me really surprised. For some reason, my English teacher asked me, or I suppose invited me, to participate in an English speech contest. At first, I thought it was impossible for me because I had never spoken in public. I wanted to reject the invitation, but each time I was about to refuse my teacher's offer, she would ask me again and again. So, I decided to take part in the speech contest, but to be completely honest, not so willingly.

The practice for the speech contest was hard but I didn't feel my pronunciation got better. I had never been abroad and I didn't have any confidence in speaking English. I was afraid of making mistakes, so I couldn't show my teacher how far I had come. Then, I thought to myself, “Am I satisfied with this situation?” My answer was simple, “No.”

After I realized this, I practiced really hard, paying attention to the points the teacher advised. I repeated my speech again and again even when I was taking a shower or right before going to bed.

On the day of the contest, when I stood on the stage, I could see that all eyes were on me. But I didn't become nervous. My hard practice paid off, and I was able to make my speech confidently, and unexpectedly, won a prize. I was ecstatic!

In the beginning, I was afraid of trying something new, but taking a step forward with courage took me to a world I didn't even expect. I met myself with confidence. This was not something I did looking forward, but noticed looking backwards.

The second experience is about my volunteer activities. One day, a friend of mine invited me to join her for a volunteering event. But in the beginning, I felt lonely because I knew almost none of the volunteer staff there. They were older than me, and I also felt out of place. I was alone. But when I built up the courage to say, “Hello!” they kindly greeted me back, and gradually we got to know each other. Because of the friends I made there, I spent a much happier time than I expected. And since then, I have joined other volunteer activities.

I'm sure this experience has become another “dot” which was connected from the speech contest. If I had not joined the speech contest and gained confidence, I would not have volunteered and made such good friends.

Looking back on my experiences, I was shy and introverted, and this was, in a sense, comfortable. But stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new added yet another meaningful dot to my life, and this dot led to yet another new dot. Of course, I didn't know the phrase “connecting the dots” when I was a junior high school student, but now I know I have some very important dots, and I didn't think the dots would ever connect. I believe this is how my life is going to go, so I will keep trying new things!

I think you now know the “new” dot in my life, one that I earned from volunteering– Yes, that is making yet another speech in English about the motto of my life, in front of you today.