Consider Your Interests and Values

DRAW ON YOUR INTERESTS AND ABILITIES

Most people have something they enjoy doing above and beyond the daily grind—a sport, a hobby, a charitable activity, a political cause, music and other arts, or a subject they like learning about in their spare time. What do you look forward to doing when you’ve finished schoolwork, when the kids are at school or in bed, or when you’ve left work? What skills and talents do you have? Maybe there is something about your job that genuinely interests you and might interest an audience. Whatever these things may be, they can become the basis for an effective presentation.

One way to find a topic that reflects your interests and abilities is to complete a set of leading statements, such as:

• I’ve always wanted to know more about . . .
• If I had an unexpected week off, I would . . .
• I’ve always been good at . . .
• I’ve always wanted other people to understand or know more about . . .
• My favorite topic of conversation is . . .
• A lot of people don’t know or are surprised to learn that I . . .
• If I didn’t have to worry about money at all, I would spend most of my time . . .
• I’ve always wanted to be able to . . .

DRAW ON YOUR BELIEFS AND VALUES

Your beliefs and values guide how you think about what is right or wrong, good or bad, just or unjust, correct or incorrect. They also trigger emotions and guide actions. As with interests and abilities, your beliefs and values can lead to a compelling presentation topic—and one you’ll want to talk about.

To come up with a list of core beliefs and values, try using the following leading statements:

• If I could make two new laws, they would be . . .
• I am happiest when . . .
• If I could give away a million dollars, I would . . .
• I am gratified when . . .
• I am shocked when people . . .
• The world would be a better place if . . .
• My proudest moment was when . . .
• I often become upset when I read, hear, or see a news report about . . .
• The greatest lesson I ever learned is . . .

When you complete these leading statements, you may not name a specific belief or value. For instance, you may say, “I am gratified when cooking a weekly meal at the Grace Food Pantry.” The activity—cooking—is specific, but the value—helping people in need—is implied. You may be happy because you love to cook (in which case “cooking” should also be added to your list of interests!), but the overall implication is that your satisfaction and happiness are rooted in the act of helping others. In each leading statement, ask yourself: What is the belief or value expressed in my answer?

Another useful exercise is to link the UNIVERSAL VALUES (95)—love, honesty, responsibility, respect, fairness, freedom, and compassion—to an interest or concern of yours. Combining a value with an issue can help you find a meaningful topic. For example, “love” plus “marriage” might generate the idea “the role of love in arranged marriages” for one person. For another person, this combination might suggest “In marriage, love is what you do, not just what you feel.” Either of these (and countless other) statements might be a compelling presentation topic.

Use this list, or pair other issues with each of the universal values. For example, you might also pair the universal value of freedom with issues of religion, hate speech, the press, clothing, or incarceration.