When I registered for the District 86 Toastmasters Conference in April 2025, I saw it as a great opportunity to step away from my usual routine, meet fellow members, and enjoy the inspiring speeches and contests Toastmasters is known for. I had no grand expectations beyond that. I simply wanted to learn, listen, and soak in the experience.

What I didn’t know at the time was that this one weekend would change something much bigger inside me. In fact, it would unlock something I had been carrying for months—a quiet, unspoken dream waiting for the right moment to come alive.

For quite some time before the conference, I had been thinking about writing a book. The idea was there. The passion was there. I even had a title ready: Unscripted Leadership. But despite all this, I hadn’t written a single page. Life kept moving, other priorities took over, and I kept telling myself, “One day I’ll start.” Truthfully, I was caught in the all-too-familiar loop of waiting for the perfect time—a time that never really arrives.

The conference weekend started like any other: meeting familiar faces, attending the opening sessions, parade with our club’s banner and enjoying the contests. But as the weekend unfolded, something shifted. It wasn’t one big keynote or some magical moment, but a series of simple, meaningful conversations with fellow Toastmasters.

What stood out most for me was meeting a few authors—regular members, just like me, but who had successfully written and published their own books. We chatted casually, and they generously shared their personal writing journeys: the doubts they faced, the courage it took to begin, and the joy they felt holding their published work for the first time.

Their stories hit home for me. I realized I was not alone in my hesitation. Many of them had started from the same place—an idea, a desire, and a lot of uncertainty. They didn’t wait for the perfect draft or the perfect plan; they simply started. And because they started, they finished.

That was my turning point.

In fact, the spark ignited so strongly that night, after the first day, while I sat quietly in my hotel room, I opened my laptop, and finally started. That evening, I wrote and completed my very first chapter: Curiosity. It was no longer just an idea in my head. The words were flowing, and for the first time, my book had officially begun.

On my drive back home from the conference, my mind was filled with fresh energy. The excitement, the encouragement, and the push I received over those two days stayed with me. What once felt overwhelming now felt possible.

From there, I kept going. Each day, I dedicated small pockets of time to write. Sometimes it was late at night, other times early mornings, and often just squeezing in an hour between work and daily life. The process wasn’t always smooth. There were days of doubt and days where the words didn’t flow as easily, but I kept returning to that initial spark I had found that weekend.

As the days turned into weeks, the chapters steadily took shape. Slowly but surely, the pages filled up. What was once a distant dream was becoming something real. The encouragement I carried from that weekend conference acted as a constant nudge, especially on days when I felt like giving up.

Looking back now, it’s clear to me how powerful that one weekend truly was. It wasn’t just a conference. It was a catalyst. A place where inspiration met action. A place where conversations turned into courage.

Without attending that conference, I may have still been waiting for “someday.” Instead, I found my start. And today, I’m proud to say that my book Unscripted Leadership is no longer an idea—it’s out in the world.

To my fellow Toastmasters, and especially to the district 86 community, thank you. Your stories, your encouragement, and your shared passion for growth gave me the confidence to begin.

And to my home club, Milton Escarpment Toastmasters, thank you for being my ongoing support system, my sounding board, and my cheerleaders along this journey. I’m grateful for every speech, every evaluation, and every word of encouragement.

If you’ve ever wondered whether attending a Toastmasters event can really make a difference, my answer is simple: it absolutely can. Sometimes, all it takes is one weekend to spark something you’ve been carrying inside for a long time. And when that spark turns into action, amazing things can happen.

Written by Venkat Adivi, Milton Escarpment Toastmasters Club