Tacoma 13 Early Birds Toastmasters

05/14/2026

Ready is not a feeling, it is a decision (Russ's Dad)

04/26/2026

What kind of speeches will you hear at Tacoma 13 Early Birds Toastmasters Club...and eventually learn to give yourself? Here's a great example from a recent meeting.
Please share if you like it.

COMPETING WITH YESTERDAY'S ME

There is a quiet trap that almost everyone falls into.
It shows up in school.
It shows up in business.
It even shows up in rooms like this one.
Comparison.
We measure ourselves against the person next to us.
Who spoke better.
Who closed more deals.
Who got promoted faster.
Who seems more confident.
And when we do that, two things usually happen.
If we’re losing the comparison, we feel discouraged.
If we’re winning the comparison, we become complacent.
Either way… growth stops.
But a few years ago, I came across an idea that completely changed the way I think about competition.
I started telling myself something simple:
“I’m only in competition with yesterday’s version of me.”
And that shift… was freeing.

Early in my career I thought success meant being better than everyone else.
More calls.
More meetings.
More results.
And if someone else was ahead of me, it meant I had to catch them.
But that mindset comes with a hidden cost.
Because when your competition is other people, your focus drifts away from what you can control.
You start watching their scoreboard.
You start comparing pipelines.
You start wondering why they have that territory… or those accounts… or that opportunity.
But none of that actually makes you better.
It just makes you distracted.
Then one day I realized something.
The only person I have complete control over…
is the person I was yesterday.
Yesterday I made decisions.
Some good.
Some… let’s call them “learning opportunities.”
But today I get another shot.
Today I can make one more call.
Prepare a little better.
Listen a little deeper.
Show up a little stronger.
And if I do that consistently, something powerful happens.
Progress becomes inevitable.

This idea reminds me of a quote I love from Charles Swindoll:
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
Most of those “impossible situations” show up in the mirror.
The hesitation before making a call.
The fear before stepping on stage.
The voice that says, “You’re not ready.”
But when your competition is yesterday’s version of yourself… that voice loses its power.
Because the goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is progress.
Yesterday maybe you didn’t make that call.
Today you do.
Yesterday maybe you stayed comfortable.
Today you step forward.
Yesterday maybe you doubted yourself.
Today you take the first step anyway.
That’s growth.

And something interesting happens when you start living this way.
People notice.
Not because you’re trying to outperform them…
but because you’re constantly improving yourself.
That’s what leadership by example really looks like.
It’s not about telling people what they should do.
It’s about showing them what growth looks like in real time.
Making the call you don’t feel like making.
Doing the preparation when no one is watching.
Raising your hand when everyone else is sitting comfortably.
Leaders who compete with others create pressure.
Leaders who compete with yesterday’s version of themselves create momentum.
And momentum is contagious.

In Toastmasters we see this all the time.
The first time someone speaks, their voice shakes.
Their hands tremble.
They’re just hoping to survive the speech.
But then they come back next week.
And they’re a little stronger.
A little clearer.
A little more confident.
They’re not trying to be better than the best speaker in the room.
They’re just trying to be better than the person who stood here last week.
And week after week…
that small improvement compounds.
Until one day you look at them and think:
“Wow… look how far they’ve come.”

This mindset changes something else too.
It removes the ceiling from your growth.
Because when you compete with others, there’s a finish line.
When you pass them… you’re done.
But when you compete with yesterday’s version of yourself…
there is no finish line.
There’s only the next step.
And the next one.
And the next one.
That’s how mastery is built.
Quietly.
Daily.
One decision at a time.

So today I want to leave you with a simple question.
Tomorrow morning… when you look in the mirror…
who are you competing with?
The person in the next cubicle?
The person on the stage?
The person ahead of you on the scoreboard?
Or the person you were yesterday?
Because if you choose the last one…
you unlock something powerful.
Freedom from comparison.
Focus on growth.
And leadership that doesn’t need to be announced…
because people can see it.
Day by day.
Step by step.
Version by version.
Beating the only competitor that truly matters.
Yesterday’s you.

Russ Peterson is the Immediate Past President of Tacoma Early Birds #13 and has been a member for four years. He has spent more than 30 years building and leading sales teams, but his journey started much earlier—launching his own business while still in college. That experience taught him resilience, accountability, and the importance of showing up every day ready to improve—principles that continue to guide his leadership and success today.

05/03/2025

Want to be a better impromptu speaker? Join us.

02/26/2025

Interested in being a better impromptu speaker? Great article below. This will be the topic of a speech at our meeting this Thursday, 7:00 AM at Cutters Point on Pearl Street.

Think back to the last time you had to communicate in the moment with little to no preparation. An unexpected question that came up at the end of a meeting. Chitchat with your boss’s boss in the elevator. Feedback for your colleague at the end of a virtual meeting. Now, review how it went. Were yo...

09/27/2024

Starting off the morning with an achievement is a great way of life--just like you'll hear from this iconic commencement speech. Join us at our 7:00 AM meetings the second and fourth Thursday of the month for a real achievement.

Remarks by Naval Adm. William H. McRaven, BJ '77, ninth commander of U.S.Special Operations Command, Texas Exes Life Member, and Distinguished Alumnus.Univer...

03/24/2024

Great speech last week by member Kerry Tynes about "a jewel in the heart of Tacoma." I go through this place several times a week and learned several things from his talk.

Today, I am going to speak about a jewel in the heart of Tacoma – Wright Park. This oasis of green, spanning over 27 acres, is not just a park; it is a testament to our community's values, history, and commitment to preserving nature amidst urban development.
In 1886, our city was gifted with this land by the Northern Pacific Railway Company, led by Charles B. Wright. This generous donation, made with the stipulation that it be used for a public park, marked the beginning of Wright Park's story. Named in honor of Mr. Wright, the park was envisioned as a sanctuary for relaxation and enjoyment, a vision that has stood the test of time.
The early development of Wright Park was heavily influenced by the City Beautiful Movement. In 1890, landscape architect Edward Otto Schwagerl was tasked with bringing this vision to life. He designed the park in the English landscape garden style, characterized by its naturalistic beauty. Under his guidance, Wright Park transformed into a picturesque landscape, complete with winding paths, rolling lawns, and an array of flora and fauna.
A significant milestone in the park's history was the construction of the grand conservatory in 1906. Styled after the Crystal Palace in London, this conservatory became a beacon of beauty, housing exotic plants and flowers. Over the years, the park has been enhanced with statues, memorials, and amenities, each adding a layer of cultural and historical depth.
Wright Park has been a silent witness to the ebb and flow of time. During the Great Depression, it provided jobs and hope to many through work relief projects. In the latter half of the 20th century, the park underwent numerous improvements to meet the evolving needs of our community. These included updating playgrounds, restoring the conservatory, and adding new facilities.
Today, Wright Park stands as a vibrant, integral part of Tacoma. It's a place where children play, families gather, and individuals seek solace in nature. The Seymour Botanical Conservatory, a historical landmark, continues to enchant visitors with its beauty. The park hosts community events, cultural activities, and serves as a canvas for our city's artistic and ecological expressions.
We need to remember the visionaries who saw the potential of this land. celebrate the tireless efforts of those who have maintained and nurtured this space. But most importantly, let us commit to being stewards of this legacy. Wright Park is not just a park; it is a reflection of our community's soul, a space where nature and culture coexist.
In closing, I invite each of you to visit the park, walk its paths, admire its greenery, and notice the sense of community it fosters. As you’re walking through the park, please take time to enjoy my favorite part the trees! There are over 600 trees and approximately 145 species. We need to ensure that Wright Park continues to be a place of joy, peace, and natural beauty for generations to come.

02/09/2024

Love trains? The National Park Service is looking for guides to serve on Amtrak Trains. One of our members joined Toastmasters to develop the skills and confidence to be a guide and has been doing it for years now.
Can't make the meeting below? Contact [email protected] for info about a separate Zoom Meeting.

01/05/2024

I just completed my 2024 New Year's Resolutions. Click on the link below for tips on keeping your New Year's Resolutions.

On the top of my list is participating in Toastmasters to improve my evaluation skills. According to Toastmasters International, evaluations are the heart of the Toastmasters educational program. As an evaluator, you observe the speeches and leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. Taking on this role improves active listening, critical thinking, and positive feedback skills. Knowing how to evaluate effectively is one of the best things you can do to help your fellow club members grow. As an evaluator, you ask those you’ve been assigned to evaluate what they will present and what they wish to achieve. You provide objective verbal and written evaluations for speakers, and when giving any evaluation, offer praise and constructive criticism.

Check out Toastmasters - if you join Tacoma 13 Early Birds Toastmasters by January 31, 2024, we will waive the new member fee. I hope to see you at our next meeting!!!

As 2024 approaches, many of our thoughts will turn to self-improvement and how we make the New Year as successful, satisfying, and productive as possible. Whether it's improving our health,...