"A very pleasant morning I bid to the Chairperson, hardworking principal of Namimori Middle School, beloved teachers and the honoured members of the audience. To be given the opportunity to stand on this stage today to speak to everyone present is an honour that will be engraved in my heart forever. As I am nothing but a student in pursuit of knowledge, I am here to impart a speech hopefully motivational and will be an inspiration to my fellow listeners.

As students, we are just about to set sail into the real world. As everyone prepares for the battleground of life, you'll here many speeches, read tons of books and get miles of advice telling you to work hard, dream big, go out and do something for yourself and have a vision.

Not bad advice, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth may just bring us to the top. As I've lived out my life over the years I have come to realise the importance of those types of advice. But guess what; there's something better than that.

So, my message today simply asks the question, what's better than…? Let's start off with something simple. What's better than a long speech? No doubt, a short one. So everyone here today is in luck for I intend to make mine short.

Now let me take you through a very simple math exam. I'll rattle off some equations and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful of the instructions. Here goes! 3+4 = 7, 9+2 = 11, 8+4 = 13 and 6+6 = 12. Tell me, what do you observe?

Every time I conduct this test, more than 80% of the participants immediately say 8+4 is 12, not 13! That's true and that's correct. But we could also have observed that the other three equations are correct, aren't they?

So, what's my point? Many of us instantly focus on the negative instead of the positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong about the other things than what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three was right and one was wrong. But what was the knee-jerk observation? Of course, the wrong equation.

If 10 people you didn't know walked through the door of your classes, most of us would probably describe those people by what's negative about them. He's fat. He's balding. Ooh, the skinny one? Is it that short girl? Ah, the nerdy guy.

Get the point? It's always the negative we focus on and not the positive. We'll definitely experience this in the corporate world. You do a thousand good things and oops! One single mistake, and guess what? Chances are your attention will be called on that one mistake.

What's better than focusing on the negative? Believe me when I say it's focusing on the positive. And if this world can focus on the good rather than the bad, it'll start to be a better place.

Next point. We have always been told to work hard. Parents, teachers, principals, they all say that. But there's something more superior to merely working hard. It's working smart. It means taking time to understand the situation before coming up with an effective and efficient solution done with less time and effort.

As the Japanese say, 'There's always a better way.' One of the most notable case studies researchers of management at Tokyo Sophia University have come across regarding this matter was the case of empty soap boxes. One of Japan's biggest cosmetics company have received a complaint from a customer regarding an empty soap box. The problem was isolated to the assembly line, where packaged products were transported. For some reason, a single box managed to make its way empty. Management tasked their engineers to solve the problem.

Post-haste, the engineers worked very hard to invent an X-ray machine manned by two people, complete with high-resolution monitors. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast. But then a rank-and-file employee was given the same problem and he came up with another solution. He bought a large industrial electric fan, switched it on and pointed it at the assembly line. The empty boxes were simply blown away.

Clearly, working smart and working hard is very beneficial. If we can combine both, it can become a major factor towards our success in the future.

I will bet my English books that many of us have been encouraged to dream big. Maybe even reach for the stars and the moon. I testify, it works. In fact, the saying is true. 'If you aim for nothing then you'll hit nothing!'

But there's something even better than dreaming high itself. Believe me, even I got shocked. And I learned it from the biggest dreamer of all times, Walt Disney. When it comes to dreaming, Walt is the man. Every leadership book describes him as the ultimate dreamer, as he brings the principles of dreaming and achieving in Jiminy Cricket's Disney hit song, 'When You Wish upon a Star.'

"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do."

So is that what Disney preached? Dreaming? Kinda, but not quite. The problem with dreaming is that you'll get nowhere and just keep on sleeping. No, the real thing is to 'imagineer'.

You won't find this word in a dictionary. It's purely Disney. The word combines imagine and engineer. In the book 'Imagineers', Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner claims that "imagineeers turn impossible dreams into real magic". Walt Disney explains that there are really no secret to their success. They just keep on moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because they are curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They always dream, explore and experiment. In short, it's a piece of creative imagination and technical know-how.

The big difference between dreaming and Imagineering is that imagineers dream and they do. So be your own imagineer and create your future.

Next, I'm talking about visions. We all have been given lectures on how important a vision is, on how indispensable it is in a leader. No doubt, having a vision is important to success. But surprise! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a cause. If all you do is to reach your vision and you're pitted against someone fighting for a cause, chances are that you'll lose big time. The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the Viet Cong beat the heavily-armed US Army to surrender, primarily because the US had a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese had a cause to protect their land.

In the realm of business and whatnot, many leaders have visions of become the No. 1 company in the world, or grabbing market share. There's nothing wrong there, but take Sony founder Akio Morita for an example. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics company in the world. In his biography entitled 'Made in Japan', he reveals the real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country which had been battered by war. His vision to be an electronics giant was secondary.

So what's the difference between visions and causes? Here's what sets them apart. People are willing to die for a cause, not for a vision. You possess a vision, but a cause possesses you. A vision lies in your hands; a cause lies in your heart. A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice.

Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, and be fighting for the right cause. It might be long and winding, but the right will always prevail. Be strong, have a flaming resolution and go at it with a dying will, for the cruel world is not the place self-centered, over-dependent and weak-willed moaners.

Allow me to end with a quote. "Excellence is not a destination. It is a continuous journey that never ends. Having the opportunity of education, much has been given to us in terms of knowledge. Now we have the responsibility to use the knowledge and skills for the welfare of everyone around us, of society and the welfare of our country.

Now, a final review.

What's better than focusing on the negative? Focusing on the positive.

What's better than just working hard? Working hard and working smart!

What's better than dreaming? Imagineering!

What's better than doing something for your own pleasure? Doing something for everyone's pleasure.

What's better than a long speech? Definitely, a short one.

Thank you and have a good day!"

Ending his speech, Tsuna looked at his schoolmates. He froze.

The teachers and the students had identical faces of shock. In fact, a boy actually shouted from the back. "IS THAT REALLY NO-GOOD TSUNA?!" The boy's complaint triggered murmurs, whispers and incredulous stares at the frozen brunette.

Gokudera burst behind the curtains. "Why they-! Juudaime, ignore th-!" "HIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The sprinting figure of Tsuna dashed past them, surprising Yamamoto and several other students who were already shocked as it is. "Woah, Tsuna!"

From behind the wall, Reborn smirked. "You need more training, No- Good Tsuna. You shoud have known better to actually read a speech the Vongola prepared for a simple end-of-year event. Well, at least I got blackmail stuff now."

He strolled out, in search of his stupid, naïve student, soon to be Neo-Vongola Primo, most compassionate boss in history, Tsunayoshi Sawada.

A/N : I was actually making this for some competition I have to train someone for.

I was typing it up when I suddenly got this idea about Tsuna giving a speech. A motivational one, no less. xD

Well, hope you enjoyed it!

See you in a while~!