Fear of public speaking is not uncommon. In fact, recent studies have revealed that more than 75% of people have some fear of addressing a crowd. That is to say, it’s normal to feel a bit of nervousness when speaking in front of others.
To avoid addressing public speaking fear could cause severe limitations in terms of how far you can go in business and life. Fortunately, these fears can be overcome with practice and proper training. This article intends to put some of those worries in perspective and help you understand how to overcome a fear of public speaking.
Identify the Root of Your Fear
The first step toward overcoming any fear is finding the root of it. This step often requires asking yourself probing questions such as these:
Are you afraid of being judged by others? Are you uncomfortable with being the center of attention? Do you fear forgetting or stumbling over your words?Knowing the specifics of your public speaking hangups makes it much easier to work through them. You might also consider journaling as a way to identify the triggers of your fear response.
Build Your Confidence
After you’ve identified obstacles preventing you from feeling comfortable with public speaking, you can start to counteract them by building confidence. Thorough preparation and practice are vital for entering the stage relaxed. This means you should have every part of your speech committed to memory, so you’re only relying on the cards to stay focused on talking points.
After you’ve become comfortable practicing alone, try stepping in front of a trusted group of advisors or friends to get their objective feedback. This will help you get an outside perspective on parts you’re struggling with so you can focus on them more during your solitary practice runs.
Use Visualization and Positive Self-Talk
Visualization and positive self-talk techniques can also boost confidence before speaking. Imagine yourself delivering a successful speech, and highlight your positive attributes.
Positive affirmations work well as a last-minute confidence boost (“I’ve got this!”), especially if you’ve worked hard to learn the material. The goal is to minimize the voice of potential failure and to remind yourself of what you can control.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Taking deep breaths might seem like the oldest trick in the book to calm yourself before a speech, but it’s easy to forget when the lights come on. Even if the moment ventures into an awkward pause, it’s better to take a second or two to breathe before continuing instead of faltering.
Connect With Your Audience
It also helps to share a personal side of yourself with the audience, as many people become more encouraging when speakers open up. As you continue the speech, remember to scan the crowd and make eye contact instead of looking down. This connection humanizes the audience, so you can remember that they’re just people.
Expert public speaking training will help reinforce these ideals until they become second nature. Through targeted exercises, you can unlock a place of comfort for yourself onstage regardless of the audience.
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