Sweaty palms?
Heavy breathing?
Palpitations?
Sense of panic?
Sound familiar?
Millions of people have experienced these and other debilitating symptoms that can rise out of a fear of public speaking.
This fear can create a serious setback to any business career.
But you don’t have to be afraid anymore.
Proven Strategies for Gaining Confidence In Your Public Speaking
Here are the best ways I’ve found to get rid of the “talking terrors.”
- LOVE THE PEOPLE
Try to generate genuine feelings of warmth and good will towards the people who’ve some to hear you speak. The more you believe and trust in those feelings, the more fear tends to vanish, replaced by a sense of well-being. Frankly, most people don’t care how much you know –until they know how much you care. So picture yourself among friends. - SERVE THE PEOPLE
Forget about yourself. Instead, think ONLY about your audience, and what you can do for them. For example, what advice, insights or knowledge can you share that will be helpful? - YOU’RE THE GURU
Knowing that you know as much or more about your subject as anybody in the room is a real confidence booster. - PRIME THE PUMP
Picture in your mind times when things went well. See yourself on the same track. IF you feel successful, you’ll have a better chance of being successful. - HAVE FUN
I’ve talked about “bar talk” in an earlier article. “Bar talk” will help you feel relaxed. When you feel relaxed, you can start having fun: tell a story, ask questions, give juicy examples. You might also want to weave in videos, graphics, and music. That way, the audience can have some fun, too.
If you still have some butterflies, don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal. Every challenge generates some level of tension and fear. Even the pros get jittery. Champion athletes actually welcome that spike of nervous energy to win in sports. The key is to channel that energy into your presentation, transforming anxiety into excitement.
So, there you have it – the secret to shaking off the fear of public speaking and stepping into your role as a confident presenter. Remember, it’s all about connecting, serving, believing in your expertise, visualizing success, and, above all, enjoying the ride.
NEXT: 7 Critical Mistakes to Avoid for Effective Public Speaking
