Does the thought of speaking in front of a group of people leave you weak in the knees? Would you go to great lengths to avoid having to give a presentation? If so, don’t worry…you’re not the only one. In fact, studies show that people fear public speaking more than anything else…even death!
Like it or not, when it comes to following your dreams this is one fear you’re going to have to face. Think about it, whatever your dream, there will probably come a time when you’re going to have to discuss your ideas and sell yourself to others. So how can you can get over something so utterly terrifying? Communications coach, Carmine Gallo, says that the key to overcoming the fear of public speaking is NOT to try to completely eliminate the fear but to accept it, reframe it, and control it.
- Accept it: Everyone gets nervous before speaking in front of others, even the most experienced presenters. In fact, cognitive research shows that you would be abnormal if you experienced no anxiety at all.
- Reframe it: Rather than dreading public speaking, look at it as a positive opportunity. A mindset shift will help alleviate some of the fear and anxiety.
- Control it: Remove any unforeseen variables by practicing your speech numerous times before the big day. Most experts even suggest practicing in front of mirror or camcorder so you can critique and enhance your own performance.
Winston Churchill on public speaking:
“There are two things that are more difficult than making an after-dinner speech: climbing a wall which is leaning toward you and kissing a girl who is leaning away from you.”
The Fear Series is a ten-week series of posts that explores 10 common fears that dream chasers face.
Are you a dream chaser facing a particular fear? If so, I’d love to hear from you! Please e-mail me at: Erika (dot) Liodice (at sign) hotmail (dot) com.
5 comments
Comments feed for this article
September 15, 2009 at 6:23 am
fear of speaking
Wow. I have a fear of public speaking, bit I’ll try to do this exercise to overcome it..
September 15, 2009 at 6:46 am
John Zimmer
Nice article, Erika. The advice about not trying to eliminate the fear completely is spot on. A little bit of adrenaline is good; it keeps you on your toes. The trick is to harness it.
Nervous speakers should realize that 99.9% of the audience wants you to succeed for two reasons: (1) most people are decent and do not want to see others stumble, especially when it comes to standing up in front of a crowd; and (2) people are hoping to hear something interesting or inspiring or entertaining from you and thus it is in their interest that you succeed. So know going in that the audience is on your side.
Other quick tips include avoiding stimulants such as caffeine before speaking, being well hydrated (for the throat) and eat a banana – yes, a banana – a little before speaking. Bananas contain potassium which helps regulate the heart rate and keep your muscles relaxed. I wrote about it on my public speaking blog and you and your readers might find the post helpful: http://wp.me/pwfa1-78.
Aside from that, the best advice is to practice. The more you get up and speak, the more comfortable you will be. A great place to practice is Toastmasters (about which I have also posted).
Thanks again and cheers!
John Zimmer
http://mannerofspeaking.wordpress.com/
September 22, 2009 at 9:31 am
Dream Chaser: Kim Wencl « Beyond The Gray
[…] day. But for all of my life I had said there was one thing I would never do – and that was public speaking. However, I felt confident that my message was important and it could help others, especially […]
October 27, 2009 at 9:49 am
Dream Chaser: John Zimmer, Public Speaker « Beyond The Gray
[…] few weeks we talked about how paralyzing the fear of public speaking can be, so much so that it’s been named the #1 fear people face…even over death. […]
January 15, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Martin Luther King, Jr. « Beyond The Gray
[…] amount of courage it must’ve taken for him to pursue his passion. Forget about the fear of public speaking or the fear of rejection, people were threatening the man’s life on a daily basis. But he […]