How I Overcame My Fear Of Public Speaking

I have had an instinctive fear of speaking in public since I was very young. In school, we had to stand up in front of the class to read aloud and I loathed it. I’ve always admired people who could talk in front of an audience, but for me, speaking to a group with confidence was truly terrifying. In fact, I was one of those who claim that they would rather take a bullet to the head than do public speaking, and I meant it.

Several years ago, I was invited to give my first public speech; I was terrified. For weeks beforehand, I had nightmares about forgetting my lines. No matter how much I practiced, for the three days leading up to the speech, I could hardly breathe.

When giving my speech, despite having a lot of mixed feelings, nothing went terribly wrong. I was relieved… until I read the feedback from the audience that said “Try not to be so nervous. It seemed like you memorized every single sentence for the presentation.” Another read “It seems like you’re reading off a teleprompter. Breath! Too mechanical’’

Overcoming my fear of public speaking has been a journey of self-improvement and discovery. In the past year and a half, I’ve given numerous keynote speeches and presentations, and things have changed dramatically. I still get nervous occasionally, but public speaking is now one of my favorite activities. Here are the top tips on how I overcame the fear of public speaking.

1. Choose a topic you’re passionate about

I realized that when you care about something, it becomes easier to speak about it and get others invested and passionate about what you’re talking about as well. Choose a topic that has had an inordinate impact on you, you intensely feel others could benefit from knowing and you can speak about it from the heart.

Other people can benefit from the knowledge you have gained through your unique experiences. Combine your passions with your desire to improve others’ lives to calm your nerves and boost your confidence in front of an audience.

2. Know your audience

I find that the more I learn about my audience in advance, the less nervous I become. Along with helping me tailor the material, it humanizes them and highlights common ground.

As I give my presentations I try to analyze my audience from their interests, level of understanding, and attitudes to beliefs. The more you learn about your audience, the better you can plan communication. You will be able to speak to them in terms of what matters to them.

3. Preparation

A big part of what causes fear of public speaking is not being prepared. One of the best things you can do to help you feel more prepared and confident in your speech is to stay organized. Get your notes together and outline the main points of your speech. I color-code certain parts of my speech so they are easier for me to refer to.

If you plan to use visual aids, get them together and practice using them. Know where you will place them during your speech. Make sure your technology is in working order as well. Be familiar with your laptop, tablet, or phone and how to cast your screen or run a projector if that is what you will be using.

4. Practice

When someone asks me how they can build effective communication skills and improve their public speaking, I quote the words of Elbert Hubbard, who said, “The only way to learn to speak is to speak and speak, and speak and speak, and speak and speak and speak.”

One of the best ways to combat the fear of public speaking is to practice with a small audience who can review your speech or in front of a mirror. Nothing takes the place of practicing and preparing for your speech.

5. Lead with a puzzle, question, or story

My public speaking coach taught me that opening a speech with a puzzle, question or a story places the audience’s attention on the ideas, as opposed to the speaker’; it gets the audience thinking instead of judging. The audience gets absorbed in the narrative, and ends up focusing on the plot and the characters rather than the storyteller.

Also, it is important to work on your breathing; this will help you learn how to pace yourself in your speech so you don’t ramble or speed through at a pace your audience can’t keep up with.

6. Take a public speaking class

One of the best ways I overcame my anxiety about public speaking is taking a course in it. By taking a course in public speaking, I became better acquainted with the public speaking process, making me more confident and less apprehensive. In addition, I learned specific strategies for overcoming the challenges of speech anxiety and building my confidence.

Final thoughts…

Now that you have actionable ways to manage and eliminate your fear of public speaking with these tips for public speaking anxiety, it’s time to get speaking!

But if you still feel not confident enough, worry less! Enroll in this public speaking training that will do the trick!

Written By Nancy Jepleting

Content Writer at Corporate Staffing Services