If you had to guess, what do you think people fear the most in life? Is it darkness, death, or spiders? While those things all make the top five greatest fears, the thing people fear the most is public speaking. There is something nightmarishly terrifying about that moment when you stand in front of a group of people and open your mouth. Your palms get sweaty enough to fill a tub, your throat grows oddly dry, you swallow and try to speak, but your voice ends up sounding like a doped up toad. Speaking in public doesn’t have to be this way. Just like any fear, there are simple steps you can take in overcoming it.
One of the best ways to be a competent speaker is to prepare ahead of time. Some people can manage to give speeches impromptu. Don’t try it. If you want to give a good speech and not be so nervous, plan what you are going to say before you get to the podium or the front of the class. Make an outline and stick to it. Don’t be one of those speakers that rambles. If you have something of worth to say, spit it out.
Another thing you might consider doing is keeping still when you speak. Public speaking seems to draw out the most irritating and annoying habits in people. Hand motions and gesturing are fine as long as they are used reasonably. Things like shifting, adjusting the microphone stand a hundred times, sticking your hands in your pockets, saying um, or arranging and rearranging your hands, quickly alerts the crowd to your anxiety. Once the crowd knows you’re nervous, they’ll be uncomfortable too. Eliminate those nervous habits, whatever they might be. Try giving a speech in front of trusted friends, and have them tell you what your habits are. Then work on eliminating them.
The most crucial thing to do is practice. Practice by yourself to start off with. Don’t be alarmed if even that makes you nervous, that’s perfectly normal. Practice until you know your material and can present it confidently. Then practice in front of a mirror and see if you notice anything that looks strange or awkward about your hand motions, posture, or other body language. If you feel ready, practice some more in front of a friend or family member. The key to becoming a good public speaker is practice. Hardly anyone starts off wanting to speak in public; most of the world’s motivational speakers were terrified of speaking at some point.
Public speaking is something almost everyone hates doing. Relax. Know what you’re going to say, keep still, and practice. Get these three things down and you’ll be ready. Speaking reminds me of a security system. Just like you will become more confident and secure in your speaking abilities with practice, with a home security, you will become more confident and secure in the safety of your home. Now go practice and dazzle your audience.
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