Does your forehead perspire at the mere thought of speaking in public? Public speaking anxiety is one of the most common fears afflicting people.
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It stems in large part out of concern we may have of how other people think about us. Will we screw up? What if we forget what we were going to say? Or lose our place in our script. What if our voice breaks, or we freeze in our tracks.
Well the truth of the matter is that any of these things could happen. And if you’re lucky a meteor will fall though the roof and relieve you of your agony. The “what if” game can be paralyzing. If you have a serious problem you may need to seek professional assistance just as you would if you were actually paralyzed. But for most people, the “what if’s” are manageable. The key is to focus less on the “what if’s” and more on your message.
In most circumstances, you need not memorize every word of your speech. Instead focus on the content of your material. Know what you want the audience to get from your presentation, and memorize your outline rather than the words.
Practice explaining each of the points in your outline over and over, out loud or just in your head. Each time you do this it may be different. But you will discover a variety of ways of saying the same thing. Then when actually in front of the audience, you can cover each point in succession talking not from memory, but from a reservoir of memories which will remove the fear of loosing your place in a script or forgetting a line.
Perhaps the best tip about dealing with public speaking anxiety is to point out that the most important participant in a speech is not the speaker, but the audience. They are the empty bucket that must be filled with the ideas you are presenting.
If you will know people in the audience, imagine giving your presentation to them individually. Then think of them in a group of other friends, and then in a section of your audience. See them with a smile on their face and an encouraging attitude. Imagine yourself giving the perfect presentation. This is one time when positive expectations will do wonders. Your own positive thoughts can go a long way is quieting public speaking anxiety.
And while you may imagine yourself giving a perfect presentation, the odds are you won’t. And that’s okay. Accept the fact that even professional speakers stub their toes on occasion. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you lose your place in a prepared text, just pause, take a deep breath and take a moment to find it. The audience isn’t going anywhere. They will wait. Then carry on.
Public speaking is like any other skill. The more often you give presentations the easier it will be to overcome you public speaking anxiety.
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