~ Public Speaking ~
A short poem by Don Franceschi
Rapid breathing…
Rapid beating…
Body shaking…
Voice is quaking…
Stomach twirling…
Feel like hurling…
Face beet red…
Ache in head…
I want to cry…
I think I’ll die!
Have you ever experienced any of these reactions? I know I have. However, my speaking anxiety is a lot better now because I have finally learned 4 Core Speaking Principles that are helpful to keep in mind. .. If you remember them—it can help you with speaking anxiety. They are:
#1. It’s ok to be nervous! Let’s repeat that all together—IT’S OK TO BE NERVOUS! Guess what—public speaking makes MOST people nervous. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the best public speakers in the world—and I’ve heard them admit that they STILL get nervous. Just realizing that there is nothing wrong with being nervous can actually lower the anxiety level.
#2. It’s not about you—it’s about your audience! Part of the reason that people get so nervous is because they are placing their focus in the wrong place. “People are looking at me”—“I hope I don’t look stupid”—“I bet they can tell I’m nervous”…etc etc. If you shift the focus off of you and back where it belongs—the audience—it can take a load of tension off of your back. Think of the information that the audience will receive. Think of the help that you can provide them. Take the spotlight off of yourself and shine it on your audience.
#3. The audience is rooting for you! Yes they are. I don’t know anyone who attends a presentation hoping it’s horrible. “Man, I hope this presentation sucks!” Who thinks like that? The audience WANTS you to succeed. They have a vested interest in you doing well—so remembering that can be a liberating feeling
#4. Uncertainty creates anxiety! Said another way—lowering your uncertainty will lower your anxiety. This was a big learning moment for me when I finally understood this last principle. The right preparation PRIOR to the presentation can give you so much more confidence as you stand before your audience—which is why I put so much emphasis on lowering uncertainty in my Effective Presentation classes. That Boy Scout Motto that I learned on my journey to Eagle Scout still applies—“Be Prepared!”
Remember these 4 Core Speaking Principles—they have been so helpful to me and I’m sure they can help you as well. Future blogs will get into more specifics on what tools you can use to lower your uncertainty—which will lower your speaking anxiety—and I can’t wait to share those with you. See you soon!
