The number 1 fear that we poor mortals have is—you guessed it—THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING. Jerry Seinfeld once said that more people would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy!
It’s time to move past those fears and take back control of your life. Finally… to be able to speak up at the next meeting, go after that big promotion you’ve always desired, get the major sales account you’ve been after for months. You can do it! Here are some pointers to help you break thru your fears and emerge a more confident and dynamic speaker:
1. Visualize a successful outcome. After you have written, learned and rehearsed your speech, close your eyes and picture yourself successfully delivering your message and connecting with the audience. Visualization has been scientifically proven to work and it’s widely used by top performers in all fields.
2. Take the ME out of MESSAGE. Ego has no place in public speaking, unless you’re a beauty contestant! Stop worrying about what others are thinking and focus instead on offering something of value to others.
3. Preparation, preparation, preparation! Start early in the speechmaking process by learning about your audience, their needs and fears, and then decide upon your objective. Rehearse several times until you have worked out the kinks and feel comfortable with your material. Theater performers rehearse for weeks before opening night, so why shouldn’t you take the time to do so?
4. Use the following relaxation techniques before you enter the room in which you’ll be speaking: take a deep breath to the count of 10, then exhale slowly to reduce your rapid heart rate; listen to your favorite music, it releases dopamine, a feel-good brain chemical; and let out a silent primal scream.
Think about how great you’ll feel once you overcome the fear of public speaking, about all the people who will now be able to benefit from your knowledge and experience and the contribution you will make to your organization and your community. Your life will never be the same.
For more information, contact Marsha Freedman, Express Yourself Communications at mfreedman@xprself.com.
