Some fears are specific to individuals while others are universal. Public speaking has been one of the world’s greatest fears for generations. The thought of getting up in front of peers, voicing your opinion or story, while having nothing to hide behind sounds terrifying, so much so that people will go completely out of their way to avoid it. However, as scary as it seems, learning to embrace public speaking and making it a strong suit is incredibly rewarding. Here are 5 tips to help turn your fear of public speaking into your strength.
- Write what you feel, and mean what you say
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Nobody is excited to speak about something that they do not care for, especially if it’s in front of a crowd. On the other hand, if you are asked to speak about something you feel passionate about, you will immediately feel more comfortable speaking about the topic in the first place. Speaking about a topic you personally care for or invest your feelings into pushes you to have an internal incentive to do well and to inform the public about what you have to stay. Not only will this create confidence, but it will naturally spark passion.
- Know that nobody is going to overly judge you
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A stutter here or a nervous twirl of the hair there won’t divert anyones attention and cause them to judge you. Everyone is human, and more times than not, the audience is often more understanding of your performance than you think they would be. They, after all, did come to listen to you, and they will have genuine interest in what you have to say.
- Practice, practice, and more practice
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This tip is probably the most effective when it comes to getting over or reducing the fear of public speaking. The more you practice a speech of yours, the more you become familiar with its content and word choices. It is most important, however, that you practice delivering your speech out loud. Reading your speech over and over again in your head will not do anything, as the production of speech is actually completely different. By practicing your speech out loud, you are more likely to catch any errors within the speech itself. Not only that, but by practicing out loud you will get more accustomed to your own voice, and know when to add in eye contact, hand gestures, certain enthusiasm or changes in the emotion of your voice. Practicing out loud is the key to nailing a speech.
- Speak up in front of your peers more often
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This helps you get more used to just speaking up in front of a crowd in general. Raising your hand in class to answer questions, talking in front of the whole family at a dinner, delivering the speech to a few people that you know, or taking positions within a job or club that involves more speaking in front of peers are all great ways to familiarize yourself with public speaking. This is all in the hope that by giving yourself these mini public speaking experiences, you feel more comfortable and confident within your speaking abilities when the time comes for your actual speech..
- Find a routine that works for you
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Some individuals listen to specific kinds of music before their speech to get them into the zone. Others use methods of physical activity or visualization. Whichever method you choose, finding a bit of a routine to enact before each speech can help to decrease the stressful or anxious feelings before it. By systematically doing something before each speech, your body thinks about the speech as more of a simple task that needs to be completed. It puts your mind in the right state of self confidence and gives you the ability to think to yourself, “I’ve got this!”
The next time you are in class and are told you must present a speech in front of everyone, think about these five tips. Turning your fear of public speaking into your strength is not only incredible in enhancing your own self confidence, but it also acts as an asset for real world jobs and interviews. Being able to speak confidently, smoothly, and professionally in front of an audience is a skill that not too many individuals possess, and it can make you a hot commodity in the real world. Take a deep breath, you’ve got this. Make public speaking your asset.