12 Surefire Strategies for Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking

12 Surefire Strategies for Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking

12 Surefire Strategies for Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking

By Deborah Torres Patel

For many people the idea of speaking in public can be absolutely terrifying! And sociologists report that the fear of public speaking ranks even higher than the fear of death. Not to worry. Here are 12 surefire strategies to eliminate stage fright and the fear of public speaking.

Give up the idea of perfection ~ Most seasoned public speaking professionals will admit that mistakes have provided the largest opportunities for growth. So acknowledge your humanity and have the courage to be imperfect.

***

Replace disempowering beliefs with positive action ~ The famous American athlete Bob Richards said, “You are what you think. You are what you go for. You are what you do!” If you think you are incapable, you will be. Give yourself permission to take action even if you risk failure. When Bob Richards knocked down poles while vaulting his way to 1 bronze and 2 gold medals in 3 consecutive Olympics he didn’t focus on the setbacks, he focused on going for gold and doing his best.

Know your topic and audience ~ Doing your homework and research will eliminate 75-80% of your fears. Most people are horrifically under-prepared when they get up to speak. Invest in your preparation and you will be richly rewarded.

Arm yourself with a relevant and expert presentation ~ Think of the absolute worst questions that you could ever be asked. Be prepared with answers to those questions and you will dramatically reduce mental stress and performance anxiety.

Practice aloud (even if it’s a 30 second introduction) ~ Most people make time to prepare a physical presentation or notes but don’t venture to practice out loud. When you put the presentation on its feet first, without an audience, you will naturally find yourself changing, refining and improving your content. Practice your entire presentation a bare minimum of 3 times before you speak to a group. The more you practice, the more you will boost your confidence.

Always warm up ~ Warming up your body and voice at the beginning of an important day or right before a presentation will release tension, open you up, and allow your natural expression to flow. A mere 5 minutes of stretching and 3 minutes of singing (even if it’s in the shower) will make you much more at ease.

Arrive early ~ One of the simplest things you can do to be calm and collected is to arrive very early. This gives you plenty of time to check and test equipment, get familiar with the environment, freshen up and mingle with your audience beforehand.

Visualize success while focusing on your breathing ~ If you feel your heart palpitating, simply focus on breathing deeply imagining yourself filling up with love on the inhale, and on the exhale, let go of any tension or stress. Then visualize being victorious just like an athlete prepares to win a competition. Breathe through the anxiety to channel nervous energy into excitement and enthusiasm.

Don’t worry about what others are thinking ~ Remember people want you to be good. 99 times out of 100, audiences are on your side. If you start to feel yourself getting uneasy, make eye contact with the friendly faces in the audience for encouragement. Also an audience focused intention like ” to be of service” or “to deliver extraordinary value” will help to alleviate angst because it gets the focus off you and onto others.

Hold microphones with your non-dominant hand ~ If you are given a microphone, hold it with your non-dominant hand so that you can gesture freely with the hand you normally write with. This will make you feel more comfortable physically.

Join Toastmaster’s, a speaking association, presentation skills training or acting class ~ These types of organizations can teach you very important skills affording you the opportunity to practice in a supportive environment with like-minded people. If you don’t have the resources available to you, run your presentations by several family members, friends or colleagues you trust for constructive feedback.

Hire a presentation skills trainer or public speaking coach ~ If you have a very important presentation coming up or if your livelihood is connected at all to your communication or persuasion skills, get a professional coach. Top athletes would never enter a competition without the support of the best coach they can find. Engaging a specialist will put your performance on the fast track and ensure that you have a winning edge over your competitors.
Take action today with just 1 of these tips to reduce your fear of public speaking. Take action with all 12 surefire strategies and you can bet on overcoming your fear of public speaking forever!

Deborah Torres Patel at: http://www.expressingyou.com.

 

We hope you found this article about “12 Surefire Strategies for Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking” helpful.  If you have questions or need expert tax or family office advice that’s refreshingly objective (we never sell investments), please contact us or visit our Family office page  or our website at www.GROCO.com.  Unfortunately, we no longer give advice to other tax professionals gratis.

To receive our free newsletter, contact us here.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more updates.

Alan Olsen, CPA

Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com.  GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.

Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio

 

 

GROCO.com is a proud sponsor of The American Dreams Show.

 

American-Dreams-Show-Accounting-firm-in-ca-cpa-tax-advisors-groco-alan-olsen

The American Dreams show was the brainchild of Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA. It was originally created to fill a specific need; often inexperienced entrepreneurs lacked basic information about raising capital and how to successfully start a business.

Alan sincerely wanted to respond to the many requests from aspiring entrepreneurs asking for the information and introductions they needed. But he had to find a way to help in which his venture capital clients and friends would not mind.

The American Dreams show became the solution, first as a radio show and now with YouTube videos as well. Always respectful of interview guest’s time, he’s able to give access to individuals information and inspiration previously inaccessible to the first-time entrepreneurs who need it most.

They can listen to venture capitalists and successful business people explain first-hand, how they got to where they are, how to start a company, how to overcome challenges, how they see the future evolving, opportunities, work-life balance and so much more..

American Dreams discusses many topics from some of the world’s most successful individuals about their secrets to life’s success. Topics from guest have included:

Creating purpose in life / Building a foundation for their life / Solving problems / Finding fulfillment through philanthropy and service / Becoming self-reliant / Enhancing effective leadership / Balancing family and work…

Untitled_Artwork copy 4

MyPaths.com (Also sponsored by GROCO) provides free access to content and world-class entrepreneurs, influencers and thought leaders’ personal success stories. To help you find your path in life to true, sustainable success & happiness.  It’s mission statement:

In an increasingly complex and difficult world, we hope to help you find your personal path in life and build a strong foundation by learning how others found success and happiness. True and sustainable success and happiness are different for each one of us but possible, often despite significant challenges.

Our mission at MyPaths.com is to provide resources and firsthand accounts of how others found their paths in life, so you can do the same.

Posted in
3 Keys to Being a Great Girl Dad

3 Keys to Being a Great Girl Dad

Madeline Anderson on how to build strong father-daughter relationships: the story behind “Girl Dad”. Madeline Anderson, Author and Founder of The Girl Dad Network discusses the four stages to the art of successful multi-generational living on Alan Olsen‘s American Dreams Show.    A Realization and a Mission Growing up in Huntington Beach, California, Madeline Anderson enjoyed what she…

Gary Klaben four stages to successful multi-generational living

Successful Multi-Generational Living in 4 Stages

The art of multi-generational living: an interview with Gary Klaben. Gary Klaben: Principal at Coyle Financial, West Point grad, Author, and he possesses firsthand experience in multigenerational living. Gary discusses the four stages to the art of successful multi-generational living on Alan Olsen‘s American Dreams Show. In today’s fast-paced world, the concept of multi-generational living is gaining renewed interest.…

AI-Powered Leadership

Transform Your Leadership: Ultimate Guide to AI-Powered Leadership

Artificial Intelligence has transcended its role as a technological advancement to become a strategic asset in the executive toolkit through AI-Powered Leadership. With the advent of machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics, AI enables leaders to make more informed, data-driven decisions. The integration of AI-Powered Leadership practices signifies a paradigm shift in how…

Ethos, AI, and Internet Governance with Fadi Chehadé

Ethos, AI, and Internet Governance with Fadi Chehadé

Fadi Chehadé, Founder & Managing Partner Ethos Capital LLC, former ICANN CEO & Sr. Advisor to World Economic Forum‘s Executive Chairman, discusses AI, internet governess power, and Ethos on Alan Olsen‘s American Dreams Show.   This week on American Dreams, we sit down with Fadi Chehadé as he shares his journey from starting as a church custodian in LA to…