Posted by Theresa Bradley-Banta
Your heart is racing… your palms are sweating.
You’re about to speak in front of some people who aren’t your family or your best friends. That was practice.
But that’s OK. You won’t die. You probably won’t even embarrass yourself, although it’s possible.
The only thing that can get you over your fear is to take the plunge. Your audience will only see about 2% of your fear — the rest is hidden in your mind.
Education definitely helps. Knowing your topic and having a passion for your topic definitely helps.
Power points are good for keeping you on track — but do not read them to your audience. Outlines (that you know by heart) are good for keeping you on track. This means you did your homework.
Notes are OK too… but as a last resort. And, only after you say, “I’m not sure about that, let me consult my notes”.
The best advice?
Believe unquestionably in your worth.
Oh, and that embarrassing thing you said? The only one that remembers it tomorrow is you.
Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of www.bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, mentor, coach, blogger, real estate investor and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve learned from hard experience, when you embarrass yourself take credit for it and laugh along with everyone else. Thanks for a great post.
Great post! Public speaking has never been easy for me. I’ve always thought, the more I do it the better it will get. Well, so far I’ve been wrong.
I agree with what you said; only about 2% of our fear will actually show through. Most people usually say they could never tell that I’m nervous when I speak. Boy are they wrong!
Thanks for your comment Nicole. You must be doing a good job when speaking to get such positive feedback. Congratulations for speaking in spite of the nerves! Most people never step up, they let their fear hold them back. Good luck on future speaking engagements.
Theresa