Fear of Public Speaking – What to Do about It

Seinfeld, one of the greatest observational comedians of all times, jokingly observed: “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Although not as severe as the fear of death, fear of public speaking is indeed real. According to Forbes, 10 percent of people are genuinely terrified with public speaking. They will go at great lengths to avoid it. In fact, the very thought of speaking in front of a group can bring about feelings of extreme anxiety and nausea.

Want to get rid of your fear of public speaking? Here are some actions that you can take:

Embrace Your Nervousness

Giving a speech or presentation in a room full of people will surely rattle your nerves. Even the greats who do it time and again feel nervous before their talk. Some signs include increased heartbeat, sweaty palms, etc.

Before you go in, take time to relax. Feel nervous but make sure you assure yourself with positive self-talk.

Be Very Well-Prepared

It is very important that you practice your talk thoroughly. From preparing notes to asking friends to provide feedback, make sure you leave no stones unturned.

Being well-prepared will give you confidence and help you stay on top of your game.

Target Specific Concerns

From making eye contact to stuttering, you might have pinpointed some areas of concern when speaking in public.

It is always a good idea to focus on specific weaknesses and fix them. Breaking down the idea of public speaking into concrete weaknesses can help great deal when you finally take the stand.

Visualize Success

As part of the preparation process, it is a good idea to imagine yourself giving an incredible talk or presentation. Many successful athletes and motivational speakers use this strategy.

Visualizing the situation makes your mind ready for success. It also helps you get rid of all the anxieties that you might have.

Share a Story

People hate speakers who run through their slides reading details from the PowerPoint. The whole point of your talk is to engage with your audience.

Sharing stories will not only help you grab the attention of your audience, it will also help settle nerves down.

With incredible expertise in the field of psychotherapy, Rekha Shrivastava offers hypnosis sessions for her clients in Rochester, New York. Thoroughly understanding the fear of public speaking, she uses effective hypnosis techniques to help people overcome the fear. Take a look at her other services.

Sources

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/expert-answers/fear-of-public-speaking/faq-20058416

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianscudamore/2016/10/19/6-ways-to-conquer-your-fear-of-public-speaking/#688dfc0c2403

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