A Helpful Guide to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

You will have to agree with me when I say,

Public Speaking or Communication Skill, in general, is one of the most valuable skills to learn.

It is essential both in your personal and professional life.

But, you will also agree when I say,

Public Speaking is also one of the most dreaded skills.

The moment you present yourself in front of the audience:

"You feel a chill down your spine, your mind turns completely blank, your heart starts racing, your blood pressure increases, you feel intense anxiety, you fear if you will mess up, your hands and legs start to shake, and your voice starts to quiver."

But, you're not alone. In fact, 75% of the population is estimated to be affected by public-speaking anxiety or simply put Stage Fright. Woah! That's a lot. Honestly, lucky are those, who are born speakers. 

But, Don't worry. 

Overcoming the fear of public speaking can be challenging but definitely not impossible. Trust me, because I'm saying this through my experience.

Now, if you're ready, let's look into these helpful guide below:

1. Believe You Can

"The only way to overcome your fear is to fight them." 

The power of your determination is profound, but, too often, we are stuck up on criticizing our own abilities. If something doesn't go right, then instead of finding the ways to make it right, we just give up. That will not do you any good. You must be willing to accept the defeat but still, keep going because success or skills cannot be acquired overnight.

I mentioned it in my previous post, that I grew up as an Introvert. As someone, who wouldn't even speak a word in the classroom, Guess, what I did.

I gave my name for the election of School Vice-Prefect. Even to this date, I give myself a pat on the back for my confidence. Luckily, actually, shockingly, I got selected and the next day, I had to lead the School assembly. More than 500 students and teachers, I was trembling and I wanted to run away. The experience wasn't that great, to be honest, and I was even called by the teacher to question If I could really fulfill the responsibilities. 

For a moment, I regretted my decision because I felt I made a fool out of myself. But, just, the fact, that I gave my name was because I believed in myself. One bad experience wasn't enough to break me down. Instead, it gave me a reason to keep going.

So, believe in yourself. Who knows, you might be the next speaker that the world will remember for generations.

If it makes you feel any better, then here's a quote by the famous Philosopher and Essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"All the great speakers were bad speakers at first"

2. Practice, A LOT

Once you have made up your mind to fight your fear, then you must be now willing to pour your heart and soul into the process. 

Now, when I say process, the first thing that we do is watch videos, read books, and some even enroll in a class to learn the basics. That's great. That is exactly where you should start. 

But, that's not enough. You might have a basic understanding but you will not be perfect until and unless you practically enforce it.

My suggestion:

Grab a topic of your interest, and practice the delivery in front of a mirror. That way, you can notice your body posture, your facial expressions, your hand gestures, and identify the shortcomings yourself. Start individually, and once, you feel a little confident then ask your parents to be your audience. 

3. Constructive Feedbacks

Its a normal human behavior to be offended by criticisms. One reason, we hate the thought of public speaking so much is because we fear that we aren't good enough and we might have to face criticisms. That's exactly what it is. 

But, why don't we take these criticisms as constructive feedback?

For instance, let's say someone criticized you, saying that your presentation was so boring because you spoke too slow. Now, most often we just focus on the bad part. But, look at the part where the criticizer is identifying your area to improve. You spoke too slow?

Well, now you know what exactly you have to improve next time.

I personally ask for constructive feedbacks every time I give a presentation or when I'm working in groups. This has significantly helped me overcome my fear of public speaking because now I feel more confident and excited, to be honest.

4. Grab every opportunity that comes your way

Every opportunity gives you a new experience, and every new experience is new learning.  The more you present yourself in front of the audience, the greater the speaker you will become and you will overcome your fear. It's simply because "Practice makes a man perfect." 

So, take lead, be involved, and grab the opportunities that come your way. 

This reminds me of that time when I was out of town for vacation. I got a call from my college and I was asked if I could give a welcome speech for the Freshers orientation day. I didn't think twice and I said Yes.

Had I declined the opportunity that knocked on my door, I wouldn't be able to confidently say that, "I gave a welcome speech."

Honestly, It was such a great experience and learning. And, I must say, with every new experience, I become more confident. So, don't miss the opportunities because,

"Nothing is more expensive than missed Opportunity"

In this way, even though it's challenging, trust in yourself, and trust in the process. 

You will overcome your fear without you even realizing just like I did. 

Comment down below if you have more suggestions and share your experiences. I would love to hear it.

XO.

Share this post: