5 Tips to Winning Over Public Speaking Fears

The National Institute of Mental Health lists public speaking as the top source of fear in U.S. based on a data last verified in August 2012. This type of phobia, called glossophobia, has even surpassed people’s fear of death.

But thinking about it, talking or communicating is a propensity to us, humans. Although we usually would feel comfortable sharing only to a small group, our closest friends for example, still, speaking in public is in one way, innate in us.

Even when you have no plans pursuing a career under the sales or motivational talks industry, still it pays that you are able to speak in public.

Let us talk about few ways how you can survive, and thrive speaking in public.

1. Know what you’re talking about.

2. Speaking in a crowd composed of either 100 or 1,000 people shall both cause your pulse racing.

And the only way you can reduce this is by knowing your piece well. That doesn’t mean memorizing it. It means understanding your topic very well so you do not get lost. And even if you do (it’s okay!), you can get back on track easily.

3. Create an outline of the key points you are discussing. Do not write down your entire speech.

Take every opportunity there is to reciting your speech. The more you practice, the more you will sound natural, and the more you will turn out confident.

4. Connect with the audience.

Go approach those occupying the front row even before your talk begins. This shall help you establish rapport and may help reduce anxiety once you’ve hit the stage.

Make the talk lighter for you and your audience. Do not keep the stage only to yourself. Let others be heard as well. Encourage people to share their own thoughts. This shall help make them feel relaxed.

5. Avoid the dreaded fillers.

Um, like, and…

These are commonly said outright when one is asked a question but still are thinking how to respond, or got lost somewhere in the middle of their talk.

There’s nothing wrong pausing while collecting your thoughts. It is actually better that way than starting your sentence quick and creating dead air.

Prepare.

Curious how you look when talking?

Practice in front of the mirror. See, it’s only yourself in the background yet you already feel so conscious.

Now try it with your friends. Set up a camera so you can see how you are while speaking in front of a crowd. Are your movements too big they already rob your speech of attention? Do you connect with the audience? Or you just seem hurried to finish your talk?

It also pays that you visit the venue where you will be talking so you can make yourself comfortable even before the date comes.

Finally, never apologize.

You need not say sorry to your audience because you feel nervous.

Everyone taking the stage, even those who have prepared well, shall feel tensed when the moment comes. So it’s okay. Be sure to manage jitters though so it would not affect your speech.