Statistics say that the fear of public speaking is one of the top 5 most common fears of humanity. Don't believe me? Ask yourself: would you like to present some material to an audience of 10-15 people right now? Rather, you would rather sit in the audience. And the main reason is stress. Any performance in front of an audience is a test of stress resistance, because no one likes to be in an evaluation situation.
Perhaps only people whose profession is connected with the stage and rhetoric can afford to worry less than people with a non-public profession. Compare: an actor goes on stage or a coach once again speaks on a topic on psychology, and an office worker engaged in the field of finance must present a report to colleagues in a presentation format - of course, the amount of stress will be different in these cases
Launching a new product, giving a vocal performance for the first time, defending a thesis, or even an ordinary performance at a seminar class at a university - all this is associated with such concepts as “being in front of everyone,” “being the center of attention,” and this is not everyone’s element. Therefore, if you are familiar with the feeling of discomfort before public speaking, we recommend that you stop by this article.
If you want to delve deeper into the topic of rhetoric, dream of becoming a great speaker, making your own video blog, or simply strive to be a good speaker, we recommend that you take the online program “Modern Rhetoric”, where in just 8 weeks you will get acquainted with interesting techniques and techniques of public speaking.
Oh yes, before we begin, we will share with you a list of the most recognized speakers:
- Demosthenes;
- Marcus Tullius Cicero;
- Abraham Lincoln;
- Vladimir Lenin;
- Winston Churchill;
- Martin Luther King;
- Steve Jobs.
Of course, this list is far from complete, and if you remember anyone else, leave their names in the comments. But let's continue.
Let's immediately divide the entire complex process of public speaking into two stages: preparation and the speech itself. For now, let's see how to cope with difficulties at the first stage.
Why does fear appear?
Excitement and fear before performing on stage manifest themselves in varying degrees - some feel it to the point of nausea and dizziness, others experience sweaty hands. To know which ways to overcome this problem to choose, you need to study the reasons for its occurrence:
- fear of a large number of strangers and public places due to one’s own insecurity and unsociability,
- fear of forgetting words, making a mistake, looking stupid,
- the false belief that the public is determined to strictly evaluate the performer is biased towards him.
The formation of these factors occurs in childhood. In public places, you can often witness parents trying to calm down a loudly talking baby.
There may also be a reason such as a bad experience in the past. If a person has already had the opportunity to perform on stage, and it did not go as smoothly as expected, he is especially afraid of being in front of an audience again.
Whatever the cause of stage fright, there are a number of effective methods to overcome it.
Why you shouldn't be afraid to perform
When the reasons for panic in public speaking are known, it is much easier to overcome it, but initially we need to try to convince ourselves that we are worrying so much in vain.
The audience will not at all look for any shortcomings of the speaker. People want to gain information from or enjoy a speech. The musician should focus as much as possible on the instrument and try to convey to the viewer the emotional meaning of the composition. But a performer with a serious report or presentation needs to control the “meticulousness” of his story.
Whatever the topic of public speaking, it is important to remember its advantages:
- improvement of skills during careful preparation,
- a chance to be noticed by professionals,
- gaining the experience necessary for future performances.
If anxiety and fear still persist, some tips will help.
- Preparation and numerous rehearsals play an important role. Knowing your weaknesses makes it easy to understand what you need to work hard on. They can be identified by friends acting as listeners, or by a thorough analysis of your own program.
- Looking at yourself from the outside is also the key to success. The viewer is an ordinary person who wants to have a good time and get positive emotions, relax mentally and physically. It is necessary to know the preferences and needs of the audience, then it will be easy to overcome anxious thoughts that they will not like the performance.
- In literature and the Internet there are many special simple practices and exercises that will help you learn to communicate with the viewer and fight excessive isolation.
- You need to imagine the ideal performance, “act out” it in advance, think about what things make the performance unforgettable. The viewer will remember the speaker’s good mood, his infectious smile, and dialogue with the audience.
- It is important to think over your appearance and do this not an hour before the event, but at least a day before. Clothing should be comfortable and not embarrassing, first of all, for the speaker himself. Comfortable does not mean homely; the dress code must correspond to the theme of the performance, create a certain mood, and be part of the performance.
- The night before X-Day, you can take pills to relieve anxiety and stress, or drink herbal tea with lemon balm, mint or chamomile. Healthy sleep is the key to a successful day. Some effective drugs: Novo-Passit - a herbal medicine that normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, Motherwort forte - gently relieves anxiety and has a beneficial effect on mood, Persen - copes well with insomnia and stress, maintains energy during the day.
- Taking a bath with foam and oils. Warm water will relieve emotional and physical stress, help you calm down and find inner balance. While enjoying the procedure, you can mentally repeat the upcoming performance, because people are more courageous in private than in front of an audience.
Performance process
So, when speaking in public, remember a few fundamental things:
Start off right
Exchange a few words with the audience on an abstract topic: about the weather, how you got there, the latest news, etc. This will incredibly defuse the situation, you will become mentally closer to the audience, break down the barrier between yourself and people, and create a feeling of comfort. You won’t even notice how much easier it will be to build further dialogue.
Self-determination and representation are a very important point. Say your first and last name clearly, tell us a little about yourself, but don’t go too deep. Be concise, speak confidently, but without arrogance - this is always annoying.
Speaking...
Engage your audience actively using the visual channel. Choose eyes that are listening and intelligent, don't focus on one or two people, give attention to different parts of the audience.
Always rely on proven and truthful material. Don't forget that lies are read instantly, don't lie. You can, of course, come up with a story as an example, but connect it with a real life situation, do not exaggerate.
By the way, if you are thinking about how to present this or that material in a fascinating way, how to present information in an original and witty manner and remain in the memory of your listeners as a talented speaker, we advise you to take the online Storytelling program. In 5 weeks, you will become the owner of these and other useful skills in the field of telling absolutely any stories.
If you do make some mistakes, don’t focus on them, don’t focus on what could unsettle you. For example, while defending your thesis, the teacher asked you a question to which you did not find the answer. In this case, honestly admit “I don’t know” and move on. There is much more that you know and can tell.
Water, breathing, speed of speech
Keep your finger on the pulse! Yes, you need to be immersed in your speech, be in the material, but for a moment, evaluate yourself from the outside: check whether you are speaking too quickly, whether the audience can keep up with you, or, conversely, there are signs of boredom (someone yawns , looks at the phone or out the window for a long time, talks with his neighbor, etc.).
Don't neglect breathing and water. A significant role during a speech is given to the provision of drinks; almost all speakers have a glass of water next to them during more or less lengthy speeches. Ask that you also have the opportunity to drink, because it is difficult to perform with a dry throat.
Intonation
Intonation is a powerful tool for any speaker. By changing the volume of phrases, slowing down or increasing its speed, making rises and falls in your voice, you manipulate information, play with it and entertain the audience. Adapt the material of your speech to the required intonation, highlight more significant and less significant points and wrap it in the form of correct presentation. In addition, intonation is a transmitter of the speaker’s emotions, and no one has canceled their presence during public speaking. But don't overdo it. Do not forget about the golden mean, because too loud and too quiet chants may be inappropriate.
By using all the above tips, you will be able to perform with a bang. There is even a risk that you will like it and want to repeat it...
What will help you calm down before a performance?
Famous musicians and speakers recommend several breathing exercises that will help you relax and overcome the fear of performing. Take a deep breath, count to three, and then exhale and repeat this 10 times. To remove unnecessary thoughts from your head, you should think about what awaits the speaker after the event - applause, compliments, a delicious dinner, a relaxing bath.
This encourages and gives rise to the desire to perform rather than run from the stage. You will still have to have something light to eat; it is not recommended to perform on an empty stomach - usually malnutrition makes itself felt at the wrong time. This will make you nervous and want to satisfy the need rather than put all your effort into the performance.
Just before going on stage, do a few exercises to cope with anxiety:
- Breathing exercises are very effective. First you need to take a few deep breaths, and then alternately close one nostril and breathe in the second. It is important to imagine that calm and confidence are entering your lungs with air, and tension and fear are being exhaled.
- Warm-up of the whole body is useful. You need to take a deep breath and, as you exhale, straighten everything possible - your back, neck, arms, fingers. Be sure to stay in this position for a few minutes and then slowly sit down and relax.
- So that people are not afraid of a too tight smile and tightening of the facial muscles, you can do this simple action: lower your head and gently shake it from side to side. After a couple of minutes, the facial muscles will relax.
How to learn to speak in public if you are an introvert
I’m standing on stage, looking over the heads of hundreds of people who are staring at me - they are waiting for me to start talking, to say at least something - and an inner voice reminds me: “You are not the right person for this.”
I was opening the TEDx conference with my talk, which meant I had to set the tone for the entire event. This is a huge responsibility and also one of the most important gigs of my life. In any other circumstances, I would answer my inner voice: “Yes, you are right. I shouldn't be here. I'm an introvert. I am an editor. I can’t even finish a sentence in a conversation with my own wife without thinking about what I could say differently.”
But, fortunately, I prepared in advance. Not only did he prepare a speech, but he also knew how to cope with such destructive impulses. I knew what I needed to say, I believed in what I was going to say, I had a plan in case the ideal circumstances in which I prepared were not so in reality.
Today I can stand on stage in front of thousands of people and confidently say what I think. If I'm lucky, a few tricks and a couple of jokes won't completely fail. But it was not always so.
When it comes to public speaking, all my confidence is the result of a lot of work, disappointments, cold sweats and awkward situations. But I'm glad I had the experience because it got me here - and I can share some lessons on how to go from a scared, bumbling idiot to a calm, confident speaker.
This is perhaps the most important part of the article for you - just knowing that you can learn how to speak in front of an audience. You didn't have to be born with this skill.
How to share your idea not just with a small group of friends, but talk about it from a big stage to thousands of strangers - there are several lessons (many of them from speakers much better than me, I might add). These lessons changed me from a shy, stuttering presenter to a confident and respectable one. I hope they will help you convey your own ideas to others.
Don't talk about things you don't understand
Sounds like useless, obvious advice. This is wrong. If you follow it perfectly, you won’t really need the rest of the points in this article - you’ll do everything well anyway.
One day, after a few speeches, when you have established yourself as a good speaker, opportunities will open up for you to speak in distant places with pleasant names. There is one catch - the content. Perhaps you have established yourself as an expert on canary mating, and then you receive an email inviting you to attend a conference and talk about global trends in paper clip sales.
You should thank them for the invitation and politely decline.
The reason is simple: you don't know what to say about it. Even if you try to collect information in a short time, you still won’t get a good presentation - you are not interested in the topic itself. You don't really want to talk about it and the host isn't interested in you giving a good talk. They just want you to attend the event because they saw your video and thought you were a famous person.
Therefore, such simple advice is difficult to follow. You're new, you want to stand out, this seems like a great opportunity for you.
If you've ever bought something with the expectation that it would work like this, only to find that it doesn't (think of that commercial that pushed you into making an ill-advised purchase), then you understand the disappointment that awaits both parties from the very beginning .
And don't forget: you don't always get more if you say yes. If you want to be a world famous paperclip expert, then go ahead. But if you have a message you want to share with the world, stick to it. You can adapt your message to attract new audiences, but never stray from it.
Specify transitions in the script and nothing else
If you're like me, you have a stern editor inside you who sits on your shoulder with a red marker in his hands and a pair of glasses perched on his nose, ready to casually throw out, “D! And stay after class,” for every sentence you said. No matter what you said, the feeling that you could have said it better never leaves you.
When preparing a presentation, people like us usually write a script or outline. When you write a script, there is every chance of finding the right wording.
As the ancient Chinese strategist and warrior Sun Tzu wrote: “No plan survives the first meeting with the enemy.” This is the main problem with a detailed plan. In our case, of course, there is no enemy, but there is a world full of uncertainty. Once you step on stage, everything becomes real and there is no second take. The more detailed your script, the more likely you are to screw it up. When you're new to the world of public speaking, standing on stage and trying to remember what's next is the last thing you need.
So what should you do instead? Just improvise? Not really.
While a detailed script will bring you more trouble than help, you'll need a different kind of plan. You need to start from the starting points in your story (you know, there are things that you cannot forget about, even if you try hard) and write down the moments of transition from one thought to another.
Personal stories work well because:
- The audience loves them, they help to establish communication.
- You don't need to write them down because you already remember them.
We've been telling each other stories for as long as we've been human. This is how we transmitted information long before the invention of paper. We are genetically programmed to remember them (which makes them easier to present), and, more importantly, the audience is genetically programmed to listen to them (and become happier hearing the stories).
Since the same story can be freely told differently each time, you don't have to write everything down exactly to the last word. Enough with the basic points, your human inclinations will take care of the rest. Writing down the main points will help connect the stories.
Practice a little more than you need
My friend Chris Guillebeau, founder and emcee of The World Domination Summit, spends a year giving at least 10 talks every weekend during the year. Sometimes he tells a story. Other times, he reminds the audience of the 15 important things that were discussed before the lunch break.
As a WDS member and aspiring speaker, I once asked him, “How do you remember everything you need to say, in full, every time you step on stage?” I was hoping for a secret life hack, but his answer - and this is the honest truth - was the most ordinary: “I practice a lot.”
Now I do this too. And it works. Whenever I have to give a speech, I rehearse at least 2-3 times. It takes time, it's often boring, you have to practice for days or weeks, and you don't really want to practice again. But you are not doing this for yourself. You do it for your audience. If you want to be remembered by her, you will have to immerse yourself in unattractive, boring, monotonous work.
Break your report into parts
Chris Gillibeau's advice wasn't just to practice a lot. He also mentioned that he is working on certain parts. He tries to break his presentation into pieces and then puts them back together.
Now I do the same, and it reduces the preparation time. By working on parts, I can develop and decide on different parts of the presentation in parallel. If I stumble on a piece of text in the middle (or, even worse, at the very beginning), I don’t have to wait for the perfect working state without doing anything - I can work on other parts until I get the problem resolved.
Finish your report faster, spend more time practicing until it becomes a habit. Nothing builds confidence more than success, and nothing builds success like constant practice.
Some people only exercise as much as they need to. When I say “practice more,” I mean practice more than you need to.
Slow down. Come down slowly
A common problem for all introverts like me: once we start talking, we start chasing the thoughts we were trying to get rid of. My head is an idea generator that is constantly moving forward. My mouth, on the other hand, speaks slowly, trying not to make a mistake.
But at one fine moment you break through, and you let all the accumulated thoughts out. Trying to keep up with your brain is like an ant trying to hold on to a bull rushing down a mountainside. But trying to speed up your speech in order to say everything that was born in your head leads to exactly the opposite effect: you start to stutter, get lost, and repeat yourself. Therefore, you become even more nervous and move away from the planned speech.
If your idea is important, then it deserves all the time it takes to express it. A more useful approach is to think more slowly. Not exactly slowly, of course, but rather with more caution.
This problem arises due to negligence: you do not connect thoughts with each other, but instead start jumping from one to another. A few jumps off the road and you have a hard time remembering where you are.
It’s easy to fixate on one thought. When you notice that your thoughts have taken you too far ahead, simply go back and repeat the desired idea.
Don't get lost!
When I was preparing for my TEDx talk, I called my friend Mike Pacchione, a public speaking expert, to point out my shortcomings. He caught me going off topic often.
This happens when the idea you are talking about disappears into nothingness and you decide to follow it. The problem is that mind wandering rarely ends with one idea. Once you get lost, you continue to fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole.
The problem is not that you can't tell interesting stories when you're wandering, but that once you start wandering, you become completely lost. How does a tourist get lost in the forest? He takes one step off the path to look at the plants. And then: “Oh, mushrooms,” and a few more steps to the side. “Hey, that tree up ahead looks cool,” and it’s only when he decides to go back that he realizes he has no idea how to do it.
The temptation to wander in thoughts can be high, but then it is very difficult to get back on the right path.
There are two practical ways to solve this problem. The first is to follow tip #3 and practice a lot. The more you practice, the more of your own stories you remember and know where they can lead. Another solution is that the only thing that can help when you are standing on stage and feel like you are going off topic is to get the unnecessary thoughts out of your head.
Your brain doesn't want to follow distracted thoughts, it wants to think about them. The best way to stay on track is to remind yourself that you can think about them... just not right now. Get them out of your head. Perhaps they can be used during the delivery of the same talk in the future. But for heaven's sake, don't try to use them now.
Create a calming ritual
My heart was ready to pierce my chest. I felt that all my muscles were tense and my field of vision was beginning to narrow. Breathing began to quicken. "What's happening?" - I asked myself. I was on the verge of a panic attack. I needed to step onto the stage to give the most important speech of my life, but the only thing I could think about was that I was going to let everything go to hell. This released the stress reaction, and everything went downhill.
Luckily, I was instructed on what to do if this happened. Vanessa Van Edwards, one of the greatest speakers I have had the pleasure of knowing, helped me prepare. She shared that she herself also gets nervous before big presentations. If she hadn't told me this herself, I would never have thought about it.
The secret she uses? Calming technique. Every good speaker has one, and every good speaker knows that sticking to it is essential to being at your best.
What Vanessa does: She finds a quiet place where, a few minutes before she is scheduled to go on stage, she straightens her back, breathes deeply, and imagines success.
This may sound a little stupid, but it actually works. I use this method myself.
Before an important event, it is absolutely normal for the body to start releasing a lot of the stress hormone cortisol. We become especially sensitive to stressful situations. Just thousands of years ago, feeling stressed and not reacting to it could have cost you your life.
This doesn't happen often these days—I can't remember any reports of "death by indecisiveness"—but our biology hasn't kept up. The terrible irony is that the more you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by stress, the more likely you are to make mistakes and perform poorly.
Therefore, before you go on stage, check yourself and your stress level. It's normal to feel nervous. And nervousness is bad. Always take a few minutes before heading out to calm down.
When you're wrong, keep talking.
I was a big fan of the television show The Colbert Report. I rarely missed even an episode. It was some of the most popular live "news" on television. If you watched the show, you may have noticed that Steven mixed up his words in almost every episode. He could construct a phrase in such a way that it lost its meaning, he could miss a word or pronounce it incorrectly.
But you might not have noticed it because Colbert didn't seem to react at all. When he made a mistake, he didn't hesitate or try to correct it. He just kept talking because he knew what all introverted public speakers should remember:
context is more important than details.
He could make a mistake and not even pay any attention to it. And no one noticed this, because no one listened to every word spoken. Everyone listened to the context.
Much worse than a small mistake is drawing attention to it. If you falter, use your sense of humor to smooth things over. Laugh it off and move on.
Remember that the audience wants everything to go well
Most likely, the simplest advice that everyone gives helped me learn how to put all the previous tips into action:
Always remember that the audience does not want you to fail.
When you're nervous about a big event coming up, this simple truth can be easily forgotten. Your audience is not going to chase you off stage. She wants to learn what you want to teach them. Those gathered are spending their time and perhaps money to listen to you. People don't give up their time and money for a bad experience. But just the opposite.
When you're nervous before a speech, it's easy to think, "What if someone doesn't like what I have to say?" This thought begins to spread, and soon you will begin to ask yourself, “What if everyone hates me?”
This type of thinking leads to poor performances. Don't think so. Don't let yourself go down this road, because in reality the audience is on your side. She wants you to succeed. And, if you follow these nine tips, you'll have every advantage to be at your best.
