Legal Writing

More stories from the public speaking wars

You're afraid the audience will see how nervous you are

First of all, they won't. You are 100 times more aware of your own body and physical condition than your audience is. Remember this quote:

"I stopped worrying about what people would think about me, when I realized how seldom people think about anyone but themselves." ~Stephen Eggleston

Beyond that, go ahead and do some deep breathing and relaxation exercises before you begin, and consciously tell yourself to breathe during the presentation.

And take the time necessary to prepare. Do not wing it. The more prepared you are and the better you know your topic, the less likely you are to feel anxiety.

Lisa is so right. People come to the presentation because they are interested in the topic or because they are your fans. In either the case, they are not there to criticize you. Think about what the audience wants from you and not about your sweaty palms.

Oftentimes, people who are speaking think they are scared when their bodies are just preparing them for the "confrontation" with the audience.Take 3 deep breathes, and jiggle your body a bit to clear some of the physical tension building.

The benefit of the human condition known as "fight or flight" is that the adrenaline rush will get you to the podium and power your first statement. The problem is that most of us misinterpret the heightened senses as fear or nervousness. Think of it as POWER!

You are going to comedown fast from the adrenaline surge, so be ready.

Memorize what you are going to say in the first 60 seconds. While you are saying whatever that is, your boost of adrenaline will dissipate and you can regain control of yourself.

Full post as published by Building Rapport on August 07, 2008 (boomark / email).