Archive for the ‘public speaking fear’ Category
Beating The Fear Of Public Speaking
We all know that being in the public eye is not only a huge part of running a business but also a key aspect to being taken seriously as a professional in Network Marketing, Sales, Corporate Relations, etc. Unfortunately, the fear of public speaking can make or break our success in life.
Conquering the FEAR that most people experience when they speak in front of others is most easily understood in four steps that just happen to coincide with the actual letters in the word itself.
F – Fight/Flight E – Excitement A – Adrenaline Rush R – Rehearse
F – Fight/Flight A person’s initial response to an unfamiliar situation is either fight or flight. If you choose flight, then you are basically saying, “I’m out of here”. You run from being pulled out of your comfort zone and refuse the idea of change. People that seek success and aren’t afraid of confronting their fears usually make the other choice…FIGHT! They recognize that they are outside of their comfort zone and are willing to face those fears head on. Yes, it is very scary but don’t let fear take control by running away from your dreams!
E – Excitement When you make the decision to walk in front of an audience and open your heart up to a bunch of strangers, you are excited and eager to forge forward on your journey. The realization of being personally responsible for the initiation of your own dream and acting on that dream is so exciting that it is overwhelming for the human body. So, what happens next?
A – Adrenaline Rush You made the choice to fight your fear of public speaking, you’re excited about this choice and now your adrenaline begins to rush throughout your entire body. Your knees begin to knock, your hands shake, your skin becomes clammy and worst of all…YOU CAN’T BREATHE! An adrenaline rush will cause you to second guess your choice of fight, but don’t give into those negative emotions.
R- Rehearse The last and most important step in conquering your fear of public speaking is to rehearse. You must do it over and over and over again until you are comfortable in your new environment, you deliver an outstanding presentation, and you embrace your audience like you’ve known them for years. Rehearsal is the step that will determine the quality of your public speaking.
Motivating champions worldwide! John Di Lemme
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Fear Of Public Speaking And Presentation Panic
I have just come across a couple of posts on the web that I think you will like to do with (i) public speaking fear and (ii) what to do when your presentation goes wrong.
The first is from Nick Morgan.
In Nick’s recent post he discusses public speaking fear , anxiety etc. In it he talks about the reasons that a persons fear of public speaking may have developed. But, more importantly he moves on to talk about what can be done to beat these nerves.
He identifies 3 basic categories you can work on;-
First, you can work on the speech itself
Second, you can work on your physical symptoms
Finally, you can work on your mind
You can find the details here:-
The next is by Thomas Walligum.
In Steve Jobs recent presentation to launch the next version of the iphone he ran into trouble with his presentation. Steve is recognized as one of the best presenters. By observing what he does we can all learn something that we can use in our nest presentation.
In this article Thomas outlines the situation and gives us the “takeaways” that we can use when the unexpected happens with in our presentation. The article starts as follows:
Trouble can sneak up on the best presenters—just ask Steve Jobs about his Wi-Fi connection at Monday’s iPhone 4 announcement. But you can use strategies to mitigate PPT meltdowns and awkward silences, says presentation expert and The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs author Carmine Gallo. Here are his expert tips. Read the rest by clicking here:
http://www.cio.com/article/596271/How_Steve_Jobs_Beats_Presentation_Panic?page=1&taxonomyId=3000
Let me know what you think of these posts and if you have any of your own tips.
Conquering Your Public Speaking Fear
Everyone at some point in their life will have to confront some challenges. For some people it is the fear of public speaking. It is a fear that effects so many people from young to old. The fear of public speaking is directly related to the fear of failure or the fear of being in a room full of people. Overcoming these fears may seem difficult while in the moment, but the best way of dealing with your fears is to face them directly.
Fear is a deterrent that can hold you hostage to keep you from realizing your dreams. The presence of fear itself can serve as a self destructive force that can reduce confidence in several of your everyday functions. That truth has been told so many times by the cliché “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself”. Although it may sound like just some sort of pep talk, these words are absolutely true. As a matter of fact, I am going to share with you a personal experience I had while attempting to conquer my fears of public speaking.
Until my first public speaking assignment in the fourth grade, I never knew that I had a fear of speaking in public. I was quite social at that age and I was also popular, but the thought of getting in front of the whole classroom gave me more than just butterflies. To make matters worse, I was the first one called to give my presentation to the classroom. Being that I did not have a choice, I was forced to face my fears.
The presentation seem like it took forever for me to finish. I felt like it was a never ending bad dream, but at the end of the day, I received the highest marks in the class. The fact is even the kids that were not nervous, did not do well because they were experiencing something new. The only way to overcome the fear of anything for me is practice. It is easy to fear the unknown, but until you face your fears, you will never know what it is that you actually fear.
It can be hard or even seem impossible for someone trying to overcome their fears on their own, but it doesn’t have to be. Everyone needs an inspirational friend to confide in to release the uncomfortable self doubt that fear can create. I believe that fear is just a lazy mind that needs encouragement, so I try to surround myself with motivational positive individuals. If your surroundings prevent you from finding that inspiration, you can also wrap your thoughts around a good book. I have found some great inspiration from reading the short inspirational thoughts from The Eby Way by Gary Eby.
Overcoming the fear of public speaking was a one of my greatest triumphs. The fact that I was forced to face my fears gave me an unfair advantage over someone else that has to go it alone. My advice to anyone trying to face the fear of public speaking or any other fears is to remember that many more people before you had those same fears. If they can overcome those fears to become a great success, you can also. You must also remember that you really don’t have to face your fears yourself. If you take the time to feed your mind with positive thoughts, you will be able to conquer any challenges that life can offer. Marc Marseille is ambitious thriving entrepreneur who believes that wealth and happiness is created by helping others succeed. For more about overcoming adversity you can visit The Eby Challenge.
Public Speaking And Anxiety Attacks
Panic attacks used to stop me in my tracks. When it came to public speaking, I just froze up. When you suffer from anxiety and have panic attacks, it can be an overwhelming experience. I don’t know about you, but if I have to speak in public, I’m starting to worry and panic weeks before the event even takes place. It’s a frustrating experience.
Public speaking is a very common fear. When you’re prone to panic attacks, public speaking can really push your anxiety buttons.
What exactly triggers panic attacks when speaking in public?
I know I used to turn red just standing up in a classroom and having to speak. Speaking in front of a group turned me bright red, and my heart would be racing, I just wish I knew how to stop panic attacks back then. What about office meetings? Do they make you uncomfortable also? If you’re put on the spot and have to express an opinion, do you have a panic attack? I know that it was extremely stressful, and while I knew what I wanted to say, and actually spoke, I was so overwhelmed inside, it was horrible. My pulse would be racing, I’d feel this throbbing in my head, my face would turn bright red, and my breathing would get more rapid. Let’s face it; sometimes it was really difficult to get the words out. I was capable of offering information, but the fact that I was having a panic attack made it feel near impossible. Now I know how to keep panic away, and you can too with a panic away program. You’ll be able to overcome panic attacks and finally feel comfortable with public speaking.
What exactly are people afraid of during panic attacks during public speaking?
Overcoming panic attacks means peace of mind. When you’re afraid of having a panic attach, you freeze up and are afraid you won’t be able to speak or are afraid the words won’t come out properly. This is more than jitters; this is an incredibly uncomfortable feeling when placed in front of other people. It’s a very threatening feeling inside, not your typical nerves. Unless you’ve experienced a panic attack, they can be difficult to express the fear and panic that goes along with them.
What should you do if you experience a panic attack?
Anxiety attacks often feel worse then they actually are. While they may overwhelm you, there’s isn’t an actual danger to you. This is an internal thing, and you can control the situation. Listen, a really great tip when it comes to public speaking is trying to remember it’s about the message you’re trying to convey, not about you. Take the focus off of yourself, and realize the information your expressing is good information.
So many people have a fear of public speaking, but when you mix in anxiety attacks, it can be frustrating. The first thing I’d recommend to push panic away, is to look into a panic away program.
Just because you’ve had anxiety attacks in the past, doesn’t mean you’ll have them for life. There is help, and there are ways to overcome your panic attacks. If you are ready to learn more about anxiety and panic attack treatments go on and check out the complete list of Natural Cures for Anxiety that are available now.
Beating Public Speaking Fear
he day arrives when you are going to publicly speak. You are ready. Or are you Nervous? Anxious? Terrified? Excited? Maybe all of the above? You’ve been in that situation before, haven’t you? You arrived at the venue on time in order to prepare. You are happy with the visual aids, props, room and room layout. You have checked how to use the equipment. You have completed all the planning and preparation required. You have learned and practised the presentation/speech numerous times, (not too well or it may come across as though you are reading it!!!). You have made sure you are dressed and groomed appropriately and in keeping with the audience’s expectations. Your notes are all in order. You are ready to vary the tone of your voice, to lift the energy and inspire your audience. You are focused on what the audience wants and expects. But…. …are you ready? You are still not confident, are you? It happens to us all. We are fully prepared but “just not confident enoughâ€. So how do you boost your confidence? Think about an event in the past where you did something, which worked out absolutely fantastic for you. Imagine stepping onto the stage just as confident when you were promoted or just finished a 10 mile run or asked someone out on a date and they said yes or receiving great feedback from your boss’s boss. Well you can and all it takes is practice. This is an exercise I learned from Dr Richard Bandler, the co-founder of NLP, which all super successful individuals use. Know it…use it…and you could be like them. Try this 5-minute exercise: • Imagine a time when you were super-confident • Remind yourself what happened What were people saying to you? How did you feel? What did you see? Was there any particular sounds or smells? Are you painting the picture of when you felt super-confident? Make the picture really bright and big How do you feel right now? More confident then you did 5 minutes ago? Most probably. By remembering past experiences and allowing the feelings to spread all over you, you are telling you brain that the experience is happening right now �” in this moment. This is a simple exercise to boost your confidence. Complete the exercise the next time you are about to step onto the stage. Be calm, walk on the stage or to the meeting with your head held high and make sure you are smiling. Now deliver magnificently.
About the Author
Andrew Rondeau transformed himself from a $4 an-hour petrol-pump attendant to a highly successful Senior Manager earning $500k every year. Discover How to Maximize Your Income and Minimize Your Effort by receiving Andrew’s free e-Course and report: http://www.greatmanagement.org/
Dealing With Public Speaking Stage Fright
Are you organized for a pop quiz? Define glossophobia. If you are thoughts that this word means an intense horror of something, you are central there. Glossophobia is an acute concern of known idiom. Now heave your hand if you bear from glossophobia. Chances are, your hand is high in the air right about now. Statistics have revealed that municipal dialect anxiety is right up there with an alarm of snakes and downfall. It is sheer that known terms sends many to the depths of terror, but the good rumor is that there are methods that you can employ to overcome your known words worry.
The first question to address when confronting a community dialect phobia is why the fear exists in the first place. For most folks, the thought of status in front of a group of people makes them worry about how they will be perceived by the crowd. No one needs to be laughed at, or seen as foolish, and putting manually in the broadcast eye seems to intensify the odds of that stirring. You may be alarmed that you will forget what to say, or that you will stumble over your words. If you endure from this kind of fear of known words, here are a few tips to help you overcome them.
How to See your Audience
There is an age-old model of advice that suggests you will be minus worried before a crowd if you visualize the people in the listeners in their underwear. Most community speakers will perhaps approve that this is not the most effective way to style the viewers coolly and professionally. Perhaps a better structure is to ponder the verity that these folks want to see you work in you’re civic chatting work as much as you do. Think of the group as pulling for you, and you will have a, much better gamble of connecting with your crowd. It also helps to calculate to ten once you consider the pedestal, and, before you dawn language. This will give your audience a fortune to groom for what you have to say, and will allocate you to take hegemony of the extent. Once you open dialogue, grin and make eye call with your group to get them to reply to you with addition and enthusiasm. It may not be a relaxed mission if your knees are knocking below, but it will help you to relax a bit and gain some confidence before launch your tongue.
Of course, overcoming a communal dialogue phobia begins before you ever pierce the auditorium. If you have prepared your sermon thoroughly, and researched the scope that you will be dialogue in, the crowd that you will be talking to and the capital that you will be using, you will purely contact the happening with a great pact more confidence. It also helps to follow your oration several epoch before the big day. Don’t rely only on the mirror for your routine time each (though this is one good technique). Practice in front of your family and links, and allow them to suggest constructive opinion to help you improve. This applied will intensely help you to get gone your broadcast dialogue phobia.
Finally, consider that many people bear from the same public dialect phobia that you are experiencing. Even some prominent performers still have to wrestle with stage dread before a performance. Knowing that you are not lonely in your fear will be a great help in overcoming your public idiom phobia. And once you have delivered a few of these speeches, the treat will most definitely become much easier. Practice makes textbook or at slightest minus dreadful.
For tips on list of phobias and commitment phobia, visit the Phobia List website.
Your Fear Of Public Speaking Is Ridiculous
I’m going to go ahead and apologize now. This article may hurt a few feelings. It may cause people to curse me. It might even cause somebody to throw something. Hopefully, it will inspire some people to trash their fear of public speaking while I’m at it.It’s been well documented that the fear of public speaking grips a good number of adults.
Public speaking is often said to rank higher on our list of fears that laying six feet deep in the dirt. Some people draw the analogy of a funeral by saying that most people would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy. I don’t know about you but I’m on a streak of leaving funerals alive.
Let’s dive headfirst into the Top 3 Reasons Why Public Speaking Fear is Ridiculous.
1 – It’s Unavoidable
What is that you’re saying.
You can avoid public speaking?
You don’t have to present ideas if you don’t want to?
You hate it so much that the very thought makes your stomach turn so you’ll never do it?
OK. You got me. If you prefer to live your entire life in a cave you can avoid it. If robbing yourself of the best life possible is your forte then go for it. If cowering in fear is your preferred plan then have at it. I hope you have fun and I’m glad you raised those concerns.
The story is a little different for the rest of the humans on earth. You know who I’m talking about. I’m talking about those strange people that interact with others. Those crazy people that have careers. Those insane few that attend social events with the intention of (gasp) talking to other people. Those absolutely loony married men and women who are raising a family together.
Those people absolutely can’t avoid it. I’d be willing to bet you a pair of my favorite socks that you are one of the 99.9 percent.
2 – It’s Simple
When I was in college there were quite a few classes that I didn’t care much for. Computer Science was an annoying class that didn’t interest me at all. Calculus struck me as arbitrarily overcomplicated math that someone with too much time on their hands thought up.
As much I as I hated those two they were no comparison for the class I hated the most.
That class was . . . physics.
I liked the idea of taking a physics class and learning about the world around me. The actual course design was another monster altogether. Every week there were multiple homework assignments due. Each assignment had 8 questions with 4 or 5 sub questions. Every week there was a three hour lab (Did I mention my lab was on Friday?). Once a month we would have an insane test with 8 or 9 questions on it. The room for error on those tests was 2 questions max. After that you could consider the test failed. The material was foreign and poorly explained. If you had any hope of getting a decent grade in the class then you had to commit at least 15 hours to the course each week.
Physics was the bane of my college career because it was unconstitutionally hard, boring, tedious, and time consuming. I won’t name my professors because I like to protect the innocent.
Public speaking will never rival physics on the difficulty scale. There are no ballistics, kinematics, kinetics, or gravitational force formulas to memorize and apply. When you’re speaking its usually you and 20 or so people in the room. All you have to do is grab their attention, stuff them full of good information, and give them a closing they can’t forget.
Which would you rather do?
- Calculate the thermodynamic potential of a system
- Convince 20 people that its worth their time to listen to you
I’ll take menu option #2 waiter. It looks good from here.
3 – Public Speaking is Harmless
Here’s a list of phobias that I agree and sympathize with:
- Androphobia – The fear of men (men are silly, insane, immature creatures).
- Allodoxaphobia – The fear of opinions (the world would be better off with more facts and fewer opinions).
- Caligynephobia – The fear of beautiful women (they can be so harsh when they reject you).
- Coprastasophobia – The fear of constipation (constipation isn’t fun . . . not that I would know or anything).
- Zemmiphobia – The fear of the great mole rat (never seen one but it sounds mean).
Men, beautiful women, opinions, constipation, and the great mole rat have all caused great pain. Men start wars so that beautiful women will have high opinions of them. Constipation usually puts an end to the war.
The great mole rat just has a reputation of being a mean fellow.
The only thing public speaking has ever hurt is the occasional ego or 2 (other than that its completely harmless).
Conclusion
The fear of public speaking really is ridiculous. Each of us gives some sort of public speech day in and day out. Don’t be afraid because you have to stand up in front of a group. Public speaking is an unavoidable, simple, and harmless part of life.
Embrace it as such.
Marcus Smith is a creative force in the public speaking world who strives to meet the needs of each and every client. His experience as the Toastmasters President at a fortune 15 company will prove invaluable to you.
Using Hypnosis To Overcome The Fear Of Public Speaking
You Can Make the Change Happen Public speaking is the number one fear of humans; yet, since so many people do it so well, there must be an easy way for you to get up there on that podium just like the professionals: calm, relaxed, and giving the speech of your life. And that easy way is hypnosis. You have two options: you can do it the long way through self hypnosis, or the short way by hiring a hypnotist to help you.
The Typical Origin of the Problem At some point in your early schooling, you likely had to read in front of the class, give a book report, solve a math problem up at the blackboard, or some similar undertaking that resulted in embarassment for you. So you developed a fear of talking in front of a group. Another option is that your home environment as a young child was such that speaking out was, shall we say, not encouraged. Whatever the origin of your issue, please know that hypnosis does not undo the past, it upgrades how you feel about it.
The Solution What if you could go back and undo the impact of the original cause of your problem? You can. And that’s what hypnosis can do for you. For example, what if you at your current age could go back and help your younger self undo the hurt and pain of the original event? You can. After hypnosis, whatever happened to you all those years ago will still have happened, it just won’t bother you ever again.
Does It Work? Absolutely. I’ve helped lots of folks get over their fear of public speaking, and so have my fellow clinical hypnotists. Most do it in person, I do phone sessions all over the world as well. Here are the basics of hypnosis to help you understand how it can help you.
Hypnosis 101 Not believing in hypnosis is like not believing in Tuesday or February. You already go into trance every time you watch a tv show that you like, or read a book that you like, or see a film that you like, or, well, you get the idea. You already go into trance when you sit down to read your email for 10 minutes, and suddenly an hour and a half has passed. You already go into trance when you fall in love or make love. It is like daydreaming to the tenth power. No one can make you go there, just as no one can make you like a movie. When you do like a movie, you naturally enter into a light state of hypnosis. The state deepens when you love that movie. But when you do not like that movie at all, it is exactly because it does not entrance you. Point being, you already love hypnosis, my friend. You spend good money on it. Seen your cable bill lately?
What Hypnosis Is Not It is not what Hollywood has told you. Sadly, there has never been a single film or television show that accurately portrays how hypnosis actually works. No one controls you in hypnosis any more than they do when you daydream. Hypnosis is not sleep. You can hear all the sounds around you during trance, as you are neither unconscious nor asleep. Hypnosis can not make you murder anyone. Ask any mob boss or CIA agent, and you will hear how money works best as an inducement to criminal behavior; they don’t use hypnosis because it won’t work for their nefarious intentions. Hypnosis is not mind control. Ask the armed forces if they use it to interrogate prisoners, and their answer will be no. They do not use it because they can not. No one can force you to do anything, legal or otherwise, in trance. And you can come out of trance at any time by simply choosing to do so.
What Hypnosis Is Please understand that the feeling of being an individual is a necessary part of being human, and for that experience, we need a conscious mind. It works like the RAM of a computer. However, there’s another part of your mind, the far more powerful subconscious. The subconscious mind is the hard drive of your inner computer, it stores your files. Hypnosis simply sets aside the conscious part of the mind, and accesses the far larger, more powerful subconscious. This allows you to make real changes in how and why public speaking has frightened you in the past. And your fear departs.
A Relevant Bit About Me From 1984 to 2001, before becoming a fulltime clinical hypnotist, I worked on the road as a standup comic, touring nationally for decades. No speaker has a tougher job than road comics, who work in bars speaking to drunks. Back in the day, we developed lots of ways to do quite well under difficult circumstances because we had to; that was our job. This background helps me to help my hypnosis clients overcome their fear of public speaking with singular accuracy. I get it because I’ve done it. I can help you get it, too.
So Easy, You Do It with Your Eyes Closed Hypnosis is easier to do than you think. And your friendly neighborhood hypnotists, like me, are happy to help you. So what are you waiting for?
Michelle Beaudry, board certified hypnotist near Orlando, Florida, takes clients in person and by phone from all over the world. Email hypnofemme@aol.com.
Overcoming Public Speaking Fear
Show of hands. What is the biggest fear people have?
If you said “death,” you would be wrong.
In fact, the number 1 fear is a fear of public speaking. So, when people say, “I’d rather die than give a speech,” they may be speaking literally.
Why are people so afraid to get up in front of an audience and give a speech? Basically, people are afraid of being humiliated in front of others. Some may have negative experiences in the past, such as having been laughed at by the other kids in school when in front of the class. But, for most people, it’s the generalized fear that they are going to get up on stage and tank; that people won’t like them.
This fear can manifest itself in many ways:
1. You get “butterflies” in your stomach.
2. Your palms sweat.
3. Your hands shake.
4. Your knees also shake and you feel as if your legs are about to collapse.
5. Your heart beats much faster than normal.
6. You experience a “fainting” feeling.
7. You have panicky thoughts.
Now, many of the above are quite normal reactions. In fact, some experts say a mild level of anxiety is good before you give a speech as it gives you a burst of energy, resulting in a more dynamic presentation. But, if the fear of public speaking is such that it is keeping you from advancing in your career, or keeping you away from certain social situations, then it’s time for you to act.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Most people don’t want to hear this, but the best way to conquer a fear of public speaking is practice, practice, practice. Facing any fear head on allows us to control it, rather than let it control us. Our over-reactions to our fears is really our brains trying to protect us from what it perceives as a threatening situation. Feeling faint is a good way to keep us off a stage, saving us from the threat of humiliation. But, the more we experience the “threatening” situation without the harm (humiliation), the more we’re able to extinguish that fear.
A good way to begin feeling comfortable presenting publicly is to start small. Start sharing stories with friends and co-workers. This could be something you read about in the news, or something you did over the weekend. The point is to practice speaking in front of others, and feeling successful at it.
If you have no problem speaking socially in front of friends, but shake at the thought of getting behind a podium and speaking in front of strangers, then practicing behind a podium is what you must do. Lucky for you there exists speaking clubs such as Toastmaster’s International, which meet weekly in cities all over the world. For a nominal fee, you can join a club in your area and practice speaking in public, as well as hearing speeches on a weekly basis. You will also receive feedback on your weaknesses as well as your strengths. You’ll probably be surprised to find out that you’re better than you thought you were.
But, I’m too Afraid to Practice
For those whose anxiety level or social phobia is so great that they’re having extreme trouble getting into the practice phase, there is some hope for you as well. Psychotherapy as well as hypnosis has been used by people who need to learn ways of coping with fear of public speaking. With hypnosis, you can help desensitize yourself to your fear, as well as visualize success speaking before an audience. Hypnosis is also helpful with managing anxiety.
For extreme anxiety, there are also medications such as beta blockers which can provide some temporary relief; enough to possibly help you gain a positive speaking experience.
The point is, you don’t have to allow your fear to rule your life. For some, the ability to give a speech in public can mean closing a sale, getting a promotion, or charting a new career path. It would be a shame, with all the resources now available to help you conquer your fear, to allow that fear to win.
Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of Public Speaking Tips and Advice where you can learn more about conquering your fear of public speaking with hypnosis.