Posts Tagged ‘public speaking stage fright’

Conquering Your Public Speaking Fear

Monday, June 7th, 2010
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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

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
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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

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
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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 enough”. 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

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
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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

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
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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?

  1. Calculate the thermodynamic potential of a system
  2. 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.