“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld.
Although this is the most common form of fear , it can take its toll on your personal and professional life. However , with little patience and persistence you can overcome it. So, if you can be one of the few to overcome your fear, this is a brilliant skill for your resume and you’ll be able to accelerate more quickly in your career, as well as be more confident in your personal life. Here are few techniques to help you overcome your fear:
- Prepare and Practice Enormously: The importance of practicing and preparing the speech cannot be replaced. You have to practice over and over again. You can practice in front of mirror and also in front of family and friends for feedback. The speech should be prepared so well that you could answer any possible question thrown at you.
- Trust yourself: Usually you are on stage because people value your expertise and knowledge – or at the very least, whoever has put you there has confidence in your capability. Use this thought to try and relax- people aren’t there to give you a hard time. In fact, most people are probably just grateful it’s you speaking on stage and not them!
- Memorizing your speech is not a good idea: Do not confuse rehearsal with memorization. You should not memorize your entire presentation, but rather your opening, key points, and conclusion. With memorizing, mental blocks become inevitable. The better you understand what you’re talking about — and the more you care about the topic — the less likely you’ll make a mistake or get off track. And if you do get lost, you’ll be able to recover quickly. Take some time to consider what questions the audience may ask and have your responses ready.
- Be prepared for technology breaking : Never rely solely on technology when going for a public speaking. Suddenly your laptop might crash or Internet will go for a toss. If you’re using PowerPoint software and the computer or projector isn’t working, it can be handy to have printed out the presentation for the audience (and yourself if you need it). Similarly, you should import your presentation offline so that if the internet doesn’t work, you can still present without getting much bothered.
The truth is , you cannot keep on running away from your fear. At some point in life you will have to build up the courage to face and overcome them.