Public Speaking

How to overcome stage fright? Most of us feel some degree of nervousness and intimidation when preparing to speak or present in front of a group. And if you are filled with feelings of dread and panic when you are to be the center of attention, maybe you suffer from a form of a social anxiety disorder known as social phobia. But don’t fret it is highly common and we will discuss overcoming stage-fright in 10 easy steps.

The fear of public speaking, commonly called stage fright, has been known to cause havoc in many people’s lives. People have left jobs, lost promotions, and missed out on life ambitions because of the fear of public speaking. And nowadays with the Startup scene – the Pitch is center stage and can be the thing that steers your success or failure. Even seasoned professional presenters need to learn how to overcome stage-fright because many have been known to suffer in silent terror.

Public speaking is said to be the biggest fear leading over flying, financial ruin, sickness, and even death; by adults.

Steps to Overcome Stage Fright

Learning to improve your speaking or performance skills is easier than you think. The answer is in the notion of how you think. What you think about yourself, the audience, and your level in understanding of what your presenting. This is mainly what determines the outcome of your presentation.

One of the keys to any good presentation and how to overcome stage fright is to know your material! In addition, you must address any negative perceptions, beliefs, thoughts, images, and predictions related to public speaking or performing. And it’s especially helpful to go within and uncover deeper fears related to being seen and heard by others, being the center of attention, or not doing and being in a perfect way.

Learning to accept yourself and not feeling that you have to prove yourself to others is often at the center of this fear. By the way, letting go of trying to be perfect is a good idea, because there is no way to be perfect. Perfection can not be achieved. Strive to be great by doing great and that means preparation and being yourself. This will help in life, presentation and business development.

You need to learn skills to reduce and manage your fear and anxiety. Sometimes medication or natural products are okay, but only as an aid and sparingly. If you choose to use medication or natural remedies see your physician and find the appropriate treatment. It’s beneficial to learn cognitive-behavioral methods. Try, however, to not avoid fearful situations. Avoiding unwanted situations may give you immediate relief, but it will continue to reinforce your fear in the long run.

Being brave will in the end build self-confidence. Take steps to be brave or take courageous actions and walk through situations you may be afraid of. Bravery and being courageous is an action, while confidence is an emotional and mental state. You need to take action in order to reinforce the mental and emotional states of being.

If you are willing to learn new skills, stop avoiding your fears and manage them, you will develop a stronger self-esteem and confidence by trusting yourself. This in turn will hp you to overcome stage fright. In fact, by facing your fear, it will become possible to overcome performance anxiety and find comfort and actually enjoy expressing yourself in front of others.

10 tips to reduce stage fright:

1. Deliver Value. Focus your attention on the value you are presenting to the audience. Take the focus off yourself and simply think about sharing information with them.
2. Stop the negative or dreadful What If thoughts about what might go wrong. Instead, think about what can go right: they like the presentation, what good the information share will do…
3. Don’t beat yourself up before you even gave yourself a chance.
4. Practice mind calming and relaxation methods, such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, yoga, and meditation. Do a quick breathing exercise before you present.
5. Find a friendly and inviting face in the audience. Especially, if they have a familiar look and start your presentation by speaking to them from the stage.
6. Visualize your success: Always focus on your ability to handle questions, the audience, or any challenging situation. See the audience enjoying and interested in your presentation.
7. Prepare your material in advance. Read it aloud to hear your voice. Know it but don’t memorize it.
8. Make a connection with the audience: Scan with your eyes, smile and greet them. They are just people, not lions ready to attack.
9. Don’t slouch! Stand, or sit in a self-assured, confident posture – you are in control. Shoulders back, back straight, head up and breathe.
10. Let perfection go, it’s impossible to attain. It’s enough knowing that it is OK to make mistakes. Be natural, be yourself.