Somehow, someday, somewhere along the way, everyone gets called on to speak. Although some speakers welcome the opportunity, the unhappy reality is that public speaking is one of Americans’ biggest fears. Last year, a nationwide study at Chapman University, a private college in Orange County, California, revealed that public speaking is among the five greatest personal fears.  http://www.salon.com/2014/10/21/survey_reveals_americans_biggest_fears/

In the first of a planned annual study, the Chapman Survey on American Fears included 1,500 participants from each region of the United States and included a cross section of social and economic groups. Attorneys, business executives, and would-be presenters who have unlimited amounts of knowledge to share sometimes avoid speaking altogether because of the physiological reactions to being nervous about public speaking.

What types of physiological reactions do people have who fear speaking in public? They may range from a racing heartbeat to muscle tension, to shortness of breath to dry mouth to stuttering and sweating. These reactions all come from the same place: an adrenaline response to the “fight or flight” mechanism we are born with. One way to deal with adrenaline response to public speaking is to change the way you think about it. Use the powerful adrenaline response to your advantage and channel your energy. For example, consider that the fear of speaking is actually ANTICIPATION and not fear.

It is anticipation for doing something that you know how to do, that you are comfortable doing (once you get there) and something that, when it goes well, you want to do again. The high that you experience from speaking and doing well disappears when it’s over. That’s what anticipation is; you can’t wait to get there. (And if you’re an experienced speaker, you can’t wait to talk about it once it’s over.)

If you are well prepared, there is no reason to be afraid of potential failure. Preparation and being ready for a myriad of audience reactions and potential questions can do a world of good to fuel anticipation and to diminish the fear. Remember that the audience does not want you to fail, or they wouldn’t be there and interested in what you have to say. Work hard and practice.

To begin, use the adrenaline and move with a purpose to engage the audience, rather than sitting in a chair or standing at a podium.

Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and think positive, calming thoughts in the moment before you speak. And most of all, have fun out there. If you’re having fun, chances are the listeners will, too.

 

Breathe.

Think calming, positive thoughts.

Use the fear to your advantage, channel your energy.