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What do you think people fear the most in life? Is it death, spiders, darkness? While those things all make the top five, the greatest thing people fear is speaking in public. There is something nightmarishly terrifying about that moment when you stand up in front of a group of people and open your mouth. Your palms get sweaty, your throat runs dry, you swallow and try to speak but your voice ends up sounding like a doped up toad. Speaking in public doesn’t have to be like this. Just like any fear, there are steps you can take to get over it.
One of the best ways to be a confident speaker is to prepare ahead of time. Some people can give a speech impromptu. Don’t try it. If you want to give a good speech and not be a nervous wreck, plan what you are going to say before you get on the stage or to the front of the class. Make an outline and stick with it. Don’t be a speaker that rambles. If you have something of value to say, spit it out.
Another thing you might want to do is keep your body still when you speak. Public speaking seems to draw out the most irritating and annoying habits in people. Hand motions and gesturing are fine as long as they are used appropriately. Shifting, adjusting the microphone stand a hundred times, sticking your hands in your pockets, saying um, or arranging and rearranging your hands, quickly notifies the crowd that you’re anxious. Once the crowd knows you’re nervous, they’ll get uncomfortable. Eliminate those nervous habits, whatever they might be. Try giving a speech in front of trusted friends, and have them tell you what your habits are. Then work on eliminating them.
The most important thing to do is practice. Practice by yourself first. Don’t panic if even that makes you nervous, that’s perfectly normal. Practice by yourself until you know your material and can present it well. Then practice in front of a mirror and see if you notice anything that looks strange or awkward about your posture, hand motions, or other body language. If you feel ready, practice some more in front of several friends or family members. The key to becoming a successful public speaker is practice. Rarely does someone start off wanting to speak in public. Even most of the world’s motivational speakers were terrified of speaking at one point.
Public speaking is something almost everyone hates doing. Relax. Know what you’re going to say, keep still, and practice. Get these three things down and you’ll be ready. Speaking reminds me of a security system. Just like you will become more confident and secure in your speaking abilities with practice, with a home security, you will become more confident and secure in the safety of your home. Now go practice and dazzle your audience.
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