Public Speaking
I remember I used to be deathly afraid of public speaking. My legs would get weak as I made my way in front of the audience. I would sway back and forth or do some awkward things with my hands. I would avoid eye contact at all cost unless I find someone with a smiling face, then I would just stare at that person for the whole speech.
How to Overcome Fear of Public Speaking
1. Understanding the cause of the fear.
The first step in getting rid of your fear of speaking in public is to find out why it's a fear in the first place. The main reason is the fear of being embarrassed. This includes being laughed at, messing up, or doing anything foolish and having the audience judge you. Do you get nervous when you are in a room by yourself? Probably not. It's only when there are other people, people who might judge you or think badly of you, that causes you to get nervous usually.
Knowing why you have this fear of being in front of an audience will help you figure out what to do to overcome the fear. Once the fear is revealed, it can be conquered. It could also be that you had a bad experience in the past that triggers feeling of fear. Either way, for most people, it comes down to the fear of what others might think of them.
2. Change your mindset.
In order to overcome the fear of public speaking, you need to be able to change your mindset. When you can go from thinking about yourself and what the audience might think of you to thinking about the audience and how you can best deliver your message across, you will be able to conquer this fear.
3. Practice.
Although you may still get nervous even if you have done dozens of speeches, the more you do it, the easier it will get. When you practice, it's best to do it in front of a supporting group of people. This will not only make public speaking easier but it will also help you gain confidence.
So overcoming fear of public speaking comes down to having the right mindset and practicing. Start practicing in front of supportive people. you can do this by making a group of your freiends as you get more comfortable, your focus will shift from you to the audience. Once your focus is on creating value for them, your fear of public speaking will be gone..
thanks & regards
Tushar Arora
CAclubindia
