10 Sure-Fire Steps to take the Fear out of Public Speaking
Public speaking is one of the most difficult and daunting tasks many people will ever undertake. It’s been said many times that public speaking is ranked as the number one fear in America, with a whopping 88% of people admitting to being afraid. But, there are things we can do to make this task less daunting.
Public speaking isn't something you have to do. But if you are going to have those skills and put yourself out there (because it's important to share your message), these 10 sure-fire steps will take the fear out of public speaking:
1) Practice makes perfect: The best way for anyone - whether they're a professional speaker or not - is through practice. And not just practice at public speaking, but practice at speaking to groups of any kind. Some of us would rather stay home on one day than speak to a group. This can be a dangerous thing: your first ever board meeting, or the big annual sales call.
If you aren't practicing public speaking and speaking in front of groups regularly, do some reading on the subject. There are plenty of books you can write off to help you prepare for these challenges by getting ready ahead of time if need be. And then get set up to practice.
2) Be prepared: No matter what your fears or situation is in life, it's important that we are prepared for the unknown and unexpected challenges that come our way each day. Don't play it safe, and be ready when you encounter a situation you haven't experienced before.
3) Do this right: Public speaking is a skill that you should practice as much as possible. The more you can become comfortable with it, the more comfortable you will become. Being afraid of public speaking should never be an excuse that keeps us from taking action - especially if we want to learn a skill like public speaking.
4) Keep moving forward: The biggest fear of staying stuck in the same place is being overwhelmed by being an overachiever or being everything to everyone at once. We don't want to fall short of our goals or let others down, so we stay stuck where we are. But at some point in life, we have to choose a path and keep moving forward.
The more you can stay focused on what matters most and what you want to achieve, the more comfortable you will become with your abilities as a speaker. So get out there and practice!
5) Expand your skills with other people: The more you practice public speaking, the better you will become. The worst thing you can do is stand up in front of a group and worry about things that haven't happened yet (remember number 4) instead of focusing on the present moment and your message.
The public speaking skills you are learning are private and personal in nature. But the skills you are practicing can be used in different situations. So make sure you practice them with people other than your family and friends: a teammate at work, an audience member at church or even someone from your local community group board meeting.
6) Get the right team lined up: Speaking to a group of people is one thing, but putting yourself out there as a professional speaker takes more strength than simply having other people sort of listen to you. The best way to get better at public speaking is to find someone who can help you do this. Whether it's an old college professor, a speech coach or someone who is willing to listen to you on a regular basis and give you feedback on your presentation, having an accountability partner or coach can be your best bet for success.
7) Have the right frame of mind: The more time and energy you put into preparing for public speaking opportunities, the better it will be. The energy and passion you put into a public speaking situation will have a tremendous impact on the way you feel. So be sure you aren't nervous or intimidated by what you are doing. Instead, be confident in your abilities, and focus on being authentic with your message.
8) Surround yourself with positive energy: Just as we surround ourselves with people who inspire us, we want to surround ourselves with others who can help lift us up when we are feeling down or uninspired. When we stop focusing on the negative things happening around us, that's when our focus will shift to the positive things in our lives. People who support and encourage those around them can really carry a positive message. We all need that.
9) Push yourself: We all have a tendency to set our expectations low or low-ball ourselves. And if we rarely ever reach our expectations, it's easy to get stuck there. If you want to be better as a public speaker, you can't be afraid of failing. Failure is important for learning, so just push through it and learn from your mistakes (and not just what went wrong).
10) Think about the future: There are people out there who go out and try and make money in public speaking without any training at all. They aren't willing to take the time that is necessary to give themselves the best chance of being successful with their message. Because of this, more often than not, they fail.
If you want to be a professional speaker, you need to think about the future and plan for your success. If you aren't willing to do that, then don't be surprised when people aren't interested in your message or in hiring you to speak. Even if you have no plans of becoming a full-time public speaker or professional speaker now or in the future, there will always be times when speaking up is required of us. And with the right approach and mindset, those situations can be a lot less intimidating the next time around.
Want more information? Just click on the link below:
http://www.publicspeakingfear.com
Chapter 3 - Public Speaking Tips for Getting Started
There are many people out there who have the desire and passion to speak in public but feel a great deal of fear and intimidation when it comes to public speaking. If you are one of those people and you have always wanted to know how to overcome your fear of public speaking, then this is the right book for you! It will teach you everything that you need to know about being successful at overcoming your fear of public speaking.
Wherever You Are In Your Journey, This Book Is The Perfect Starting Point!
The best thing about this book is that it has been designed with everyone in mind. Whether you’re fresh on the scene and very interested in learning how to overcome your fear of public speaking or you’ve already taken steps to get down that path, this book contains everything that you will need to know.
The reason why I have written this book is because I understand the feeling of being nervous and afraid when it comes to public speaking. After dealing with my fear of public speaking directly and going through a number of different attempts at overcoming it, I came out on top. Through the process, I realized that there are many others who are searching for ways to overcome their fear of public speaking and I am here so tell them.
Conclusion Of This Chapter
What is your goal and why do you want to overcome your fear of public speaking? In writing this book, I've tried to give you everything that you need to get started. Whether it's the first step for someone who is just starting out, or for a person who has already developed their confidence in public speaking, I wanted to take the time and put everything together for all of you. If I can help any one person overcome their fear of public speaking, then my job here is complete. This book will help you achieve your goals and dreams.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this book! If it has helped at all, then please consider leaving a review.