Learning public speaking is like an attempt to conquer Mt. Everest. It takes some spunk before you can speak to a crowd without quaking or freezing up. Well, it's a humbling experience to accept that you're no orator or charismatic speaker, and it takes courage to do something about it.
Eventually, after much effort at learning public speaking, you'll be ready to take on the world. You won't be lighting too many cigarettes with one of your Zippo lighters before a speaking engagement. Not anymore.
How to go about it? You have several options. Sign up with Toastmasters International, discreetly look around for speech tutors, or join a drama group. Or, you can purchase e-books on public speaking, which you can learn at home behind locked doors.
With persistence, you can beat the fear factor in public speaking. It may take a while, but people will soon notice that you're becoming a confident and lively speaker. This development will be good for your class presentations and your chances for future employment, so these should be enough motivation for you.
Speech Problems You Can Correct
Stuttering has caused millions of people to agonize over this speech disorder. People who stutter find it difficult to get the sounds out, and they end up repeating part of a word. 'Water' is 'wawawater', and they get all red when they catch knowing smiles. But with speech therapy and the support of your family, you can get past this problem.
Cluttering is the opposite of stuttering. Someone who clutters talks too fast in spurts, sounding jerky, or is simply unsure of what he or she wants to say because of the long pauses between words.
Mispronunciation - People laugh or feel awkward when they hear a public speaker mispronounce words. A structured session at the speech laboratory with a speech therapist can solve the problem.
Unnecessary fillers - If you count the number of times you say "uh" in your speech, you might be astounded at your propensity to dispense with speech fillers.
Regional accents - You shouldn't be ashamed of your regional accent, but sometimes the embarrassment caused is worse than the fear of catching a deadly virus.
Weak voice - Finding yourself repeating a word to be heard? Blame this on a small weak voice, but vocal exercises can strengthen your vocal muscles. Having a medical professional evaluate the condition can also detect serious respiratory or other ailments.
Nasal voice - You have a nasal voice if you are talking though your nose. Just pinch your nose and speak, if you have trouble releasing your voice, then you are nasal as they come.
Where to Go From Here
Get a book about public speaking and join organizations like Toastmasters and Speaking Circles. Joining a speaking group is more interesting than practicing before a mirror.
You'll meet more people and forge new friendships, learn from the experience of others, and get good advice. In the aftermath of all your struggles, you might start talking non-stop - but that is another disorder.
For many people the idea of speaking in public can be absolutely terrifying! And sociologists report that the fear of public speaking ranks even higher than the fear of death. Not to worry. Here are 12 surefire strategies to eliminate stage fright and the fear of public speaking.
1. Give up the idea of perfection ~ Most seasoned public speaking professionals will admit that mistakes have provided the largest opportunities for growth. So acknowledge your humanity and have the courage to be imperfect.
2. Replace disempowering beliefs with positive action ~ The famous American athlete Bob Richards said, ?You are what you think. You are what you go for. You are what you do!? If you think you are incapable, you will be. Give yourself permission to take action even if you risk failure. When Bob Richards knocked down poles while vaulting his way to 1 bronze and 2 gold medals in 3 consecutive Olympics he didn't focus on the setbacks, he focused on going for gold and doing his best.
3. Know your topic and audience ~ Doing your homework and research will eliminate 75-80% of your fears. Most people are horrifically under-prepared when they get up to speak. Invest in your preparation and you will be richly rewarded.
4. Arm yourself with a relevant and expert presentation ~ Think of the absolute worst questions that you could ever be asked. Be prepared with answers to those questions and you will dramatically reduce mental stress and performance anxiety.
5. Practice aloud (even if it's a 30 second introduction) ~ Most people make time to prepare a physical presentation or notes but don't venture to practice out loud. When you put the presentation on its feet first, without an audience, you will naturally find yourself changing, refining and improving your content. Practice your entire presentation a bare minimum of 3 times before you speak to a group. The more you practice, the more you will boost your confidence.
6. Always warm up ~ Warming up your body and voice at the beginning of an important day or right before a presentation will release tension, open you up, and allow your natural expression to flow. A mere 5 minutes of stretching and 3 minutes of singing (even if it's in the shower) will make you much more at ease.
7. Arrive early ~ One of the simplest things you can do to be calm and collected is to arrive very early. This gives you plenty of time to check and test equipment, get familiar with the environment, freshen up and mingle with your audience beforehand.
8. Visualize success while focusing on your breathing ~ If you feel your heart palpitating, simply focus on breathing deeply imagining yourself filling up with love on the inhale, and on the exhale, let go of any tension or stress. Then visualize being victorious just like an athlete prepares to win a competition. Breathe through the anxiety to channel nervous energy into excitement and enthusiasm.
9. Don't worry about what others are thinking ~ Remember people want you to be good. 99 times out of 100, audiences are on your side. If you start to feel yourself getting uneasy, make eye contact with the friendly faces in the audience for encouragement. Also an audience focused intention like " to be of service? or "to deliver extraordinary value" will help to alleviate angst because it gets the focus off you and onto others.
10. Hold microphones with your non-dominant hand ~ If you are given a microphone, hold it with your non-dominant hand so that you can gesture freely with the hand you normally write with. This will make you feel more comfortable physically.
11. Join Toastmaster's, a speaking association, presentation skills training or acting class ~ These types of organizations can teach you very important skills affording you the opportunity to practice in a supportive environment with like-minded people. If you don't have the resources available to you, run your presentations by several family members, friends or colleagues you trust for constructive feedback.
12. Hire a presentation skills trainer or public speaking coach ~ If you have a very important presentation coming up or if your livelihood is connected at all to your communication or persuasion skills, get a professional coach. Top athletes would never enter a competition without the support of the best coach they can find. Engaging a specialist will put your performance on the fast track and ensure that you have a winning edge over your competitors.
Take action today with just 1 of these tips to reduce your fear of public speaking. Take action with all 12 surefire strategies and you can bet on overcoming your fear of public speaking forever!
Both Bradlley Mckoy & Deborah Torres Patel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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