Think you're NERVOUS about public speaking?Me too, and I do it every day. Public speaking and death are two of our greatest fears. I can’t help you with your fear of death, but I can help you survive public speaking. It’s all a matter of how you think about it.
Reframing FearWe crave excitement but avoid fear because we think of them differently. It’s a matter of the messages we tell ourselves. Try reframing the adrenaline rush you get from public speaking. It’s as exciting as a roller coaster!
The day of my presentation, I dressed in my best black suit, stopped for a fresh cup of coffee, or what I like to think of as comfort in a paper cup, and arrived at the event twenty minutes early. As I walked from my car, I stumbled. It was the kind of stumble where you just barely scrape the toe of your shoe on the ground but it’s just enough to throw you off balance. I just could not regain my balance. Instead, I gained momentum until I fell face down crushing my fresh cup of coffee, rolled up over my shoulder, scattered my belonging across the parking lot, and finally came to a stop flat out on my back. It was a spectacular fall. As I picked myself up I realized I was covered in salt on both sides (it was the end of winter), my knee was bleeding, and I was wearing my entire cup of comfort. It felt like my worse case scenario. But then something amazing happened. I gave the most relaxed and confident presentation I had ever given. I rocked it because the fall brought me fully into the moment. When we imagine worst-case scenarios, mistakes, judgements, or bad grades our minds register our sensations as fear. Fear is being in the future. Excitement, on the other hand, is being in the moment.
Tongue Twisters
Powerful PostureFinally, taking a physically powerful posture not only impacts how others see you but it can also have a tremendous impact on your confidence. Don’t believe me? Listen to the expert.
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