Is public speaking fear, nervousness, or anxiety a problem for you? Probably, because we all feel it. Anyone who you might think is immune to public speaking anxiety has simply learned to habituate with the ever-present forces.
It’s Not All In Your Head
The best way to deal with fear is by taking a comprehensive Public Speaking Course that teaches proven mental and physical techniques. The nervousness you feel is not all in your head. The forces you become aware of when all eyes are on you are real. They’re like the weather; they cannot be denied and influence everyone.
The Energy of Attention
Your Public Speaking coaching should start by making you aware of the three forces at work: the energy of attention, the sense of judgment, and the fear of consequences. If you are having a one-on-one conversation with someone, and they’re listening to you, you feel the energy of their attention. When the roles reverse, they will feel your energy of attention. When you increase that either by increasing the number of people in the room or the number of people on Zoom, the stakes will increase. And therefore, you will feel that increase in the energy of attention. That sudden awareness will trigger an acute sense of judgment.
The Sense of Judgment
We do want the people who are watching us to use their judgment. We want them to judge that we are driving the bus and taking them somewhere on a journey based on the message we’re delivering. So, we want them to use their judgment positively. But when the energy of attention blindsides you, it can send that sense of judgment into a negative spiral.
The Fear of Consequences
The last force that gets triggered is the fear of consequences. I don’t mean people will just shut you off, turn you off, or walk away. It’s more of a sense of, “Here I go again, I’ve let myself down. I can’t believe this is happening again!”. All these forces, the energy of attention, the sense of judgment, and the fear of consequences will hit you in the first few seconds. Suddenly, you’re feeling that vacuum of silence. That’s a lot coming at you all at once.
Somebody Save Me!
Your fight, flight and freeze response is very strong when you feel under attack. You might start shaking; your voice might crack. You might start to sweat or feel like your heart is beating out of your chest.
The right Public Speaking Course will train you on the importance of controlling the physical side of speech. You have a few important lifelines. The top two are deliberate breathing and coordinated gestures before and during your time in the spotlight. Several proven breathing techniques can prepare you for the forces coming your way.
Your Public Speaking Course will also train you to assign specific gestures to words in your opening statement. Practicing these breathing and gesturing techniques over and over will give you the muscle memory you need to stay on track when the stakes are the highest.