Fear of public speaking -- it's more widespread than we suspect. My daughter, in fact, was an A student in college whose last required class was public speaking. She was so anxious about facing an audience she called me to say, "I may have to drop out of college; I just can't do this dad. Public speaking makes me physically ill."
On the first day of class I got into a class of kids who all appeared sane and public speaking anxiety free. I wished I had their confidence. As my luck would have it I was summoned to the front of the class to introduce myself to the class. I took a deep breath of confidence and went to the front of the class. Standing at the front of the class I felt fairly normal, but as soon as I opened my mouth that breath of confidence slipped right out.
Therefore, improving the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also tremendously helpful competencies for self-development too.Presentations and public speaking skills are not limited to specially gifted people - anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking professionally and impressively. Like most things, it simply takes a preparation and practice to improve your skills and abilities.
As I mentioned previously: you are not alone if the thought of speaking in public scares you. Giving a presentation is worrying for many people. As we saw before, presenting or speaking to an audience regularly tops the list in surveys of people's top fears - more than heights, flying or dying.As an illustration, I quote two popular sayings which feature in many presentations about giving presentations and public speaking:
At that moment I felt the determination swelling up in my chest. This was going to be a semester of terror and I just couldn't allow myself to live through that. At that moment I vowed I would cure my Public Speaking anxiety before my next speech. I did not know how I was going to make it happen, but I knew I had no other choice.I remember being in a marketing class where a guy dropped out of school because he had to do a presentation. If you are failing in a class or denying a promotion at work because you suffer public speaking nervousness, then contact me. My determination to find a solution to my public speaking anxiety was rewarded that same weekend I made my vow. By the following weekend I had cured my public speaking anxiety completely. Yes, 100%.
You've probably heard this many times but why not take up several lines saying it again? A number of studies have shown that some people fear public speaking more than death, a fact I sincerely doubt, but that's what the studies say. Do you think the dead feel that way about public speaking when they're contacted by a relative on some psychic's radio or television show and have to answer questions albeit inside the psychic's head in front of a live national audience?My college speech professor, Mr. Plache, used to talk to us about what he called "the awkward phase of change." What's not easy in the beginning probably isn't supposed to be because, just like learning to ride a bicycle or drive a car, you have to go through the "awkward phase of change" before the activity becomes second nature and you become an old pro at it.
Explain to yourself why you are afraid."I am afraid because I think everyone will laugh at me." ,"I am afraid something will go wrong."Tell yourself why you shouldn't be afraid. "I have never seen a speaker get laughed off the stage.", "No one has ever laughed at me during my earlier presentations.","If something does go wrong, I can put it right."Close with positive thoughts about yourself."I am a intelligent and well-prepared person.","I can give a solid presentation and make a good impression on my audience."
Here are a few public speaking tips, and only a few of many, I've picked up throughout the years. There are basically four parts to a speech:The introduction. It should be tailored to the audience you're facing and each audience, in different cities, will not be the same as the one you've just spoken to. Your task is to create interest, from the beginning, so your audience will want to listen to what you're about to say. Your introductory remarks can help you establish a common ground with them and to, hopefully, gain their favor.Your specific purpose statement,short, sweet, brief; it's the road sign that tells your audience what this speech is about and why you're giving it. Like the center beam of a home, your specific purpose statement should be firmly planted and from it you build a logical framework for the central structure or body of your speech that's yet to come. Your specific purpose statement is designed "to build a bridge from the heart of your purpose to the little island of your audience's interests," is the way a writer once phrased it.
The only way of curing the fear of speaking in public is gaining confidence, and that cannot be achieved overnight. So if you want to cure yourself of such a problem, be ready for some grueling hard work for a decent period of time. There are no quick remedies that will build you up in a jiffy for your Board meeting next week and only an extensive effort on your part will be likely to treat you of your problem.Having said that, however, one must also accept that treating Public Speaking Phobia is fairly simple.
As explained, almost everyone who is afraid of speaking in public is ultimately scared of being unable to do so, therefore the easiest way of making them 'un-afraid' is by diverting their mind from their apprehension. A number of people use a click pen or a paper clip to keep themselves occupied during a speech. Keep clicking the pen or keep trying to straighten the paper clip and all that extra energy that your anxiety burdens you with will fly straight out of the window.
[Fear Of Public Speaking]
On the first day of class I got into a class of kids who all appeared sane and public speaking anxiety free. I wished I had their confidence. As my luck would have it I was summoned to the front of the class to introduce myself to the class. I took a deep breath of confidence and went to the front of the class. Standing at the front of the class I felt fairly normal, but as soon as I opened my mouth that breath of confidence slipped right out.
Therefore, improving the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also tremendously helpful competencies for self-development too.Presentations and public speaking skills are not limited to specially gifted people - anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking professionally and impressively. Like most things, it simply takes a preparation and practice to improve your skills and abilities.
As I mentioned previously: you are not alone if the thought of speaking in public scares you. Giving a presentation is worrying for many people. As we saw before, presenting or speaking to an audience regularly tops the list in surveys of people's top fears - more than heights, flying or dying.As an illustration, I quote two popular sayings which feature in many presentations about giving presentations and public speaking:
At that moment I felt the determination swelling up in my chest. This was going to be a semester of terror and I just couldn't allow myself to live through that. At that moment I vowed I would cure my Public Speaking anxiety before my next speech. I did not know how I was going to make it happen, but I knew I had no other choice.I remember being in a marketing class where a guy dropped out of school because he had to do a presentation. If you are failing in a class or denying a promotion at work because you suffer public speaking nervousness, then contact me. My determination to find a solution to my public speaking anxiety was rewarded that same weekend I made my vow. By the following weekend I had cured my public speaking anxiety completely. Yes, 100%.
You've probably heard this many times but why not take up several lines saying it again? A number of studies have shown that some people fear public speaking more than death, a fact I sincerely doubt, but that's what the studies say. Do you think the dead feel that way about public speaking when they're contacted by a relative on some psychic's radio or television show and have to answer questions albeit inside the psychic's head in front of a live national audience?My college speech professor, Mr. Plache, used to talk to us about what he called "the awkward phase of change." What's not easy in the beginning probably isn't supposed to be because, just like learning to ride a bicycle or drive a car, you have to go through the "awkward phase of change" before the activity becomes second nature and you become an old pro at it.
Explain to yourself why you are afraid."I am afraid because I think everyone will laugh at me." ,"I am afraid something will go wrong."Tell yourself why you shouldn't be afraid. "I have never seen a speaker get laughed off the stage.", "No one has ever laughed at me during my earlier presentations.","If something does go wrong, I can put it right."Close with positive thoughts about yourself."I am a intelligent and well-prepared person.","I can give a solid presentation and make a good impression on my audience."
Here are a few public speaking tips, and only a few of many, I've picked up throughout the years. There are basically four parts to a speech:The introduction. It should be tailored to the audience you're facing and each audience, in different cities, will not be the same as the one you've just spoken to. Your task is to create interest, from the beginning, so your audience will want to listen to what you're about to say. Your introductory remarks can help you establish a common ground with them and to, hopefully, gain their favor.Your specific purpose statement,short, sweet, brief; it's the road sign that tells your audience what this speech is about and why you're giving it. Like the center beam of a home, your specific purpose statement should be firmly planted and from it you build a logical framework for the central structure or body of your speech that's yet to come. Your specific purpose statement is designed "to build a bridge from the heart of your purpose to the little island of your audience's interests," is the way a writer once phrased it.
The only way of curing the fear of speaking in public is gaining confidence, and that cannot be achieved overnight. So if you want to cure yourself of such a problem, be ready for some grueling hard work for a decent period of time. There are no quick remedies that will build you up in a jiffy for your Board meeting next week and only an extensive effort on your part will be likely to treat you of your problem.Having said that, however, one must also accept that treating Public Speaking Phobia is fairly simple.
As explained, almost everyone who is afraid of speaking in public is ultimately scared of being unable to do so, therefore the easiest way of making them 'un-afraid' is by diverting their mind from their apprehension. A number of people use a click pen or a paper clip to keep themselves occupied during a speech. Keep clicking the pen or keep trying to straighten the paper clip and all that extra energy that your anxiety burdens you with will fly straight out of the window.
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