How to Beat Anxiety About Speaking
Acknowledge whatever fears or anxieties you have about speaking., Be knowledgeable about your topic., Practice your speech many times., Take your time when you speak., Remember to breathe., Prepare a script for your speech, but don’t read from a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Acknowledge whatever fears or anxieties you have about speaking.
This will give you a more personalized understanding of what makes you nervous.
It may even help to make a list.Public speakers often dislike speaking for varying reasons; some dislike their voice, while others fear a poor audience reception.
Make a list of your personal anxieties about public speaking.
A specific list will help make the problem feel more manageable and less overwhelming.
Example anxieties include:
Discomfort standing on a stage / behind a podium.
Concerns about physical awkwardness—physical stance, hand gestures, etc.
Unhappiness about a tendency to rush through public speeches. -
Step 2: Be knowledgeable about your topic.
It doesn't matter if it's an informal conversation or a presentation, if you know what you're talking about you'll feel confident.
This will involve hours of research, approach this speaking engagement as if you are working to master the concept itself, not as if you’re merely trying to memorize enough facts and talking points to get you through a brief talk.Talk to others who are knowledgeable about the topic of your speech, and see if they can help you craft a sharper, better focused talk. , A speaker who has rehearsed their talk many times to themselves in private will be well prepared to deliver a successful talk in public, whereas a speaker who has poorly rehearsed will probably struggle to deliver their speech successfully.
Many speakers find it useful to practice in front of a mirror; this allows you to observe your own body language and eye contact.When you practice:
Speak confidently.
Stand with good posture.
Encourage yourself, even verbally.
Try saying, “This speech will be a success whether or not I stumble over a few words.” Before you recite your speech, tell yourself, “What other people think of me is none of my business; I’m free to make mistakes.” Don’t worry too much about whether the audience approves or disapproves of you! , Trying to rush will make you tongue tied.
A slow flow may put your audience to sleep, while too fast of a speaking rate will stress your audience; they may even struggle to understand what you are trying to say.Use a stopwatch (or the stopwatch function on your phone) to measure the number of words that you speak per minute.
A good speed should have between 120 and 150 words per minute; if you speak fewer than 100 per minute, your speed is too slow.
If you exceed 160, slow down. , When a speaker is nervous, their first inclination will be to tense up and to contract the abdominal muscles, bladder, throat, etc.
A limitation of air intakes and a lack of oxygen can change your voice dramatically.
Deep breathing increases oxygen your lungs and brain, which promotes relaxation.
Whenever you feel stressed, consider taking a deep breath and reconnecting with your body. , If you are not reading a speech word-for-word, your hands will be free to make whatever gestures feel natural, and you can make eye contact with members of the audience.This works best if you’re intimately familiar with your speech (and have practiced the talking points many times).
You should know roughly what you’re going to say, but give yourself permission and freedom to elaborate important ideas onstage.
To avoid reading a script, many speakers:
Use a PowerPoint or Prezi, with limited words on each page.
Prepare note cards, each of which contains a single talking point.
Memorize their presentation, so they can speak without being tied to visual aids. , No speech will ever be perfect, and speaking in front of a group is an environment in which mistakes are often made, even by professionals.
Once you step off the stage, review the speech in your mind: what went well, what went poorly? If you talk with members of the audience, they likely noticed the positive aspects of your speech, and forgot about the negative parts.
You should allow yourself to make mistakes, but also focus on the strengths of your speech, and use those to deliver an even better speaking performance next time. -
Step 3: Practice your speech many times.
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Step 4: Take your time when you speak.
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Step 5: Remember to breathe.
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Step 6: Prepare a script for your speech
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Step 7: but don’t read from a paper word-for-word.
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Step 8: Focus on the positive aspects of your performance.
Detailed Guide
This will give you a more personalized understanding of what makes you nervous.
It may even help to make a list.Public speakers often dislike speaking for varying reasons; some dislike their voice, while others fear a poor audience reception.
Make a list of your personal anxieties about public speaking.
A specific list will help make the problem feel more manageable and less overwhelming.
Example anxieties include:
Discomfort standing on a stage / behind a podium.
Concerns about physical awkwardness—physical stance, hand gestures, etc.
Unhappiness about a tendency to rush through public speeches.
It doesn't matter if it's an informal conversation or a presentation, if you know what you're talking about you'll feel confident.
This will involve hours of research, approach this speaking engagement as if you are working to master the concept itself, not as if you’re merely trying to memorize enough facts and talking points to get you through a brief talk.Talk to others who are knowledgeable about the topic of your speech, and see if they can help you craft a sharper, better focused talk. , A speaker who has rehearsed their talk many times to themselves in private will be well prepared to deliver a successful talk in public, whereas a speaker who has poorly rehearsed will probably struggle to deliver their speech successfully.
Many speakers find it useful to practice in front of a mirror; this allows you to observe your own body language and eye contact.When you practice:
Speak confidently.
Stand with good posture.
Encourage yourself, even verbally.
Try saying, “This speech will be a success whether or not I stumble over a few words.” Before you recite your speech, tell yourself, “What other people think of me is none of my business; I’m free to make mistakes.” Don’t worry too much about whether the audience approves or disapproves of you! , Trying to rush will make you tongue tied.
A slow flow may put your audience to sleep, while too fast of a speaking rate will stress your audience; they may even struggle to understand what you are trying to say.Use a stopwatch (or the stopwatch function on your phone) to measure the number of words that you speak per minute.
A good speed should have between 120 and 150 words per minute; if you speak fewer than 100 per minute, your speed is too slow.
If you exceed 160, slow down. , When a speaker is nervous, their first inclination will be to tense up and to contract the abdominal muscles, bladder, throat, etc.
A limitation of air intakes and a lack of oxygen can change your voice dramatically.
Deep breathing increases oxygen your lungs and brain, which promotes relaxation.
Whenever you feel stressed, consider taking a deep breath and reconnecting with your body. , If you are not reading a speech word-for-word, your hands will be free to make whatever gestures feel natural, and you can make eye contact with members of the audience.This works best if you’re intimately familiar with your speech (and have practiced the talking points many times).
You should know roughly what you’re going to say, but give yourself permission and freedom to elaborate important ideas onstage.
To avoid reading a script, many speakers:
Use a PowerPoint or Prezi, with limited words on each page.
Prepare note cards, each of which contains a single talking point.
Memorize their presentation, so they can speak without being tied to visual aids. , No speech will ever be perfect, and speaking in front of a group is an environment in which mistakes are often made, even by professionals.
Once you step off the stage, review the speech in your mind: what went well, what went poorly? If you talk with members of the audience, they likely noticed the positive aspects of your speech, and forgot about the negative parts.
You should allow yourself to make mistakes, but also focus on the strengths of your speech, and use those to deliver an even better speaking performance next time.
About the Author
David Rivera
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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