How to Prepare to Give a Speech

Most people do not like to give speeches. Especially when one’s grade or job is on the line. Most people are worried that their nervousness will take over and cause them to do a terrible job. But that nervousness taking over comes from being unprepared.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Self-composure
• Confidence

1. Don’t memorize your entire speech. That may seem like the last thing you should do, but memorizing an entire speech brings a lot of the difficulties people have that scare them from wanting to give a speech. Speeches are not meant to be memorized, that’s why speech makers are allowed to bring their notes to the podium with them. A person should read through their speech several times to know the main points and maintain eye contact with his or her audience for most of the time, but it’s totally fine to look down at your notes several times throughout the speech. Memorizing an entire speech word-for-word can make you so worried about knowing every single word by heart that you really will bomb.

2. Rehearse your speech at least seven times before giving it. Again, don’t try to memorize every word, but rehearse it enough times where you can recite most of it while looking at your audience.

3. Do something fun before giving a speech. Yes, fun is allowed before doing something serious. Many times people just wreck their brain leading up to their speech that they actually do mess up when it’s time to go. So it’s good an hour to three hours before the speech to watch a movie you like, listen to your favorite song, play a game, or do something you enjoy that will take your mind off of the speech. People perform well with a positive attitude. Watching a funny movie right before the speech will take your mind off the fears you have about the speech and enter the podium feeling good because the film you watched was so funny.

4. Remember that the audience is there to learn something from you and not condemn you.