How to Be a Fearless Public Speaker

Are you one of those for whom public speaking is worse than death? That’s not a joke. Fear of public speaking is considered one of the biggest stresses. You can be a fearless public speaker if you are well-prepared, love your topic and love your audience.

Instructions

1. Pick a topic that you love. Well, perhaps you aren't in love with it, but it should be something that actually captures your interest. The more you care about your topic, the more your own enthusiasm will make your presentation sparkle.

2. Do your research and make an outline. The better informed you are about your topic and the more you know the course your talk will take, the more confident you’ll become.

3. Practice. Practice. Practice! Practice in front of friends. Practice in front of the mirror. Practice in front of a camera. You can do any or all of these or find another way that appeals to you—as long as you practice. No one will care if you have notes or the whole written speech with you. Your audience won't care if you refer to your material occasionally, but you’ll lose their attention if all you do is read to them. Be completely familiar with your speech so you can easily “talk to” your audience.

4. Imagine you are addressing a friend or a loved one. Staring out at a sea of faces—whether strangers or people you know—can be intimidating. Some simple visualization can help. While you’re practicing, think of someone you know and care about, someone who cares about you. As you practice, imagine you’re giving the talk to that person. Then when you stand before your audience, imagine that person is right there, listening receptively.

5. Think of the service you’re offering. Instead of dwelling on the lavish praise you’d like to receive after your perfect speech, focus on the information you’re sharing. It might enlighten or inspire or inform or, depending on your topic, save a life.

6. Believe in yourself. You can certainly be inspired by and get ideas from the presentations of others. But never imitate them; never compare yourself to them. You are unique. Appreciate your own special way of approaching a topic and presenting it. Be yourself. Believe in yourself.

7. Approach your audience with the confidence that you are beautifully prepared, that you have something special to offer, that you care about your topic and your listeners.

8. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Even if the subject is a serious one, if you make a mistake or forget something, it’s honestly not the end of the world! Remember, you are offering a service to these people. Everyone makes mistakes—yes, even in public speaking. Either let it go and proceed as if nothing happened or just admit your mistake, smile and correct it. If you do this graciously, you’ll win the hearts of your audience.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a few deep breaths before you start. Imagine that, with each inhalation, you're bringing in strength and confidence. With each exhalation, imagine that you're letting go of tension.

• Dry throat? Try an old theater trick: suck on a lemon wedge while you're waiting to go on. It works!