How to Quell Anxiety When Giving a Speech
If the thought of speaking in front of an audience makes you break into a sweat, you are not alone. Although rated as the number one fear among Americans, public speaking does not have to be traumatic. With preparation, practice and common sense you will soon be presenting all of your speeches with ease.
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Instructions
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Know your topic. If given a choice, talk about a subject you are familiar with or feel strongly about. The right topic can help you stay focused on the content rather than the audience. Whether or not you are familiar with the topic, however, focus on three main points that you want the audience to remember. This will alleviate many fears as it will make the speech more manageable.
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Prepare your main points. Use a web map or outline format to brainstorm the major points you want to make. Do some research so that you can intersperse quotes and statistics. The end result will be a speech you can feel confident about delivering, based on the theories of experts and solid facts, as well as your own slant on the topic. Dr. Morton C. Orman, a physician with the non-profit organization The Health Resource Network, stated, "Remember, all your audience wants from you is to walk away with one or two key points that will make a difference to them. If you structure your talks to deliver this result, you can avoid lots of complexity that isn't really needed."
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Create note cards. Jot down your main points on the cards and number them so your speech flows from point to point. While you will probably not want to read your speech from a paper, you may want to take a few note cards with you. Just knowing you have the option of looking down at a note card can give you a sense of security.
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Practice, then practice some more. The first two or three times you practice your speech you will probably rely heavily on your note cards to guide you from point to point. Then practice without referring to the note cards unless absolutely necessary. Imagine an audience in front of you, smiling and nodding in agreement with what you are saying. Remind yourself that you have a solid topic and the knowledge to present it.
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Think positively about your audience. It is easy to imagine the worst, but the truth is most people in an audience are polite and kind. Toastmasters International, a worldwide organization that teaches people the art of speaking and leading, provides the following tip, "Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They're rooting for you."
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Find a relaxation technique. This should be something that you can do in the 30 to 60 seconds before it is your turn to go on stage. It could be closing your eyes and imagining yourself in your favorite place or doing two or three slow, deep breaths. Some find it useful to remind themselves that in 30 minutes (or however long their speech is to last) it will be over and they can go on their merry way. This takes the pressure off the moment.
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Remember that you don't have to be perfect. Giving a speech is simply that. It is not performing a life or death operation or deciding someone's future. It is simply sharing information with others. Give yourself a break if you stumble over a word. Make eye contact with some friendly people in the crowd. When it is all over, congratulate yourself on your success in completing the task.
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