How To Overcome Stage and Public Speaking Anxiety
Public Speaking Anxiety
Public Speaking is something that all performers deal with to some extent. However, not everyone is the same. Some people are terrified while others can take on any role with ease. If you are looking for ways to become less nervous about performing in front of audiences, this book can help.
I outline all of the things I know about public speaking and stage fright so that you can overcome it for good! From overcoming sleeplessness to handling different kinds of stress, I explain all of the things I do to secure myself before an important show.
Public speaking is a common fear among people of all walks of life. As per research done by international schools in India, it’s has been estimated that 75–95% of the population have some sort of dread of public speaking or stage fright. Stage nerves can significantly handicap people from performing to their full potential. In addition to the effects on your confidence and self-esteem, it can have a negative impact on your career and earning potential.
Many people are afflicted with stage fright or public speaking anxiety, which causes the same symptoms, which make them extremely uneasy in front of a crowd. Their fear is irrational, but if you suffer from it to this extreme, it becomes very real to you.
Stage fright is an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult to appear comfortable in a public situation. While there’s no sure way to overcome stage fright, there are a few helpful techniques you can use to minimize your discomfort and make taking the stage a little easier.
How to overcome Stage Fright
You’ve perfected your speech and you’re well-practiced at it. You’re ready to wow and amaze the audience, but what happens next? Your heart starts to pound and your palms start sweating. You want to run away or collapse. You forget everything you learn in public speaking class. That’s where we come in.
To overcome stage fright, learn how to deal with the physical manifestations of anxiety so you can feel calm and confident on stage. We all get nervous before public speaking, but many of us experience anxiety so severe that it is debilitating. If you suffer from this type of extreme anxiety, your day or presentation can be ruined despite your best efforts to prepare.
Overcoming a fear of public speaking begins with getting to know your anxiety. You’ll learn how anxiety can be your friend at times, and where it becomes debilitating.
When you think about it, public speaking is nothing more than practicing what you have been saying one person at a time. It’s no different from working up the nerve to ask someone on a date or for a raise.
The biggest factor in overcoming this fear is acceptance. Acceptance is the biggest victory that can help you achieve anything in life.
Conclusion
You may be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or the founder of an exciting new start-up, but when you’re in front of an audience, whether it’s fifty people or five hundred, your knees get shaky, your palms sweat, and your heart pounds uncontrollably. That’s understandable; it’s the fight or flight response kicking in.
Stage fright can occur to anyone and it is not something to feel ashamed about.