How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking is stressful for the majority of people. However, the fear of public speaking, or glossophobia as it is called, is more serious in some than others. Many of us would love to dodge the problem entirely, but in some cases it's absolutely unavoidable. For instance, giving a toast as the best man at a wedding or a college presentation leaves you no choice but to just go through it. The good news is that there are effective methods to help improve and correct your fears, allowing you to give great speeches. Here are just a few things to help you do this:

Relax.

Start off the process by relaxing yourself. Most people believe that certain things in life are stressful, and public speaking is no exception. The truth is, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to give nice, polished public presentations. The people you see giving speeches in front of large groups of people seem to have it down, but keep in mind that they too once started being terrified to speak. Their hands were trembling, voice felt as if it would give out, and there thoughts were cluttered in their mind. Does that sound familiar? If so, just know that they were able to eliminate their fears and so can you. Everyone is human, and if they are capable of doing something then you are too. Be confident with yourself.

Change Your Perception of Public Speaking

A public speaker is an idea, almost like a job, and many people strive too hard to bring forth certain qualities that are necessary with being a public speaker. However, that's not the way to proceed. You're not trying to be a public speaker; you're trying to be yourself.

The majority of public speeches have gone wrong because the speaker tried to be something or someone that they're not. Speaking in public is one of the few times that you can fully be yourself in the presence of others. Otherwise, your audience will see right through your false personality. Make your speech feel natural.

Keep Your Speech Simple.

No matter what subject the speech is about it's always a great idea to prepare. However, how you prepare and how much time you take to prepare could hurt your speech. It's all in your strategy for preparation that leads to giving a successful presentation. For instance, if you have the wrong focus, if you try too hard to think of a funny joke, or if you're relying on the audience to applaud during certain points then in an essence over preparing can hurt you.

Obviously, you'll want to know your subject well enough to speak about it, but you still don't have to deliver loads of facts or details to win your audience over. Many people won't remember most of the information you convey anyway, so instead of talking on several facts just narrow it down to three main points that steer the direction of your speech. Instead of preparing a thirty page script, just replace it with twenty index cards that contain your key points.

All of your audience, more than likely, will only remember a few points and this allows you to avoid the complexity that isn't really needed. This will make speaking in public much, much easier.

Be funny.

Along with your key points, your audience will mostly remember how entertaining your speech was. While every person has their own individual style of public speaking, I'm a big believer that humor goes a long way and makes the speech much more entertaining.

A couple of well placed jokes in your speech can wake the audience up and regain respect for you. Humor is also important because even if you're talking on a subject that is not familiar to those in your audience, humor is something that everyone can understand. Don't be afraid to share your weaknesses and mistakes. Everyone has them. In this aspect, by sharing your personal humorous stories you're creating a safe, intimate environment where everyone feels they can trust you.

It's also a great idea to be humble throughout your speech. Even if you're an expert in the field you're speaking on, being humble makes you appear more credible, more respected, and you're "one of them." If you get nervous when you stand up there and your voice starts to tremble, more than likely your audience has already picked up on this. By acknowledging your fear open and honestly with a few subtle jokes, your audience will become more accepting. Keep in mind that you audience members are pulling for you, not against you. People want you to succeed, because everyone has been in that position at one time or another and they know how it feels. This realization will help you relieve your speaking anxiety and allow time for you to collect yourself.

Control Yourself, Not the Audience.

During your speech there will be a number of distractions such as people being restless, people falling asleep, talking on their cell phone, or snickering with their friends. The best thing for you to realize in this situation is that it is completely out of your control. You're here to give a speech, not tame the wild audience. Whether or not they accept your material is completely up to them.

Take great care at controlling your thoughts and presentation. The number one reason most people fear public speaking is because they are constantly worried about what the audience is thinking of them. The pressure is already very high once you take the podium, and by glancing out in the audience to see a few people laughing then most people will crack and their speech will start to decline. Be focused.

You will not die from giving a speech.

This sounds like a silly point but it's completely true. Think about it. One thing that adds to the fear or public speaking is that people dread something publicly humiliating will happen to them. Questions such as "What if they start laughing?" or "What if I start stuttering and the audience throws things at me?" are just a few that go through someone's head prior to taking stage. If you fear the audience will simply get up and leave then you need to use some common sense. Certainly these things would be embarrassing if they happened, but most of them will never happen.

When I feared public speaking, my biggest concern was dealing with hecklers or people laughing at me. Some even asked harsh questions that were set up to make me look like a fool. If you come across this type of audience, simply react by stopping your speech to deal with situation. Otherwise, you frustration will lead to a bad speech. Also, this scores points with your remaining audience because they'll take you for a humble person. Ask the hecklers or those laughing at you if you can help them or if there was any confusion about the things I'm talking about. Most of the time they'll be quiet and allow you to finish your speech.

Once you've given speeches many times, your anxiety about public speaking will go away. Things will become routine and you'll no longer feel threatened by those sitting just a few feet away. That's a comforting thought. You're now ready to go conquer the stage!