Fear of Public Speaking is real. I've gone into some detail about why we get nervous during public speaking events in this earlier blog. You aren't weak, you are being affected by deeply rooted social insecurities.
However, if public speaking is an important part of your job, then you need to tackle your fear of speaking in public and reduce the impact on your role.
In order to tackle your fear of public speaking, there's something simple and powerful you can do:
FOCUS
Most of your fear of public speaking comes from what's going on in your head before, during and after the speech. Internal focus and all the mental chatter of your Inner Critic is likely to feed your fear of public speaking. It tells you that you're rubbish at public speaking, it tells you that they don't want to listen to what you have to say, it tells you that you're going to mess it up.
Whenever our focus is internal, we end up in trouble. It's exactly the same in sport psychology, the moment the focus shifts internally, the players start making mistakes, doubting themselves and losing opportunities.
What do they think of me? What if some of them know more than I do about this? Will I look like an idiot in front of them? Fear and anxiety come from internal focus. Me, Me Me.
We don't want to make a fool of ourselves. We don't want the audience to develop a poor opinion of us. And in that moment, we lose our courage and confidence and develop self doubt through all that judgmental self-talk.
The focus should move away from inside YOU move externally to the audience. That shift is the key to tackling your fear of public speaking. Stop worrying about if the audience like you, stop worrying about what they know, stop worrying about whether you will look like an idiot. Focus on one thing.
Giving the audience something.
Your focus now is:
What can I make the audience THINK, FEEL and DO.
All your job is when you get up there is to give your energy and focus to making the audience THINK, FEEL and DO something powerful. With all of your attention poured into serving the audience, your fear of failure, your fear of public speaking will quickly start to melt away.
I'm pleased to say that many of clients report and almost instant reduction in the fear of public speaking. And most, within six months to a year, tell me that they have started to seek out public speaking opportunities.
The Very Best
Mark Westbrook
Public Speaking Coach Scotland