Introduction
Does the idea of having to speak in front of an organized audience enough to sweat you out? Have you ever experienced sheer panic before a presentation? You might be suffering from a fear of public speaking, also known as Glossophobia.
Do not worry; you are not alone. Studies indicate that every one in four people experience a fear of public speaking.
But it is not for life. With the right strategy and execution of an English public speaking course, this fear can be conquered with steady progress.
In this blog, we will give you some insight into how you can conquer your fear of public speaking effectively.
Tips for conquering your fear of public speaking
Overcoming the fear of public speaking is not something that happens overnight. You should not expect any tip to work wonders in a day or two. Instead, it is a process that gives back steady progress every day until you have finally learned to be fearless in public speaking.
The following are some of the most crucial tips to defeat your fear of public speaking:
Choose a topic that gets you excited
Before you begin preparing for your presentation, you should step back and ask yourself, “is it really what I want to speak about?” Most of us choose topics related to tech and finance to appear informed about these boosting fields.
But if they do not excite you, it is all down the drain. Not only will you have a hard time preparing for such a topic, but you will not sound natural.
Instead, choose a topic that excites you, so you can hold the attention of the crowd efficiently.
Prepare, practice and repeat
Once you have the topic, you need to gather enough data to prepare your speech. Having insufficient data could hamper your presentation, just like insufficient practice. Let us say you start preparing for the speech a week before the event. That means you have 7 days to practice, practice, and practice some more. The next two tips will give you an idea as to how you can practice your speech.
Record yourself
You are your best criticizer. No one can judge you as you would judge yourself. And that can be used in practice for your speech. Record yourself while you are presenting the speech for practice. Look back to the video and note down all the things you did not do right. Consequently, work on them to eliminate the flaws.
Perform in front of others
Does it seem like you are unable to point out any more mistakes in your speech? Well, then, you need to ask your family or friends to review your presentation. Perform in front of them as you would at the event and ask them to evaluate your speech and the way you present it.
Based on the feedback they give you, make the changes in your presentation.
Take a public speaking class
The next and most sought-after tip is joining an English public speaking course offered by an expert. This can help you not only work on your public speaking skills before an event but also improve your presentation skills and conquer your public speaking fear for life. If you are someone who is expected to be the spokesperson at school, college, or work, a public speaking class might be just the right thing for you.
Breath in, breath out
If you are prone to panicking before speaking in public, the best way to move ahead is by controlling your breathing pattern. Get your head out of the spiraling thoughts of what would happen if you fail and think about pleasant things. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it in for a few seconds and exhale through your mouth. Repeat this process several times until you feel better.
You can also use this technique daily to deal with anxiety.
Take a pause
Nothing else can be more boring than a person droning on and on about the same things with no break. Taking a short pause in your speech will give you time to gather your ideas and go over them. Moreover, a pause will allow you a moment to breathe, drink water, etc. And it will also give time for the audience to reflect on what you have presented.
If your speech is above 7 minutes, we recommend you take a pause after 60 percent.
Make use of a visual aid
A visual ad, like a PowerPoint presentation, can help you remember your lines according to the points.
Even if there is no screen for presenting a PowerPoint, you should still make it to help you during your practice. This way, all the ideas, stats, information, and theories are classified neatly for your understanding.
Practice mindfulness and meditation
You already know what meditation is and how it can be performed. Performing meditation regularly to calm your mind is a great way of conquering your fear of public speaking.
Mindfulness is the ability to be entirely present and aware of your surroundings. You can perform this anytime, anywhere, by simply paying attention and exercising control over your body and breathing pattern.
Feedback is the key
Every time you give a speech, always ask for constructive feedback from the audience, judge, etc. This will help you get better with each presentation and allow you to work on the flaws that you oversaw. Moreover, you can implement this feedback into your next presentation to improve your public speaking skills.
Conclusion
These tips are crafted together to help you overcome your fear of speaking in public. We at Orator Academy work on all these aspects and more in our English public speaking course. We offer one-on-one sessions, group sessions, and expert guidance to our students.
With our courses, you can say goodbye to your public speaking anxiety and learn to embrace your newfound confidence.
