Glossophobia—the fear of public speaking—is #8 on the list of common phobias—not #1 as is commonly thought—but it’s still a big concern for many people.
How can we get over our natural fear of public speaking?
- Recognize that fear of public embarrassment is normal. At the very least, give yourself permission to be scared. Judging yourself to be weak or incompetent will just add to your discomfort.
- Fear subsides with experience. If I asked you to give a recital on an unusual music instrument, you’d be justifiably fearful that your performance would be a disappointment.But if you had a few years to practice with a good teacher, you’d be able to make that concert happen.Speaking is the same. As you grow in experience, you’ll grow in confidence.
- Another crazy thing happens when you gain experience: Scientists measured cortisol—the stress hormone—levels in first-time skydivers. As you can imagine, the stress levels were high.But when they measured the cortisol levels of experienced jumpers, they were surprised to discover that the levels were the same!What was different was that the experienced jumpers also had high levels of dopamine. Though they were still afraid on some level, they were mostly looking forward to the rush—to that feeling of acceleration and freefall.It’s the same with speaking. Many speakers never lose their nervousness, but they embrace the powerful rush that comes with engaging a whole auditorium full of people at once.
4. Finally, your fears and doubts and concerns are all you thinking about YOU. Turn nervous into service. Think about how your message will transform the hearts, minds, and fortunes of the people in your audience. Focus on THEM.
