Fundamentals to Prepare for Your Next Speaking Opportunity

The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.

”George Jessel (American actor, known in his lifetime as “Toastmaster General of the United States”)

Can you relate to feeling nervous when you know it’s your turn to speak?

Do you ever feel you could share your message more effectively?

Have you noticed how great speakers make it look so easy and effortless?

Even top speakers have experienced fears when they started out and I’ve been there….I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE!

We know public speaking isn’t effortless and through working with clients, I’ve discovered the main reason for these fears is because you’re driving in the wrong gear. It’s like driving 110kph on the highway in second gear!

Knowing that you need to speak publicly can be one of the most nerve wrenching experiences you can have. You may have incredible knowledge and an amazing business; however, if you continue driving in the incorrect gear, it will always feel demanding and stressful.

The key to changing this is, learning how to shift gears.

It’s important to remember, whether you’re doing your first presentation or speaking professionally, a level of fear is almost always present.

Steve Siegold, the Mental Toughness Coach, explains that when we put ourselves under too much stress our performance goes down. He calls it a “performance break down” because when we get stressed, our IQ drops! However, when someone learns how to manage their emotions, they no longer perceive things as a threat.

When we’re stressed, part of our brain, called the Amygdala, triggers an emotional response to the thing with which we feel threatened. A flight or fight reaction occurs and this physically impacts our body with uncomfortable sensations, such as, dry mouth, pounding heart, trembling and a fear of forgetting our words.

If your public speaking fears are stopping you sign clients or you’re afraid to speak at network events, I wonder, how many opportunities you’re missing?

Are you curious to know how you can change gears so that you manage your emotions whenever you need to speak?

3-Steps for your next speaking opportunity:

Visualise: Hold a positive, clear picture of the outcome for your presentation. Remember to include all your favourite colours, sounds, feelings, positive thoughts and language. Now think of a role model you look up to or aspire to become. Reflect on their qualities, such as, tone, how they hold themselves and how they speak.

Practice: Know your subject and content well and remember to breathe deeply. Research shows your fears are reduced by 75% when you feel prepared and confident.

Circle of Influence: Focus on the things that are within your power and not on the things that aren’t. For example, you can manage how you feel and what you tell yourself. However, you can’t manage how your audience will respond.

Here’s to your success as you change gears and share your message!