How do you feel just before you have to give that special presentation?

What do you feel? Why do you feel that way?

Public speaking is not that difficult but it tends to make all the other stuff in your life seem easy. We all experience some kind of mental and physical tension before a performance. The usual symptoms that pop up as a result of nervousness are sweaty hands, trembling knees, uptight stomach, racing heartbeat, quivering voice, shallow breathing - and many more.

What causes this nervousness and how can we control it?

Most of us are afraid to be ridiculed. We don’t want to look or sound foolish. Many people have told me that just before a presentation their thoughts usually take a dive into negativity by spinning around in a ‘What if …’ pattern (i.e. what if I forget my words, what if my subject is boring, etc…). So far, no one has said that it’s the audience that makes them afraid. Could it be that the audience is not causing the fear of public speaking? Well, that seems to be right on! It's not the people in your audience that scare you. It’s those thoughts rolling around in your mind that cause your nervousness. It's your perception of what you’re doing that scares you.

Fear is an internal tiger, a personal emotion - and some of it is not that bad. It’s natural to have some kind of tension when speaking before an audience. It's what baseball players feel as they step up to the plate, or the aggressiveness so well demonstrated by football players as they line up for the kick-off. It’s an anticipation that is quite welcome. It boosts your mental energy. It makes you feel alive.

There is a very fine line between fear and excitement. Speaking before an audience can be your worst nightmare but it can also be your biggest thrill. There are many ways to release the anxiety experienced before a presentation. Some techniques work wonders and some don’t work at all (i.e. football players slap each others’ butt - but I don’t think this technique works very well before a speech).

Let’s look at some strategies that actually work.

These simple techniques will remove most of your nervousness. Remember, it’s natural to have some kind of tension when speaking in front of an audience.

Want to be good?

Want to sound confident?

Whether you speak about life, business, or how to make apple cider, you have to know your subject well. You have to prepare. If you are not prepared, chances are that you will go into a deep-thinking mode which means that throughout your presentation you’re constantly thinking of what to say next. This distraction creates a mind-busy condition that keeps your word flow at bay and causes your eyes to look down at the floor or scan the ceiling. In this mode, you’re unable to smile, your voice sounds monotone and your uncertainty creates hums between words. Your connection with the audience is practically non-existent. It’s not an exciting way to make a presentation. Preparation is vital. Everything depends on it.

What are you saying ?

How do you feel when you are saying it?

What is your body telling the audience?

The audience always knows if you are sincere or not. Your body, your facial expressions and your eyes, project exactly how you feel when you speak. If you don’t believe what you’re saying then what goes through their mind is, "If he doesn’t believe it, why should I?" Your gestures, your smile, and your eye contact will be more natural when you believe in your subject. You will also be more at ease and more confident.

You could read every book ever written about golf. You would then be an expert on the game and could talk about it in your sleep, but would you be a good golfer? It’s the same with everything else - playing piano, tennis, baseball, dancing, anything - just because you know everything about a subject doesn’t mean that you are good at it. Practice is what makes improvement. If you want to be a good speaker then you have to practice.

The only antidote for stagefright is self-confidence. Self-confidence comes mostly from knowing your topic, believing in it, and by practicing your material.

So, you do all this and you’re still nervous?

Welcome to the human race - you’re normal!

Breathing properly is very important in public speaking. It allows you to relax and perform better.

Practice the following exercise before a presentation (or whenever you find yourself in a tense situation):

Breathe slowly and deeply - in through the nose, out through the mouth. Let the air go all the way down to your stomach. Hold for a count of 5 (this is an example, just do what you can). Breathe out ‘slowly’ through your mouth. Practice 6 or 7 times.

Be careful - stop if your head starts spinning. You’re getting more oxygen than you’re used to. It will get better with practice.

Don't rush while speaking. During your presentation let go of tight shoulders, don’t squeeze your stomach, relax, breathe normally and deeply. Pause once in a while to catch your breath. The pause will allow your audience to think about what you’ve just said while giving you the time to think of what to say next.

Your words have to be clear and audible for everyone in your audience so your voice has to be strong. You have to speak with power.

How do you really sound?

Is your voice warm and friendly?

Can you smile with your voice?

Voice and breathing go very well together. Breathe normally. Let the words come from deep within your body - not from your throat. For a deeper and richer voice, hum your favorite song once in a while. Feel the vibrations in your throat as you hum. Do this the day before your presentation.

If you need to drink before a presentation, drink water (room temperature only/no ice water). Stay away from milk products because they can give you phloem in your throat. Never drink any alcoholic beverage before a presentation.

Whatever is going through your mind in the last few minutes before the presentation will strongly affect your performance. Control your thoughts. Let go of the "What if ..." syndrome, (i.e. what if my hair is out place, what if I trip on the way to the podium, what if I forget the words, what if I have to sneeze, what if I faint, etc...). Such thinking is a complete waste of energy. Shift to a positive attitude. Focus instead on your confidence, on your message for the audience and going up there and giving it your best shot. Whatever you focus upon expands so focus on the positive and you will shine.

Nervousness is really stuck energy. It’s a built up mental tension that has now taken physical attributes.

How do you get this energy to flow?

How can you turn your ‘fear’ into a ‘thrilling experience’?

Think about this:

What can possibly make someone like Bruce Springsteen so exciting on stage?

Springsteen is someone who apparently experiences big-time stagefright. Well, meeting 50,000 people head-on in a stadium is definitely big-time entertainment and stagefright can be a real downer at such moments. But what happens when Springsteen steps on that stage? If you’ve been at any of his concerts then you know that he sings and plays guitar with incredible passion and feeling. He pushes that energy and intensity over the edge. He feels every note and every word. He puts everything he’s got into that performance. Result: All that stuck energy turns into excitement and he goes on to give another fantastic performance.

So, put some life into it. Use your body, your voice and your passion to create excitement. Feel what you are saying and show it. Be passionate, be energized, be flamboyant. Use all that stuck energy inside you to create excitement for your audience.

© Anthony Curiale, 2004