Top Ten Ways to Eliminate the Fear of Public Speaking

Many college students fear public speaking more than falling into a pit of snakes, being attacked by an alligator, or swimming with sharks. A frustrated student stopped by my office one morning. He was majoring in engineering and had been pursuing his degree for over 6 years. He shared a story of trying to take the public speaking course several times and being overwhelmed with fear of giving a speech in front of an audience of students. He decided that the course I was teaching was his last chance. After experiencing several failures, he made the decision to drop out of engineering if he didn’t pass my speech class. I told him that success in my course was possible. I also informed him that the anxiety that accompanies giving a speech cannot be eliminated. I further explained that there are several ways to manage public speaking anxiety.

There are many ways to manage the fear of giving a speech. Here is my Top 10 list of suggestions:

1. Try the power pose. Before your presentation, find a private spot and stand with a powerful posture. For example, think of the pose used by Wonder Woman or Superman. Power posing researchers say that standing for a few minutes in a powerful pose will give you more confidence when it comes time to speak.

2. Take a few minutes to locate the room where you are speaking, check the lighting and technology. Fear of the unknown increases anxiety. I remember attending a convention at a large hotel in Detroit. At night I visited the room where I would present the next day. I also saw other presenters checking out their presentation rooms. I felt more comfortable the next day because I was familiar with the environment and the technology in the room.

3. Get some exercise. Medical research demonstrates the value of daily exercise in reducing anxiety. On the day of your presentation, take a brisk walk or do some exercises to relax. But don’t overdo it. You don’t want to appear to your audience like you just finished a marathon.

4. Avoid caffeine. Energy drinks, coffee, and too much dark chocolate for some speakers will increase your anxiety. Nervous gestures, voice and problems with your contour can be the result of too much caffeine in your diet.

5. Take a few deep breaths. Breathing deeply will lower your pulse rate. Taking a few deep breaks before the presentation will help you relax.

6. Keep breathing. Emergency specialists say that many trauma victims lose their regular breathing habits. They often instruct the victim to focus on her own breathing and return to a regular breathing pattern. If your speech is a traumatic experience for you, then it’s important to think about your breathing patterns.

7. Pause for a minute. Professional speakers use this technique. It’s okay to pause for a minute or two before you begin your speech. It’s a great way to focus your mind on the speech outline and get away from your anxious feelings.

8. Use positive affirmations. Our minds work like a stage. You cannot have positive and negative thoughts on the stage of your mind at the same time. Negative thoughts will push positive ones off the stage. Think positive thoughts. Imagine your audience giving you a standing ovation at the end of your presentation.

9. See nursing images. Recent research indicates that viewing positive, caring, and loving images will increase your confidence and reduce anxiety. Find a photo of a family member or friend, or your pet, dog or cat. Focus on the images for a couple of minutes and watch your anxiety about speaking fade away.

10. Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. Practicing is the best way to control anxiety. Professional speakers rehearse their speeches 10 to 12 times.

Public speaking anxiety is a way of life for many presenters. Learn to channel anxiety into energy in your presentation. The next time you feel anxiety about speaking, think about the many ways you can manage that anxiety and deliver a great speech.