From Barack Obama to Tony Robbins, if you have ever been to a conference or seminar where you have seen great presentations, chances are you have witnessed some of the best speakers get up on stage and inspire people to think differently or move in a certain direction.
So how do they do it? One simple word: practice. One of the most common mistakes people make is that they think that these individuals are just born with the ability to get up in front of a live audience and speak without hesitation. This could not be furthest from the truth. Most of these individuals started out frightened but were willing to get out of their comfort zone.
Addressing Your Fear
If it's your first time speaking in public, you may be nervous and not really know what to expect. There's no reason to be! Even if it's just a small presentation in front of a little group of people sometimes our anxiety gets the better of us and we find ourselves dreading an event that's weeks off.
You don't have to make it into something you don't want to be. If you follow these tips, you'll not only be a better speaker, but you may find yourself actually enjoying speaking in public.
Make Eye Contact
If you make eye contact while you are speaking, people will be more likely to listen to what you are saying. This is what some of the great leadership speakers do. It'll keep them paying better attention throughout your speech. Don't make eye contact with one individual for too long, but sweep the crowd, letting your eyes meet each of theirs for about a moment each.
Practice Your Speech
Whatever it is that you are presenting, make sure you are well prepared. Think to yourself, are you more likely to be afraid if you are going up in front of a hundred people and improvising or going prepared? It'll feel more natural if you know your speech well and have rehearsed it a few times. Not only will your presentation be much more efficient, but you'll feel much more at ease. Also, by practicing you'll make sure that you don't forget points that you want to mention while you are speaking.
Don't Act Nervous
Whether you want to be nervous or not is truly your decision. When I was little I got so scared to the point where I almost passed out to do grade school band tests. One day I realized that there is no reason to be nervous and stress out over it. From that day on I firmly told myself, “I'm not nervous.” I truly believed myself, and now playing in front of other people is a breeze. It's all in your mind.
You're Audience Isn't Your Enemy
Never let it get in your head that they want you to do terribly! Most of the audience is rooting for you and won't want you to feel nervous in front of them. If they notice that you are scared, they'll feel bad, so there's no reason to be! If you have a well prepared presentation, they'll want to listen.
You'll feel great after your first presentation as the audience cheers for you! Think to yourself, do you really want to slack through it or do it well? You'll be much more pleased with yourself if you speak to your full potential.
