It starts with the overwhelming feeling of anxiety that translates to your stomach being tied in knots with your hands sweating and shaking.
The struggle of overcoming fear of public speaking exercise or glossophobia is a constant challenge for many.
Getting rid of the fear that messes up your chance to convey a message in front of people can be challenging.
But just like any other craft, it can be mastered and dominated with constant practice and effective habits.
It is important to utilize all possible avenues to improve. Hence, starting with the book Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo can help.
Find the book in Blinkist and read in just a matter of 15 to 20 minutes.
This premium books reading platform has the book summarized and listed with the important highlights for you.
Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking Exercise
Putting in a conscious effort to prepare yourself and help fight off public speaking anxiety is the only solution.
We have prepared a couple of easy-to-do practices that you can add to your habits before talking in front of people.
Condition Your Mind and Body
Always remember that your state of mind translates into your actions and presentation.
For example, if you are overwhelmed with anxiety, your audience will know it.
As all of these start in your mind and body, taking on actions that can condition it properly is recommended.
For example, a good eight hours of sleep can set your body to optimal functioning on the day of your speech.
On the other hand, meditation works like magic in calming the mind.
You can do this by sitting comfortably, focusing on your breathing pattern, and directing your mind to visualize success in your undertaking.
You can also start by getting your blood pumping through light physical exercise. It can be in the form of stretches, rolls, and twists.
These effectively loosen your muscles, deliver oxygen to your brain, and improve your overall functionality.
Get a healthy meal with a good amount of vitamins and minerals before your speech.
Drink enough water to hydrate your body before your speech to avoid sounding scratchy and raspy during your talk.
Try to avoid beverages with sugar and caffeine because these can make you feel thirsty, acidic and give you the urge to urinate.
Invest in Honing Your Skill
Nothing beats the work you get from learning about how you can do it better.
You can seek advice from people who are known to excel in public speaking.
Get a mentor or a coach to listen to you and give you points of improvement.
You can also get some materials to read or listen to during your free time.
Blinkist offers many handpicked podcasts with helpful insights to fit your needs.
There are a lot of groups and communities that you can join. You can find them online or in your area.
Reaching out to people with the same goal of overcoming fear of public speaking exercise is a good source of support.
Remember that when you speak in front of an audience, project the person you want to be.
Start by fixing your posture and gait.
Finish it off by practicing power poses that make you feel confident and comfortable while you talk.
Master Your Topic and Content
Regardless of the subject that you are to tackle, you have to focus on understanding its entirety.
One of the barriers in delivering effective public speaking is the failure to master the topic at hand.
The more you know your content, the more confident you are going to be when you speak.
It is not good to count on memorization or slides because inevitable situations may take their purpose away.
With a solid understanding of your topic, you can convey your ideas and messages smoothly in words.
It allows you to show your personality as you speak, and it makes it easier to explain in an organized and smooth flow of words.
A topic that you find interesting will be easier to share with an audience.
Do ample research on your subject along with some related topics.
Having more information will help ease the anxiety of being asked questions along the way.
You can prepare a list or flow to make it easier for you to understand and deliver it in front of a crowd.
Know Your Audience
No matter how good your material is, failing to consider your audience may affect your results.
Determine whether you are to speak in front of a small or big crowd.
This helps you prepare mentally and give you an idea of breaking the ice before nailing your topic.
You have to know the purpose of why they are there and what they want to know.
Understanding the audience’s needs will allow you to make your content and delivery more meaningful for them.
Knowing your audience and what they want gives you an idea of what to use during your speech.
You can set the tone, deliver appropriate humor, set the pace, and determine the length of your talk.
Engaging correctly with the audience will boost your confidence and relieve your anxiety.
This makes it more comfortable and easier for you to feel calmer when you answer their questions at the end of the program.
Spend Time for Practice
Reading, memorizing, and playing the scene of you doing the speech in your head is not enough.
The fear is not delivering the speech when you are alone, but speaking in front of an audience or a crowd is.
To effectively make a speech, you have to practice and say the words aloud before a real audience.
Initially, it is good to have yourself as the audience.
Practice your speech in front of a full-length mirror and watch your gestures.
Do not be frustrated when you fail to deliver it in your first few attempts.
Instead, keep on doing it over and over again until you have a good grasp of it.
When you get comfortable, you can get some of your friends and family to listen to you.
You can also join a club or community that lets you speak in front of a small audience.
If none of these is available, you can check different applications that let you think you are speaking in front of a crowd.
Prepare Your Material
Many people commit the mistake of counting on their slides and bullet points too much.
When you prepare material for your speech, make sure to focus on visuals that help you get your point across to the audience.
Reading through the slides word-per-word can be monotonous and boring.
You must keep the material the main point of the talk and supplement it with examples and spontaneous sentences.
The best speakers in the world are those who can create ideas and lines as they go.
However, this does not tell you to skip the basics, which is having an outline to follow.
Having it engraved in your mind, you can quickly go back to your key points if you get off track and finish it the way you planned.
Find Your Focus
A common mistake for amateur public speakers is having their focus on too many people in the crowd.
When you put your attention and vision on several people with varying expressions, you put yourself in a position of vulnerability.
The key to keeping your mind at ease and establishing a connection is to find a focus.
Strive to establish a connection with one person at a time.
You can do this by practicing eye contact. It can be uncomfortable for someone not used to doing it.
Several practices help you get used to it over time.
You can start your practice by engaging in one-on-one conversations and making eye contact with the person you are talking to.
When you make eye contact with a person, you make them feel like you are talking with them.
You want to give this experience to people in the room but never try to do it simultaneously.
Connect With Your Audience
Once you get the hang of establishing a connection through eye contact, you will be allowed to engage with them.
You can make it a two-way interaction and have them participate. You can do this by asking questions.
It is also good to study hand gestures and body language to make it look like you are approachable and confident.
The more at ease and comfortable you are on stage, the more they will want to listen and learn from you.
The good thing about it is that you can use the time to gather and reorganize your thoughts when you feel like you went off track.
Apart from buying you time when you need it, you also get to ease the tension and awkwardness of the first minutes.
Read Books Found on Blinkist
There are a lot of ways to conquer the fear of public speaking.
Learning and reading about the special techniques for improving communication skills is one of them.
Head on to Blinkist to get access to condensed wisdom that you can read or listen to.
Choose among 4500 non-fiction books of different niches aimed to help you improve in all aspects.
Book Recommendation: Talk Like TED
This book by Carmine Gallo is one of the best books that can help you become a good public speaker.
He interviewed some of the famous TED presenters and researchers, as well as looked closely into several TED talks to come up with nine effective tips.
Conclusion
The fear of public speaking can be frustrating and paralyzing. It can hinder you from achieving your goals.
While it may feel impossible to overcome, there are many things that you can do to help yourself.
Public speaking is a skill that any person can master with proper discipline and perseverance.
If you start doing all the tips mentioned above or reading books like Talk Like TED you can find on Blinkist, you can slowly make it manageable.
Who knows? With the suitable materials and ample practice, you immediately gain the confidence you need to speak in front of an audience.
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