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March 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Did you know the average person ranks the fear of public speaking higher than the fear of death? And yet overcoming this fear can be the key to a long and successful career.
In business, it’s essential to be able to get your point across. Whether we’re giving a formal presentation to a large audience or asking our bosses for a promotion, speaking skills are essential to getting ahead in life.
Here are nine more tips for overcoming your fear of public speaking:
1. Relax
When you let go of stress and relax, it eases your body and makes you appear less tense. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your audience will be.
2. Don’t over-think the audience’s reaction
There is always going to be audience member yawning or talking on the phone. Just remember that there will always be people who are bored or tired. None of these audience reactions has anything to do with you personally.
3. Slow down
Talking too quickly during a speech interferes with your breathing patterns. If you talk too fast, you’ll breathe less, and feeling short of breath could cause you to panic. Practice slowing down when you speak and you’ll be much more relaxed.
4. Make your nervous energy work for you
Learn to channel your nervous energy into positive energy. Being nervous is a form of adrenaline. You can use it in a positive way to help give an impassioned speech.
