RISMEDIA, November 24, 2009—A survey was recently released showing that the top fear among individuals is public speaking, while the fear of death was later on down the list. Do you know what that means? It means most people would rather die than speak in public.
How about you? How do you feel about public speaking?
Having coached thousands of people in the last 30 years, I can assure you that there is hope. Many of my clients were terrified of speaking in front of a group of people, but as they learn the 7 tips to make public speaking easier, they start to relax and even become exceptional at public speaking. I remember one client in particular who did such an about face, that by the end of the coaching, she decided to become a professional speaker.
The 7 tips you can use to make public speaking easier include:
Tip 1- Normalize your fear. In other words, be aware that just about everyone shares this fear. It is normal in our society.
Tip 2 – Create what you want. Remember that your thoughts create your reality. If you tell yourself, “I am a terrible public speaker,” then you’ll become that which you think. If you tell yourself, “This is a great speech and people will get a lot out of it,” then the confidence you project will shine.
Tip 3 – Visualize. Remember to visualize how you want to see yourself when you are speaking in front of a crowd. How would you ideally like to feel when speaking in front of people? Would you like to be calm and relaxed? Start visualizing yourself as a calm and relaxed speaker, and step inside of the picture and feel the feelings as if they are happening right now.
Tip 4 – Remain Positive. Give yourself a positive verbal suggestion, such as “I am a calm, confident, dynamic public speaker.”
Tip 5 – Question the fear. Ask yourself why you are afraid. Did a negative episode happen in your life where you where ridiculed or judged? If so, a part of you decided, “I’ll never do that again.” It became your survival strategy. Healing that wound will require that you ask the scared part what it would need to feel safe. A client of mine recently did just that to her scared part. It became clear that her scared part would only be willing to speak up if it was being heard by a friendly, supportive audience, where mistakes were allowed.
Tip 6 – Rehearse. Find a person who will listen with support and encouragement, like a coach or a mentor. Then role play with that person until you feel comfortable speaking.
Tip 7 – Speak from your heart. Realize that your speaking is a gift. It is benefitting the listener. Become passionate about what you say. Focus on your audience, not yourself. This is about them and what you have to give to them.
Dr. Maya Bailey, author of Law of Attraction for Real Estate Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Get Bailey’s free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days, by visiting www.90DaystoMoreClients.com.
