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Conquer your Fear Of Public Speaking Stand Up And Speak, Inc. 2012 Copyright 2012 Stand Up And Speak, Inc.

Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

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Page 1: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

Conquer your FearOf Public Speaking

Stand Up And Speak, Inc.2012

Copyright 2012 Stand Up And Speak, Inc.

Page 2: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

Being afraid to speak in front of an audience is normal

Speaking in front of a group of people or audience is for most a daunting task that creates deep anxiety and a level of stress that is, for many, literally unbearable. It is said that the fear of public speaking surpasses just about all other fears including the fear of flying and yes, even the fear of death! Some people would rather die than get up in front of an audience and speak.

Many of us take all possible precautions to avoid situations and circumstances that might require us to speak formally or informally in front of others. The problem with this is that it has negative implications that may effect several areas of your life. It is very limiting and can create a sense of regret over time for those who desire self improvement.

The inability to break through the barrier of being able to stand up and speak in front of groups (both small and large) limits your opportunities for growth, connections, friendships, happiness and the quality of life. If you are genuinely interested in becoming the best you can be, learning to become more comfortable speaking in front of an audience is a must.

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Page 3: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

Can I really become more comfortable at Public Speaking?

The good news is that we believe it is possible for anyone to become comfortable at public speaking! Many people have come to us at Stand Up and Speak believing that they are absolutely unable to overcome this fear and that they are the ONE who we will not be able to help in spite of all our efforts. Our experience has been quite the opposite. Those who take the first step in reaching out to us are the ones with the deep desire to improve and with our guidance we have had the pleasure of watching THEM overcome their fear. By using our methods and techniques you too can conquer the fear of public speaking. Is there a secret to conquering the fear of Public Speaking?

There is really no secret or magical remedy to conquer the fear of public speaking. Like anything else in life that yields positive and rewarding results it does take time, preparation, practice, hard work and determination.

To understand how to conquer the fear of public speaking you must first understand what the source of that fear is and begin to deconstruct that source so that the negative emotion associated with public speaking becomes more manageable.

You are not alone

It is important to understand that you are definitely not alone. The majority of those who get up in front of a group are gripped by this same

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Page 4: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

fear to varying degrees. While it is true that some may naturally feel more comfortable than others, everyone without experience getting up in front of an audience feels anxiety at one level or another. This is also one thing that age doesn’t necessarily fix by itself. People of all ages are affected by the anxiety that is caused by having to get up in front of a group and expressing themselves verbally.

Where does the fear of public speaking come from?

Speaking in front of an audience creates a level of exposure and vulnerability to others that most of us are naturally uncomfortable with. The sense that you will literally freeze, lose your train of thought or make a formidable embarrassing mistake in front of an audience overwhelms your senses and makes it difficult for you to perform and convey your message under this level of pressure.

This is a completely normal reaction. The root of this fear is actually a key part of your emotional makeup. This fear is derived from your brain’s survival mechanism leading to fight or flight. Your mind, in a very archaic way, is interpreting this vulnerability or exposure as something harmful to your well being. Therefore your body is literally reacting by heating up (you begin to feel unusually warm and sweaty), your heart beat quickens, you may have trouble catching your breath as if you just finished a marathon, and your mind switches to survival mode: in a literal sense your fear becomes personified as: Forget Everything And Run (F.E.A.R.).

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It doesn't have to be that way. You can actually learn to reduce your anxiety, reduce or eliminate that survival mode and become focused, calm and more relaxed in front of an audience as if you were speaking to your family and friends in your own living room.

Here are 3 simple tips to help you conquer the fear of public speaking.

Important note: these tips are not overnight remedies, however, if implemented over a period of time will help you face the anxiety that comes with standing up and speaking in front of an audience. Once you are able to face that anxiety, each time you get up in front of an audience it will become easier and easier, and before long it will become second nature. Though it may be difficult to believe for you if you are extremely afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward to instead of something you dread.

Tip #1: Prepare.

“Before anything else preparation is the key to success” Alexander Graham Bell The irony is, the more you fear speaking in front of others the more likely you will fail to prepare effectively. When you are given an opportunity to speak you are so focused on the anxiety and stress leading up to the event

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Page 6: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

you do not prepare in any way that might lead to a level of competency and therefore success.

If you lack confidence in public speaking and are forced into having to speak in front of others, and are unable to avoid it, because its either its a requirement within your education or job this is likely the most dreaded thing you could be called upon to do. Unfortunately, what exacerbates the problem in many cases is that you are so afraid of having to get up and present in front of others, you spend little time on preparation. In a state of avoidance and procrastination, you focus instead on everything that could possibly go wrong with your presentation.

What you may not realize is that public speaking like any other discipline, whether it be a chosen profession, music, sports or an important area of study, can be prepared for in advance and like any of these other areas the more you prepare the more likely you will achieve an acceptable level of competency.

Proper preparation will reduce your anxiety because through this preparation you are essentially facing this fear head on. In fact, your level of preparation will be directly correlated to the amount of anxiety you will experience when you are public speaking. The more you prepare the less nervous you will feel while you are actually speaking.

On the other hand, you can spend a lot of time preparing but not preparing the right way. While you may attempt to prepare for a speech or verbal presentation in your own way or the way you were taught at a very young age, you are probably not preparing in the most effective way. In preparation, you can easily get caught in the trap of focusing on either gathering more information then you could possibly utilize to get your point across or spend a great deal of your preparation time on memorizing the content rather than formulating and thinking through the content that would be required to achieve the outcomes expected from the delivery.

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Recommendation: Do not attempt to memorize your presentation Memorization takes hours of intense time and energy and in spite of the noble effort will not actually ensure you will be able to recall the information when you are under the pressure of the spot light. In fact, memorization as much as it appears to be the safest route to success while speaking in front of an audience, is one of the greatest sources of nervousness and the most prominent reason for freezing on stage.

The reason is simple.

Because your mind becomes so focused on recalling the exact words of your speech, which is an intense process for your brain, the distraction of trying to recall words and phrases as opposed to trying to deliver a message actually increases your level of stress. Your emotions take over and simply shuts down your ability to recall and you essentially draw a blank. This is actually one of the greatest fears of public speaking realized. We do not recommend trying to memorize your speech, instead focus on capturing the key points and communicating them in your own words as naturally as you can. The key to not having to memorize your speech starts with the method of preparation. Tip #2: Prepare the Right Way

When preparing for a speech or presentation, rather than starting with gathering content, focus on what you want your audience to take away from the presentation. For example, in preparing for a speech on the

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Page 8: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

health benefits of a regular exercise routine, instead of spending the majority of your time gathering large amounts of supportive data (which is readily available) start by focusing on what you want your audience to take away from the presentation. In this case, each audience member leaves with the message that they can improve their health, happiness and quality of life through adding an exercise routine to their busy schedule.

So the first thing to do is visualize your audience listening to and absorbing your concept and taking home with them a seed planted in their mind that if they exercise more the benefits will be greater than the inconvenience and pain of exercising. Ultimately, you want your audience to go home and establish an exercise routine.

The question is not how much content you can throw at your audience or prove to your audience how knowledgeable you are on the subject, it is how to convince your audience to take a step in the right direction and improve their lives. In this sense, you are keeping the best interest of your audience in mind. Remember, the most important people in the room is your audience. Working backward from that point you can then begin to build out the content, and connect with the audience, describing the benefits of a regular exercise routine i.e. improved quality of life, look and feel good, longevity of life, etc. Then focus on the underlying logic and psychology behind each benefit. Here is where you can bring in your supporting data and references.

All the while you remain conscious of the fact that information overload will begin to cloud the message so include information in small bits that are highly relevant and in line with the message. Instead of writing out the speech word for word create this type of outline.

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Presentation Outline

Here is a basic presentation outline.

Start with the take away: I want my audience members to go home or contact me about establishing a regular exercise routine in order to live a healthier, happier life.

Introduction: Connect with the audience!

Introduce your topic: How a regular exercise routine can help benefit your health and improve the quality of your life.

Show your understanding that your audience members have a busy schedule and adding in a regular exercise routine is not an easy thing to do.

Tell your audience a story: either a personal story or a story of someone you know who has benefited in a tangible way from a consistent exercise routine.

Key: real stories, about real people add life to any presentation, this is a way of inspiring and entertaining your audience. Your audience will remember compelling stories better than they will remember the theory.

Audience connection question(s):

1. How many in the audience currently have a regular exercise routine?2. How many in the audience have had an exercise routine but found it

difficult to continue with the routine?3.How many in the audience would like to develop a regular, easy to follow

exercise routine?

Key: Questions keep you connected with your audience. Remember to add questions to your presentation if the timing and format allow.

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Body of the Presentation:

This is where you add your supporting data and research. In this case, this may include: documented health benefits of a regular exercise routine, clinically proven psychological benefits of regular exercise, etc. You may also decide to create a slide focusing on the opposite, how a lack of exercise can create health problems in both the short and long term.

The body of the presentation may also include suggested types of exercise routines for beginners as well as those who may need to re-establish a regular routine.

Honesty is always the best policy when doing a presentation or speech: while you want to motivate your audience, be sure to be 100% honest with them that establishing a routine will not be easy but given your data the benefits far outweigh the choice not to exercise on a regular basis.

Conclusion: The Take Away!

This is perhaps the most important part of your presentation. Essentially this part of the presentation returns full circle to the beginning, the reason for the presentation.

In this case, how a regular exercise routine can help benefit your health and improve the quality of your life.

As you wind down your presentation this is your final attempt to leave an impression that will get your audience to act. To encourage them to do so you may want to introduce a challenge or competition with expressed permission to reach out to you for any assistance you may be able to offer in the process.

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Tip #3: Practice, Practice, Practice

Now that you’ve accepted the importance of preparation and preparing the right way it is time to practice your presentation. Keep in mind that 70 - 80% of getting your message across in your presentation is connected to your body language, eye contact and non-verbal cues.

This means that even though you may have prepared a masterpiece of a presentation, if you do not deliver the presentation in a compelling way you will lose the effectiveness of the content. Therefore, practice is by far the most critical part of the process. The more you practice the presentation or rehearsal prior to your actual performance the more likely you’re going to succeed in delivering an inspiring and entertaining presentation and more importantly get your message across with minimal signs of nervousness and distraction.

There are several ways to practice a presentation and our recommendation is that you try as many ways as possible so that you become comfortable with both seeing and hearing your presentation in a variety of settings.

Recording your presentation verbally is one way of measuring your vocal variety, pace and test your ability to deliver your presentation with a natural flowing rhythm. Listen to yourself as if you are a member of the audience and evaluate your voice modulation, your speed and enunciation. Also check yourself on loudness, given the size of the audience, are you projecting your voice enough? Make sure you are speaking in a natural

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Page 12: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

and comfortable tone of voice, if you come across as scripted the audience may be distracted by the rigidness of your speech.

By far, the best way to prepare for your presentation is by recording yourself visually and playing it back for a self-evaluation. This can be done quite easily nowadays given the proliferation of webcams and camcorders and inexpensive playback software. Through this visual evaluation of yourself you’re going to notice signs of nervousness that you may be unaware of. Do you find yourself swaying from side to side? Are you clasping your hands or fidgeting while you speak? What is your eye contact like? Are you looking right at the camera? Are you mumbling or speaking to fast? How do you sound? Are you audible and clear? What about your use of filler words? Video playback gives you the opportunity to observe yourself, remove any signs of nervousness and perfect your presentation.

Finally getting closer to the date of the event we suggest you run your presentation through a dress rehearsal process. Have your family or friends listen to your presentation and give them complete and unrestricted permission to be brutally honest about your delivery. Are you fidgeting? Is your body language, open, friendly and natural? How is your pace? Tone of voice? Loudness? Let others tell you how well you’re doing in the dress rehearsal and make adjustments that you would feel comfortable with.

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Page 13: Conquer your Fear - STANDUP AND SPEAK€¦ · afraid of speaking in front of an audience, public speaking will actually become an enjoyable experience and something you look forward

The Final Hours

The last 24-hours before you do your presentation is crucial. If you have given yourself enough time to prepare leading up to the day of the presentation you should be relatively calm but it is natural for you to feel some level of excitement or anxiety. After all, you are performing in front of an audience in a very short period of time. Accept that you have done everything you possible could to make the day a success. The night before your presentation get lots of rest and visualize having a successful presentation and feeling the sense of accomplishment after the presentation is done. If required make sure you prepare the room and visuals well before the presentation is scheduled. Have a back up plan if technology fails, as it does more than often. If your laptop crashes, or the bulb burns out on the projector, make sure you have a Plan B for potential obstacles.

After its over: Get Feedback

You’ve done it! A successful presentation. Now you can relax and reflect on your accomplishment.

Chances are, if you’ve followed the tips outlined in this presentation you’ve had a successful presentation. However, a word of caution, it won’t be perfect and in spite of all your efforts it is completely natural to feel you could have done better, at least in certain parts, but there is no need to be hard on yourself. If it is your first presentation, it may feel like a whirlwind. You will remember areas where you could have improved, or areas where

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you felt less comfortable than other areas as well as parts of the presentation where you may have spent more time based on the positive audience reaction.

Look to the future, bask in your sense of accomplishment but find areas for improvement.

Depending on your audience try and get as much feedback as possible. If you are fortunate you will have had someone in the audience who you trust who will be perfectly honest about how you did and areas where he or she felt you could have improved. This will allow you to make adjustments for your next presentation. And chances are there will be a next one.

One of the interesting things about public speaking is that there are always areas to improve even for professional speakers. Those who make a living out of public speaking are constantly working on improving and honing their skills.

Following our proven tips, you should not feel as through you ‘got through’ the presentation but hopefully many of you will have caught the ‘public speaking bug’. You will now have the seed of looking forward with anticipation to the next opportunity to present in front of others. Once you catch it it is hard to let go.

You will always feel that anxiety and excitement when preparing for a presentation, but no longer fear and dread the task at hand. You will actually begin to feel great about the challenge of preparing, preparing the right way and practicing, practicing, practicing so you can perform at your best and add value to the lives of those in your audience.

Interested in Private or Group coaching to help conquer your fear of pubic speaking?

Go to: www.standupandspeak.com and check out the next available webinar!

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