The Motivational Speakers 'FEAR'OK we've avoided this long enough. It's all very well to speak about content and poise and knowing your topic, but it is not of much value if you can't make yourself walk out onto the stage. Fear of speaking in public is the #1 fear of most people. Symptoms manifest as butterflies and sweating all the way up to catatonic paralysis, (stage fright). If you cannot conquer this fear, you cannot be a motivational speaker. That would be too bad, as you may have something important to say and no one will get to hear it. Lets look at some of the things people say to explain their fear;--'I might make mistakes', ' I might sound stupid', 'I don't look very good', 'I might forget my speech' and so on and so on. Look back and see what the common word is in all these statements. You've got it, the word is "I". People tend to focus on themselves so much that they think they are the centre of the universe and that everyone is watching them. This, of course, will create fear. It is important to know that the audience is with you and they want to hear what you have to say, or they wouldn't be there. Now lets try a little redirection. How about statements like 'these people need to know what I have to say', 'I must make sure they can hear me at the back', or I can help these people'. If you turn your attention to the people who have paid to hear you speak, and away from yourself , you will find you are not as fearful. Practice is one of the best ways to overcome stage fright. Start small, like in front of a group of friends and work up to speaking at your club or volunteer at a charity. The more practice you get, the less fear will prohibit you from achieving your goal. |