Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

If your start having butterflies in your stomach the moment you hear about “public speaking”, you are not the only person who suffers from this fear of addressing a gathering. Many of us feel terrified the moment we are asked to speak before an audience, primarily because we feel that we aren’t well prepared to deliver the intended message. This lack of confidence makes us fear about the results, and gives rise to public speaking anxiety.

So, if you too are having nightmares about the same, it’s time to get over them. Remember – like any other craft, the art of public speaking too has some rules and guidelines that you should follow to become a master.

To begin with, ask yourself about the message that you want to deliver and its goal. A speech to raise funds for a charitable cause would surely be different from the one that intends to sell some products. Once you have a clear idea about your topic, do your own research to gather information that you can share with your audience.

Good public speaking skills demand that you stay away from too many numerical data. Instead, try to use humor (where applicable) and share personal stories to express your point to the audience. In case you plan to speak for more than 15 minutes, try using some notes with the notes of your topics on them so that you don’t miss out on anything of importance. You can use a music stand to place your notes, and come back to it when you seem lost while giving public speaking presentations so that you can get back on the right track even before the audience realizes the slip.

To master the art of public speaking, you can make use of various public speaking courses available in the market or on the Internet. You may even join a public speaking school. However, the best way to overcome your public speaking phobia is to practice under the guidance of a mentor who has the ability and experience to guide you through steps required for becoming a good public speaker.

So, here’s wishing good luck to your public speaking endeavor!

Buon Anno,

Maurice

www.MauriceDiMino.com