How to cure stage fright? Realise the whole world's a stage. Easier said than done, I know. Being nervous and being excited release the same chemical in your brain, so tell yourself you're not nervous, you're excited. Tell it to yourself aloud as often as you need to. Athletes do that all the time. Oh yes, and stay hydrated.
This applies only to speaking when you can read a speech but it is extremely effective.
Write your speech in very large and bold font and, most importantly write it in speaking phrases. Like this.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
WELCOME
I AM SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT
…
You want to be able to quickly glance down and capture the next phrase. Doing so enables you to SLOW DOWN, compose yourself and make eye contact with your audience.
I'd like to add a very simple pt.12 😉 Singers say: "Pee clear, sing clear!" (I know this because I'm a singer too.) That means, you need to drink a lot of water before singing, so that your vocal cords stay well lubricated during the whole ordeal. Most people don't get to speak for 30 mins straight on a daily basis, like they'll do during their speech, so it'll wear their voices rather quickly. Therefore, drink lots of water beforehand! 🙂
I have been training my 8yo for his first public speech 'competition'. These tips are amazing and I will translate some of these for his context. My consistent advice to him is to prepare, prepare and prepare. Hopefully, he enjoys himself enough, both when he actually speaks and the entire process 😊.
I'm fascinated by this topic and always looking to improve. This is one of the most comprehensie and unique articles I've found on te topic. Definitely saving it for future reference. Thanks Polina.
One of the most popular articles I've written was a study of what made Winston Churchill one of history's greatest orators:
Something I'd add, which I often share with business owners in my publication (The Dolphin), is to re-appraise the nerves as normal. We're so harsh on ourselves, when in reality, the butterflies are meant to be there.
Thank you for the great advice. I saved this one for future reference. Perhaps even picking a few of these things and then adding more as you along would be helpful? Life is a journey.
Excellent article! And may I suggest to all those interested in becoming better public speakers by practicing in a safe, encouraging space: seek your local Toastmasters club.
How to cure stage fright? Realise the whole world's a stage. Easier said than done, I know. Being nervous and being excited release the same chemical in your brain, so tell yourself you're not nervous, you're excited. Tell it to yourself aloud as often as you need to. Athletes do that all the time. Oh yes, and stay hydrated.
This applies only to speaking when you can read a speech but it is extremely effective.
Write your speech in very large and bold font and, most importantly write it in speaking phrases. Like this.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
WELCOME
I AM SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT
…
You want to be able to quickly glance down and capture the next phrase. Doing so enables you to SLOW DOWN, compose yourself and make eye contact with your audience.
It works
So well.
I'd like to add a very simple pt.12 😉 Singers say: "Pee clear, sing clear!" (I know this because I'm a singer too.) That means, you need to drink a lot of water before singing, so that your vocal cords stay well lubricated during the whole ordeal. Most people don't get to speak for 30 mins straight on a daily basis, like they'll do during their speech, so it'll wear their voices rather quickly. Therefore, drink lots of water beforehand! 🙂
wow this was an unexpected, but VERY helpful tip! haha thank you, Irina!
Yeah, when I saw Elon sipping that water midway through his speech, I was like: "Aha! I know how that feels..." 😁
hahah that's incredible!
Great tips and thanks for sharing.
What about the role of storytelling in public speaking? Would you consider this an essential ingredient as well or outside of the scope of this piece?
Great point. I could do a whole other article solely on storytelling...but YES! The best public speakers are natural storytellers!
I have been training my 8yo for his first public speech 'competition'. These tips are amazing and I will translate some of these for his context. My consistent advice to him is to prepare, prepare and prepare. Hopefully, he enjoys himself enough, both when he actually speaks and the entire process 😊.
Love this!! Let me know how it goes! If only we had all been practicing since we were 8.....
Thank you. He think he did well. We will know if he gets through the next round next week 🤞
Equally importantly, he learned the value of preparation. Let's see if he actually applies in the next thing he does 😄
Great points
Great tips clearly laid out—thanks!
I'm fascinated by this topic and always looking to improve. This is one of the most comprehensie and unique articles I've found on te topic. Definitely saving it for future reference. Thanks Polina.
One of the most popular articles I've written was a study of what made Winston Churchill one of history's greatest orators:
https://robertsturgeon.substack.com/p/what-made-winston-churchill-one-of?utm_source=publication-search
Oh excited to read this! Thank you for sharing, Robert!
Something I'd add, which I often share with business owners in my publication (The Dolphin), is to re-appraise the nerves as normal. We're so harsh on ourselves, when in reality, the butterflies are meant to be there.
Thank you for the great advice. I saved this one for future reference. Perhaps even picking a few of these things and then adding more as you along would be helpful? Life is a journey.
Excellent article! And may I suggest to all those interested in becoming better public speakers by practicing in a safe, encouraging space: seek your local Toastmasters club.
Takeaway: 100 burpees before my next public presentation