SPEAK EASY: OVERCOMING PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

The butterflies in your stomach, the racing heart, the sweaty palms – pre-speech anxiety is a common challenge many of us face in our journey to the stage. Whether it is your first time, or your fiftieth, managing nerves is a crucial skill for delivering a powerful and impactful presentation. In today’s article, we will explore some practical tips to help you navigate these anxious moments.

1. Accept and Reframe Your Nervous Energy: Nervousness is not your enemy; it is a natural response to a perceived challenge. It is also a sign that you care about your performance, and you want to deliver a high-quality impactful speech. Instead of trying to eliminate your nerves, focus on reframing their energy as excitement and enthusiasm. Remember, the body doesn’t know the difference between nervous energy and excited energy, it just knows the energy! When you change how you perceive that energy, you can transform your performance anxiety into a powerful tool for enhancing your speech.
2. Prepare Thoroughly: Preparation is THE key to confidence. Know your material inside and out. Practice your speech multiple times, not just mentally but out loud. If possible, practice in the venue, the clothes, and the shoes you will be performing in so that you can be familiar with how it will feel when the moment comes. Record yourself to identify areas for improvement. Practice in front of trusted friends or mentors so you can get real time feedback and reactions. Remember, confidence comes from knowing you are well-prepared and knowing how your message could be received. 
3. Visualize Your Success: Visualization is a potent tool used by athletes, executives, and professionals worldwide. Spend time visualizing yourself delivering a successful speech. Imagine the applause, the engaged audience, and the sense of accomplishment you will undoubtedly feel. This practice can significantly reduce anxiety and boost your confidence.
4. Develop a Pre-Speech Routine: Create a routine that helps you calm your mind and focus before you step onto the stage. This could be a quick pep talk, some stretches, or deep breathing exercises (click HERE for a quick tutorial on my favorite breathing technique). Consistency in your pre-performance routine can signal your brain and body that it is showtime, which can ease your nerves and help you perform better.
5. Connect with Your Audience: Your audience is there to hear your message and is rooting for your success. Engaging with them before your speech, like greeting some audience members, can make them feel more familiar and less intimidating. Approach your speech as a chance to have a conversation with the audience – a conversation in which you do the talking, but they do the reacting (which speaks volumes as well!). 
6. Focus on Your Message, Not Perfection: Your goal is to convey your message powerfully, not to deliver a perfect speech. Sure, you could read every single word on your outline like a robot and get from point A to point Z, but that will not be enjoyable for you or the audience. Instead, take liberties with your notes. Use the audience’s energy and reactions to guide you. If you want to add a little something or leave a little something out, you can do that! If you need to read straight off your notes, that is 100% okay, just make sure you look at the audience and let the notes guide you instead of control you! Audiences connect more with authenticity than with perfection. If you stumble, regain your composure, and continue. Your resilience can be as inspiring as the speech itself.
7. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques: Mindfulness can help you stay present and grounded. Check in with your body and your mind, make sure you are feeling the part of a rockstar speaker so that you can BE that rockstar speaker. Simple grounding techniques, like feeling your feet on the floor or focusing on your breathing, can help you maintain your composure.
8. Seek Feedback and Support: Joining a speaker’s group or working with a coach can provide valuable feedback and support. Learning from others’ experiences and receiving constructive feedback greatly improves your skills and your confidence. One on one mentoring can help you pinpoint the skills and areas you need to improve on and can help you to overcome the blocks you are having with preparing and presenting an impactful speech. 

Learning to navigate pre-performance anxiety is an integral part of your growth as a speaker. By embracing your nerves, preparing thoroughly, and focusing on your message, you can transform your anxiety into a powerful ally on the stage. Remember, the stage is yours, and the world is waiting to hear what you have to say!

Do you want to explore becoming a speaker? Do you already speak but want to be better? I invite you to book a FREE discovery call with me. Let’s unlock your true potential as a speaker. Your audience is waiting!

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Ciao for now!