Overcome your fear of public speaking. Glossophobia - fear of the stage and public speaking


There are two types of people in the world: those who love to speak in front of a crowd, and those who turn to stone at the sight of a microphone. How to become the first type and how not to be afraid of public speaking, read on.

How not to be afraid of public speaking

Fear of possible failure and stage fright are completely natural and happen to many people. It is important for us to understand what is really behind performance anxiety so that we can effectively counteract it.

Stage fright or fear of possible failure is a state of incessant anxiety that grips a person who is about to speak in front of a large audience.

Listen to the following tips:

Know your subject

Nothing quells performance anxiety like being prepared. Know the topic and text of your speech. And most importantly, know your audience. If you know what you are saying and to whom, you have no reason to panic.

Knowledge of the subject will allow you to be more natural and convincing in your presentation. And if some technical failure suddenly happens, it will not confuse you at all: after all, you are 100% confident in your knowledge!

Know your report like the back of your hand and rehearse as much as possible (preferably in front of people) - and you will have confidence in your abilities.

Calm down yourself

Despite the fact that stage fright is “just in the head,” fear has specific physiological manifestations. Your listeners may notice it. Best method struggle - replacing negative expectations with positive ones. Instead of worrying about what will happen if you forget your words, think about what will happen if you perform well in front of an audience. Although it sounds trite and simple, positive affirmations can really help relieve stress before public speaking.

Imagine the worst possible scenario

If positive thoughts don't help you, think about the worst-case scenario. Once you imagine it, you will realize that this scenario is not so scary. This will help you relax.

Visualize the results

Call it whatever you like: reflection, imagination, meditation. It doesn't matter what name you give it - just do it. Imagine your ideal speech in front of an audience where you shine with enthusiasm, humor, confidence and professionalism. The more you think about success, the more likely you are to achieve it.

The world doesn't revolve around you

You may feel like everyone is just waiting to make fun of, criticize, or judge you. But that's not true. Get rid of the feeling that the whole world will blame you for every mistake.

Focus on your presentation, on the audience, on what you are willing to give them. By doing this, you will reduce the tension that is already building up inside you.

When things don't go according to plan

Sooner or later something will go wrong. The microphone or projector may stop working. If you know the topic and content of your report, then this will not unsettle you much. MIC is not working? No problem, raise your voice and continue speaking. Technical staff is probably already working on a solution to the problem. And yes, let them worry, not you.

Calm down and don't get ahead of yourself

Don't rush to finish your report as quickly as possible. Start your speech calmly, without rushing. This will allow you to choose the optimal speaking pace, get used to the audience, and allow the audience to get used to you.

Focus on the first five minutes

Imagine that your entire report lasts only five minutes. This makes the performance less stressful. Focus on getting through the first five minutes of your presentation - this will be enough time for you to calm down and get involved in the process.

Never apologize for your anxiety

For most of your speech, you will appear calm and will not show your excitement in any way. So why tell the audience about this at all? Even if it seems to you that your knees are shaking, no one in the room will notice it, believe me. So just don't mention it, otherwise your audience will get nervous, stop listening to what you have to say, and start judging the way you speak.

Don't talk about your mistakes

You have prepared and rehearsed your performance, you feel great. But, already on stage, you suddenly realize that you are confused or forgot to say something important. At such moments, you need to remember that you are the only one who knows about this error. Your listeners suspect nothing. So even if they remain blissfully unaware, there is no point in informing them about it. If you admit your mistakes, some listeners will begin to deliberately look for other shortcomings. You will distract the audience's attention from the main purpose of your speech.

Come early

Being late will only increase your anxiety. Arrive at your performance venue early and get used to it. You can even get up on stage or walk around the room to feel more relaxed.

Warm up

When you are nervous, the muscles in your body stiffen. Fifteen minutes before your speech, do a short warm-up. This will relieve muscle tension and relax your body.

Breathe

Excitement is always accompanied by rapid breathing, which leads to a lack of oxygen and loss of composure. A minute before you get on stage, take a few deep breaths to calm yourself.

Check everything twice

Does your report require the use of a laptop or any notes? Check if everything works. When you stand at the microphone, it will be too late to run for forgotten papers and notes. And this will greatly reduce your confidence. Know the text of your speech well enough to continue speaking without hesitation even in the event of force majeure.

Don't try to overcome your fear of speaking. Work with him! You must prepare yourself and accept the fact that you will be extremely nervous in the first few minutes of your speech. The more you try to suppress your anxiety, the stronger it will become. So focus on your report and the anxiety will slowly subside.

How to get rid of the fear of public speaking - video


Many people's professional responsibilities include regular public speaking and being in constant contact with large audiences. The activities of politicians, teachers, lawyers, managers, and artists are directly related to the presence, interaction, communication and often persuasion of a large group of people.

In his life, almost every person is faced with a situation when there is a need to demonstrate his oratory skills and speak in front of an audience. According to psychologists, a certain level of fear of speaking is present in the vast majority of people - over 95% of the population. Stage fright is one of the most common phobias, which not only causes inconvenience, worsens mental well-being and physical health, but also makes it difficult to implement job responsibilities, hinders further career growth.

Many prominent artists and musicians who regularly perform in front of large audiences are familiar with such fears. The actress experienced severe pathological stage fright Faina Ranevskaya, singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, musicians Pablo Casals, Glenn Gould, Arthur Rubinstein.

For many people, stage fright is a significant stressful situation, untimely, incorrect and incomplete therapy and correction of which can become a factor in the accentuation of the individual and go into the category mental disorders. As a result of the influence of fear as a traumatic factor, a person resorts to so-called defensive behavior. This mechanism helps only for a while, and if the problem is not resolved in the future, and the person is unable to cope with the existing fear, it is the defense mechanisms that become an obstacle personal growth. They give rise to new emotional problems, creating a desire to escape reality in “ artificial world simplification" and are the cause of mental illness.

Therefore, it is extremely important to recognize the symptoms in time, analyze the cause, give a frank and, at the same time, optimistic assessment of what is happening, and take psychological correction measures.

Manifestation of glossophobia

In psychology, a pathological fear of public speaking is called glossophobia or peiraphobia. One should clearly share the natural excitement that any person experiences before an upcoming solo monologue aimed at a large crowd of people, both familiar and unfamiliar. Thus, a completely adequate reaction of the body - excitement - arises before the upcoming solo performance of a beginning dancer and musician, before oral entrance exams to a university. At the same time, this person will not experience anxiety, tension and fear when he has to demonstrate his talents or read a report in front of a familiar audience: colleagues, classmates, teachers.

Psychologists emphasize that a moderate amount of anxiety and excitement has its positive sides. In anticipation of an important event, a person becomes more attentive, more collected, more energetic, and as a result, his performance is successful and of high quality. And a “solo” in public for those who don’t feel nervous at all often turns out to be a failure.

An individual suffering from glossophobia will experience an inexplicable and overwhelming fear during or before speaking, even in front of well-known audiences or in front of a small group of people. His fear is not selective, but constant when in public.

Symptoms of the disorder

Although the factors causing distress in phobic disorders are different, they all produce essentially the same, nonspecific biological response. Before or upon the occurrence of an unfavorable situation for an individual, in in this case– in anticipation of being in public, arises and grows emotional stress. High level activity of the subcortical system, activating the cerebral cortex, motor centers, glands internal system, sympathetic autonomous system, changes work internal organs. So, Common manifestations of stage fright:

  • Increased and tense muscles;
  • Changes in gestures and facial expressions;
  • Changing the timbre and tone of the voice;
  • Vegetative manifestations: excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, “jumps” in blood pressure;
  • Headache, unpleasant, pressing sensations in the area of ​​the heart.

An attack of glossophobia may be accompanied by:

  • dry mouth,
  • trembling voice,
  • loss of ability to speak
  • involuntary urination.

In rare cases, in people with increased nervous excitability, such a phobia causes fainting. of different durations. Loss of consciousness is usually preceded by dizziness, weakness, nausea, pallor of the face and lips, cold extremities, and a weak, rapid pulse.

The strength of manifestation and the number of symptoms are purely individual and depend on the characteristics of the person’s character, the method of responding to alarm signals, functional state body, mood, fatigue and nature of activity at the moment

Reasons for appearance

The main reasons for the formation of glossophobia:

  • Genetic predisposition;
  • Social factors.

Genetic inheritance has an individual tendency to specific types of fear, fear of society in general, and an innate level of anxiety. A person, as a constituent unit of society, is afraid of not being accepted, not understood, not appreciated by the community, afraid of being socially isolated. Among the hereditary psychological characteristics, it is worth highlighting the basis for further character formation: temperament, genetic accentuation and the degree of anxiety. The psychological characteristics of parents and offspring are quite similar: they have similar fears, a certain way of perceiving them, the same strength of reaction and the degree of “stuckness.”

Psychologists consider social factors to be the most significant sources of the formation of phobia before public speaking:

  • incorrect, overly strict education;
  • incorrect behavior of parents in the family: intimidation, prohibitions, threats in childhood;
  • excessive sensitivity to criticism from others and internal “censorship”, giving rise to anankastic timidity and humility;
  • negative attitude towards one’s own “I”, low self-esteem, due to adult pressure on the child’s psyche;
  • negative childhood experiences that were subject to significant criticism for the individual;
  • distortion of the strength of stress factors towards their intensification;

Peiraphobia can manifest itself due to a lack of confidence to be understood by the audience, which is associated with poor, insufficient preparation and lack of necessary knowledge. For many, performing on stage is difficult due to the lack of sufficient experience.

A likely factor in the development of stage fright is the desire for perfection. Very often, glossophobia manifests itself in perfectionist people who strive for ideals and have the habit of valuing public opinion.

Also, people whose anxiety is accompanied by pedantic-type accentuation are afraid to be in everyone's sight.

Treatment: how to fight?

Of course, it is necessary to get rid of this phobia, and these fears can be successfully and completely eliminated by appropriate specialists. Professional help To get rid of glossophobia, it is necessary only for those whose fears turn into fears, the clear boundaries of which can only be determined by a psychotherapist. For all other speakers, lecturers, actors and musicians, you can overcome your phobia on your own.

Steps to overcome your fear of speaking in public include four steps:

  • awareness of the problem;
  • analysis of the reasons for the appearance;
  • development of solution ideas;
  • testing ideas in practice.

Let's take a closer look at possible methods resolutions designed to reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem and get rid of glossophobia.

Stage 1. Getting rid of unknowns

We carefully analyze the audience: numbers, social status, age, life positions, interests of the audience. It is necessary to clearly understand what society expects from your speech, and what kind of response you expect to receive. Your awareness will negate the factor of uncertainty and it will become predictable to obtain a certain result.

Stage 2. Taming the “monster”

Your nervousness is heightened by the public's endowment negative traits and fixation on the “minuses”, such as: a skeptical grin, gestures of disapproval, critical whispers, etc. that allegedly take place in the audience. You can change your perception of the public by creating thoughts of approval. Endow objects positive features, pay mental attention to the pleasant little things coming from the audience: approving gestures, jubilant voices, interested glances. A great way to overcome stage fright is through visualization, where you put the outstanding result of your work into perspective.

Stage 3. Don’t allow the performance to fail

If stage fright causes fear of failure and failure, the best remedy there will be careful preparation. When a person is confident in his knowledge and sufficient elaboration of the topic, he will worry much less.

For example, you have a report coming up. The algorithm of your actions is as follows:

  • search, analysis and study of source data from several sources,
  • creating unique text,
  • taking notes on the main points,
  • drawing up a speech plan,
  • selection of compelling arguments,
  • memorization or close retelling of a compiled text,
  • studying possible questions and preparing answers to them.

Practice your report in front of a mirror or speak in front of your loved ones. Good effect will bring you listening to the text dictated in your voice. Please pay attention Special attention non-verbal part: your gestures, facial expressions and appearance. This preliminary presentation will help identify and correct possible mistakes, will give you confidence in your speaking abilities.

Stage 4. Recognize the possibility of error

It is necessary to reduce the often exaggerated importance of other people, logically evaluate criticism, recognize the presence of shortcomings in each individual, including: sarcasm, cynicism, skepticism, ill will and other disadvantages. Knowing that everyone can make mistakes, and that criticism is not always fair from well-wishers, will give you greater confidence.

It is necessary to regularly practice techniques aimed at developing objective self-esteem and increasing self-esteem. Excellent result give affirmations on the topic of feeling your own worth and accepting yourself as a unique person.

Stage 5. Fix on the positive

It is advisable to focus on the process itself rather than the expected outcome. It will be more productive to fixate on the course of action in the present, and not on the currently illusory future result. Imagine all the pleasant aspects of being in public, your success and recognition. The existing negative experience must be transformed into a positive one.

Besides, good methods to overcome stage fright are:

  • physical exercises for different groups muscles,
  • correct breathing,
  • activation of the left hemisphere, for example: mathematical calculations,
  • singing mentally or out loud a pleasant melody,
  • changing body position to a more open posture,
  • regular meditations,
  • use of self-hypnosis techniques.

A smile has fantastic power. A sincere smile will reduce mental stress and discomfort and deceive the subconscious (after all, it is not possible to be afraid and experience joy at the same time). Smile at the audience and when you receive a smile in return, you will feel your fears leaving you. Don’t avoid performing and interacting with the public, confidence will come with experience!

More resources on stage fright

Audio lecture on techniques for dealing with fear of public speaking.

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People often experience fear of public speaking. It doesn’t matter if there are 3-4 people in front of you or an audience of several hundred spectators. Fear manifests itself characteristic symptoms: stomach cramps, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, confusion and similar symptoms. It is necessary to learn to convey information correctly and clearly. To understand anxiety before mass demonstrations, you should understand its root cause, which will allow you to effectively overcome the phobia.

Fear of public speaking often manifests itself several days before the event. A person begins to think through the options in his head about why his speech may not be liked by the public, criticized and imperfect? All individuals are programmed to worry about reputation as much as they care about others. personal qualities. Sometimes it is almost impossible to control the brain's reaction at this moment.

For example, the scientist Charles Darwin conducted a unique experiment. He visited the serpentarium of one of the English zoos. Charles tried to keep his cool, moving extremely close to the glass behind which the reptiles were located. With each throw of the snake, the researcher jumped to the side in panic. In his conclusions, he wrote that the mind and will cannot withstand danger that has not previously been experienced. The scientist called the reaction ancient defense mechanism, which is quite natural.

Manifestations of phobia

When a person is visited by thoughts of bad consequences, the hypothalamus (part of the brain) is activated through the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the adrenocorticotropic hormone. It is aimed at stimulating the adrenal glands with the subsequent release of a dose of adrenaline into the blood.

As a result of the manifestation, the back and neck muscles contract. This leads to a change in posture, the individual becomes stooped, tends to take the “embryo” position. Resistance to this by straightening the back and straightening the limbs leads to tremors in the legs and arms, since the body has prepared in advance for the upcoming attack.

Rising arterial pressure, digestive tract slows down work. The result is dry mouth, discomfort in the abdominal area. The eyes react by dilating the pupils, visibility deteriorates near, but the faces of the audience in the distance are more clearly visible.

Aspects Affecting Public Fear

There are three main points here. The first of these includes genetic predisposition. It greatly influences the behavior of an individual in society. For example, the famous musician J. Lennon performed at concerts thousands of times, and going on stage was always accompanied by bouts of nausea.

Some individuals at the genetic level have a code for significant anxiety in front of the public. There is an opinion that a little jitters before a performance are signs of a good speaker or an artist who is worried about the quality of his actions.

Degree of preparation

How not to be afraid? One option is to conduct thorough rehearsals to increase experience and reduce nervousness. A prepared speech or other public performance is not as intimidating as a spontaneous or hastily planned presentation.

To prove the statement, an experiment was conducted on billiard players. A group of psychologists divided them into two categories: some played in front of an audience, others played alone. Strong representatives rolled up more balls It was when performing in front of the public, and weak players showed the worst results.

Main risks

A few points stand out here:

  1. Performance anxiety will increase if everything is at stake or if there are a lot of people watching the presentation. The likelihood of failure significantly lowers the speaker's reputation.
  2. Due to nervousness about one’s own status, the production of adrenaline increases, characterized by panic attack and paralyzing fear.
  3. Even online sellers guard their own reputation. Research has shown that positive recommendations from a manager on one well-known online trading platform increase the price of a product by 7–8%.

How to overcome your fear of public speaking?

Knowing the causes of stage fright, you can begin to overcome the phobia. If it is in an advanced stage, it is best to contact a psychologist-hypnologist, for example, Baturin Nikita Valerievich. He will help you find the root of the problem and draw up the right solution.

Frequent conference visitors have noticed speakers who spent some time going over their material for some time before the presentation. This is the same as if an artist crammed songs before a concert. In addition, this is not entirely respectful of the audience of listeners who spend their time on the speaker.

Some tips on how to stop being afraid of public speaking and prepare well for it:

  1. 5-7 days before the event, it is advisable to sketch out a narrative plan, delving into the content and supporting important thoughts with short captions and diagrams.
  2. This approach will give the speaker confidence, allow him to highlight the main points, and leave room for additional elaboration and rehearsal of the slides.
  3. The fear of public speaking will be reduced if you write a detailed plan for the work to be presented. It includes an introduction, disclosure of all planned topics, supported by theses, examples from life, and a final part.
  4. The “thesis-example-thesis” format makes it possible to visualize the information presented and convey the essence of the presentation to the audience.
  5. In the introductory part, they talk about themselves, and also voice the main ideas of the report, allowing them to interest the audience.
  6. Each part of the performance is rehearsed several times.
  7. Read out the work in full at least 10 times in a row.

How to overcome the fear of public speaking with the help of rehearsals?

During the speech preparation period, an environment is created that is as close as possible to a real speech. This will allow you to level out moments of uncertainty and spend less energy and effort thinking about the nuances.

Several years ago, a team of researchers discovered that a person has a lot of visual stimulants in front of his gaze, while the brain reacts to only 2-3 objects. How can you overcome your fear of public speaking using this fact? You need to concentrate on connecting with your audience and delivering your report well. Should you avoid the stress of trying to remember the order in which the slides were presented, or where is the best place to stand on stage? During rehearsals, you need to use the same slides, accessories and equipment that will be used during the presentation.

How to avoid stage fright before going out?

The most exciting and stressful moment is the last seconds before a public speech. To overcome nervousness, go to a secluded place, stretch your arms up, do a few deep ones. This stimulates the functioning of the hypothalamus with the subsequent production of relaxing hormones.

According to the results scientific research, a slow breathing technique tested on 46 experienced performers, showed that the effectiveness of the exercise was to reduce nervous tension. The technique is relevant for people prone to excessive anxiety. The fear of public speaking is especially strong a few minutes before the report. So before going off stage, stretch and breathe.

Mastery in the art of public speaking is achieved through quantity, which each time develops into quality. Each new report or presentation will be accompanied by less and less fear of failure. Is this another way to overcome stage fright?

You should start with low-level events. Eg, short description next family vacation. Then move on to other people, gradually increasing the size of your audience if possible.

The fear of speaking in public is called stage fright. Many people have it, and its eradication is directly related to the search for the root cause. It is necessary to understand that presentations to a wide audience are an integral part of career growth. Awareness and getting rid of the problem is an important step for work and inner confidence.

Ways to get rid of it yourself

Awareness of several positive attitudes comes to help in solving this problem:

  1. Statistics. Some researchers claim that stage fright is the second most important human fear, after death phobia. This is a very controversial fact, since the basis of surveys and checks is not entirely clear. However, the fact that this fear is widespread is undeniable. Moreover, the degree of anxiety ranges from mild excitement to panic attacks. For example, the famous violinist D. Oistrakh became increasingly worried before each concert. A successful performance secured a certain reputation for him, which he was terrified of losing.
  2. Before you understand how not to be afraid of public speaking, remember that anxiety in front of a mass audience is not a pathology, but a natural acquired quality of an individual. This fear was experienced by many speakers and artists. This was not noticeable outwardly, although internal excitement was definitely present. Conclusion - they conquered anxiety.
  3. How to stop stage fright? Getting rid of fear is not so difficult. If you really want this, in advanced cases, contact a specialist. After a few sessions it will become a distant memory.

All achievements and failures of a person are mainly formed in the head. Even one positive approval of these attitudes contributes to the growth of self-confidence. The main thing is not to focus on negative aspects that cannot be eliminated from life.

The content of the article:

Fear of public speaking is a feeling that may seem unreasonable to some skeptics. However, practice shows that it is precisely this that prevents many people from revealing themselves to the intended audience in all the glory of their oratorical talents. It is necessary to understand the reasons for the voiced fear and methods of combating such a scourge.

Reasons for developing a fear of public speaking

Very often it is necessary to convey your thoughts to a large number of people, because this is important for the career and development of every self-sufficient individual. However, some individuals experience a fear of public speaking, the nature of which they cannot explain even to themselves.

Psychologists identify the following reasons for the described phenomenon in a person who panicked before speaking:

  • Childhood fears. Fear of speaking in front of an audience is a likely manifestation of a kind of embarrassment that happened a long time ago. The reason for what is described may be an unsuccessfully read poem at a matinee, the performance of which caused laughter from peers or adults.
  • Costs of education. Each parent puts something personal into their child, adjusting the behavior model of their beloved child in their own way. Sometimes a father or mother inspires a child or teenager that under no circumstances should they expose themselves to others. This later develops into obsession, which becomes one of the reasons for the fear of public speaking.
  • Fear of criticism from listeners. Self-love is a feeling that should be present in every person. However, sometimes this trait turns into a painful one. state of mind. The result is fear of public speaking due to fear of being criticized.
  • Problems with diction. Not every person can boast of perfect pronunciation and a masterly manner of presenting information to listeners. Some people take this fact absolutely calmly, but there are people who are afraid of public speaking precisely for the reason stated.
  • Excessive shyness. As they say, not everyone can launch satellites, so people with complexes or overly emotionally vulnerable modern society there is a sufficient number. The very thought that they need to give a speech in front of a large audience terrifies such individuals.
  • Complexes about one's own appearance. Very often, such a phenomenon is a common exaggeration on the part of an insecure person. Such people think that everyone will laugh as soon as they see them on the podium or stage, even with a carefully prepared report.
  • Neurotic diseases . A person who suffers from such an illness finds it difficult to control his emotions before an important event. Therefore, one should not be surprised at panic at the most inopportune moment in such nervous individuals.

Important! Psychologists believe that all the voiced reasons must be urgently eradicated. Such fears prevent people from making a successful career and achieving significant results in life.

Signs of an alarmist before public speaking


It is quite easy to determine such a contingent of speakers based on fairly obvious external signs. Their condition can be characterized as follows:
  1. Excessive fun. This behavior is appropriate when preparing for a performance by clowns or masters of the comic genre. Before a serious report, you need to gather yourself as much as possible, and nervous laughter only shows the alarmist’s fear of the upcoming appearance in public.
  2. Feverish behavior. In this state, the speaker constantly loses the material of the report and literally everything falls out of his hands. Everyone can be nervous before a public speaking, but you shouldn’t turn small worries into real hysterics.
  3. Nervous gestures. This behavior is similar to the feverish excitement described above. However, it is the peak of panic before public speaking, when a person begins to gesticulate desperately.
  4. Facial redness or paleness. Making yourself blush suits a shy girl of marriageable age, not a professional who is seriously interested in advancing her career. It is this sign that indicates that a person panics before a public speech; nervous soil blood pressure rises. Excessive paleness of the skin may also indicate that the future speaker is afraid of the upcoming speech.
All of the listed signs of fear of speaking to a large audience can overtake both a weak-willed person and a self-confident careerist. You just need to distinguish when the state that has arisen is a natural reaction before an important event, and when the speaker begins to really panic.

Overcoming the fear of public speaking is not a fad, but a wise decision for self-sufficient individuals who want to achieve a lot in life. Here it is important not only to recognize the problem, but also to begin to actively fight it.

Methods for dealing with fear of public speaking

There are many ways to combat this mental discomfort. You can help yourself, but if this is unattainable, you should turn to specialists.

Overcome the fear of public speaking on your own


A person is the creator of his own destiny, so there is no point in blaming someone for the failures that plague him. In this case you can try the following means combating fear of public speaking:
  • Autotraining. It's not hard to do this because few people don't love themselves. This is considered normal if it does not develop into inveterate selfishness. Therefore, it is necessary to convince yourself that even experienced speakers make mistakes. It's no secret that you can hear live a large number of so-called bloopers from public speaking gurus. There are no perfect people in the world, and this should be learned for yourself in order to get rid of the fear of presentations in front of an audience.
  • Meditation. Some skeptics will say that not every person knows this technique. However, there is nothing complicated in the proposed method of dealing with fear of public speaking. Initially, you should relax as much as possible and take a deep breath of air. Then you need to exhale, stretching each movement for five seconds. It is recommended to do the above described for 5-6 minutes before communicating with the audience. This way you can achieve the greatest effect from the manipulations performed.
  • Clear knowledge of the topic of the speech. In this case, there is simply no time to panic, so it is better to devote it to familiarizing yourself with the material of the report. It is difficult to discourage a person who knows what he is talking about with an unexpected question or a sideways glance. It is also necessary to select a topic that suits your liking, so that listeners can see the speaker’s passion for the proposed material.
  • Image creation. A well-groomed person will never think about the question of how to overcome the fear of public speaking. He simply doesn’t have it because of his self-confidence. Before speaking, it is necessary to put your appearance in order so that the speaker pleases not only the ears of the listeners, but is also pleasant for visual perception.
  • Self-discipline. Bad habits should be left far beyond the doors of the conference room where the planned speech is to take place. Alcohol or tranquilizers are out of the question when it comes to an important report. In this case, such relaxation will end in failure and possible serious problems in the speaker’s career. Heavy meals should also be avoided before a performance because digesting them can cause drowsiness.
  • Avoidance stressful situations . On the eve of the report, you need to take a break from everyday worries and get a good night's sleep. Circles under the eyes and slurred speech of the speaker will not definitely make a successful speech. If you have a problem with insomnia, then you should not take sleeping pills, but rather drink a glass of warm milk with honey in small sips.
  • Activation of positive emotions. A person who is at peace with himself will easily overcome the fear of speaking in public. The positivity he experiences will not go unnoticed by a wide audience and will allow him to establish maximum contact with the public.
  • Consultation with a psychologist. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in this case, because fear of public speaking may be a consequence of mental trauma received in childhood. A specialist will help you establish contact with yourself and give recommendations on how to eliminate the interfering factor in a person’s career growth.

Speaker Tips for Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking


In this case, advice from experienced speakers becomes invaluable experience for beginners. Speaking professionals recommend the following ways to overcome your fear of public speaking:
  1. Rehearsal before the report. You can’t do without this, so as not to get a lot of unpleasant surprises during the performance. You should carefully go through all the stages of the upcoming presentation to the general public. You can also give a speech to your family the day before. This will allow you to correctly place emphasis, practice diction, think through the details of your speech, and evaluate the speed of presentation of information.
  2. Breathing correction. This aspect is very important during the report, so you should pay special attention to it. A speaker's voice that is creaky or hoarse with excitement will not impress the audience who have come to receive information that is valuable to them. It is necessary to constantly take deep breaths on the eve of the presentation so that the lungs are to the fullest were saturated with oxygen.
  3. Focus on friendly audiences. Any speaker can determine by the reaction of listeners who are favorably disposed towards him. It is precisely this contingent that needs to be paid the most attention, focusing on it during the report.
  4. Presentation of the future result. Experts recommend thinking only about the positive aspects of the upcoming performance. The listeners did not come with the clear goal of throwing tomatoes at the speaker, as some alarmist speakers seem to think. People attend such events in order to obtain the necessary information for themselves, and not with malicious intent.
  5. Smile and positivity towards listeners. A gloomy and solemn face in this case is unlikely to win over the audience, but rather will cause bewilderment and even negativity among them. The main thing is not to overdo it with emotions, because a smile out of place will look extremely ridiculous.
  6. Maximum contact with listeners. No one suggests walking around the hall during a report, but sometimes it is not forbidden to go to the edge of the stage. In this case, you can directly answer the questions of those interested, without fencing them off from the same platform. The psychological technique will allow you to establish contact with the audience, showing the openness and sincerity of the speaker.
  7. Originality of presentation of material. However, it is worth clearly understanding that everything is good in moderation. A good joke or an unusual quote will only brighten up the presentation, but humor when presenting statistical data is unlikely to be understood and accepted by the audience.
  8. Boomerang method. During a speech, an incident may occur when the speaker does not know the answer to the question posed. There is no need to panic, because such behavior will look like incompetence of the speaker. The way out of an unpleasant situation is to forward the question to the audience or colleagues present at the conference. This is done to start a discussion and turn the report into an entertaining debate.
  9. Confidence in contact with the public. A phrase in the form that a person is very worried about the upcoming speech will show the seriousness of the speaker’s attitude towards the upcoming report. Most people are forgiving by nature, so they will be sympathetic to the speaker’s slight panic and internally encourage him.
How to get rid of the fear of public speaking - watch the video:


For any speaker, it is necessary to clearly understand how to overcome the fear of public speaking. Initially assuming failure means 100% getting what you expected. negative result. It is necessary to set yourself up for one hundred percent success, gradually gaining experience through constant training in public speaking.