Fear of Public Speaking or Glossophobia

PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY CAN BE OVERCOME

Glossophobia or public speaking anxiety can be challenging.  But, you can overcome this problem with the right mindset and proper tools.  Public speaking is a valuable skill set and has many advantages for your career and success. According to creditdonkey.com it's estimated that as much as 75% of the population struggles with a fear of public speaking to a certain degree. That means some 238 million people feel nervous about talking to others.  If you are anxious about public speaking, and most people are, you are certainly not in the minority.

The symptoms of anxiety when speaking in public range from mild to severe panic. I recall my first big event when I lived in Western Pennsylvania. I  arrived just in time and was hustled up to the podium to speak about Child Behavior Management.   

I looked out at the audience of about 100,  a TV camera, and I froze.  I panicked. Fortunately, a lovely lady asked me if I would like some water.  I nodded my head and then began reading my prepared remarks. I got through it, but that taught me about being prepared and having clarity about being early, scoping out the territory before the event and size of my audience.

Are There Gender Differences?

While this may change, research has indicated that women (44%) are more anxious about public speaking then men (37%).  However, it is possible that women were more forthright in their responses to the survey which revealed this finding.  Nevertheless, men and women can learn better public speaking skills.

According to the Custom Writing organization, people don't want to listen to a public speaker just to tell him or her some rude words. Public speaking success depends on the audience.  But remember, they don't want you to fail.  They are here to learn what you know. And, you are the one that knows it best. 

https://custom-writing.org/blog/public-speaking-tips

 Practice and Repetition Calms Nerves

Repetition and practice are the key to a successful presentation.  Always rehearse multiple times before your presentation.  You can start by practicing in front of a mirror.  You may benefit from also having some back up material in case your presentation time exceeds expectations. This will certainly lessen your anxiety.

It is very beneficial for your to practice, as noted above.  This will help to calm you and give you confidence. If  speaking in public is new to you, start small.  I teach my clients to take small steps and I am a huge fan of mini-steps to acquiring new skills.  Over time, you will build your confidence, expertise and power by taking small steps forward. 

You can practice with a few friends or family.  When you speak to  smaller groups you will build confidence. In reality, the size of the audience does not make a great speech. Remember, you are the subject matter expert.  It is unlikely that anybody in the audience knows as much about this particular topic as you. 

I once spoke in front of a group of 1500.  Even though there were other doctors in the audience, I knew that I knew more about this particular subject than they did.  Keeping that in the forefront of your mind will help your pre-speaking fear at bay, and it will evaporate like steam.

 Beliefs Not Circumstances Cause Anxiety

It is not the things that happen to people that cause them to feel the way they do. It is their perception of events that cause their feelings.  And so it is with public speaking.  If you have the belief that "I am not a good enough speaker" than you will surely feel anxiety and be stressed.  if you have the faulty belief that your "whole personality" is reflected in your speech you will surely be stressed.   It is imperative that your self-talk and beliefs be in line with reality.

Again, if you have researched your topic and practiced it you are not a "fraud" but have much to offer. You can surely overcome this fear of being less confident or even incompetent by simply doing your homework.

What About the Subconscious Mind

Your subconscious mind does not follow logic.  The subconscious mind follows the beliefs it has learned throughout its life.  Many of these will not be logical.  They are what we often call "automatic thoughts."  They may no longer apply to you.  Many of these beliefs were acquired as a child before the age of nine when your prefrontal cortex or brain filter was beginning to develop.   Ask yourself whether the belief is really true? Is there any evidence to the contrary?  Often their are alternative and more functional ways of thinking about the situation. 

If you were reading in elementary school, made a mistake, and the children laughed you may have developed an unconscious fear of public speaking.  But now you are an adult and not 8 years old. You  know it is alright to sometimes make mistakes because everybody does. 

I remember in graduate school admitting to my major professor that I was anxious about the upcoming doctoral comprehensive examinations. He told me that my anxiety would be reduced by “being prepared."  At the time I was annoyed with his advice.  But, he was correct. Being prepared will increase you confidence and reduce your anxiety. I prepared well and passed with distinction. 

What About Other Calming Methods?

To reduce stress, use a relaxed breathing method.  I simply love the application Breathe2Relax which you can find here.   I highly recommend this application which I have been using with my clients for many years. They find it very useful.  When they practice regularly they learn to calm fairly quickly.

5 Tips to Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety  

Feeling less confident speaking in front of a group is more common than you may believe.  Here are some  excellent tips to help you overcome this fear.   

First, eliminate the  false belief that my public speaking is a reflection of your self confidence and your whole person or personality.  

Second,  challenge the belief that "if I don't perform well people won't like me."  This is your subconscious mind reminding you of some experience when you were young. But your are no longer that child.

If you experienced rejection sometime in the past your brain may have developed a protective mechanism which becomes the anxiety state.

Third, learn how to calm your vagus nerve by practicing deep breathing multiple times a day.

Fourth, practice, practice, practice.  Remember you know this information more than you audience.

Fifth, practice with one person you know well and then a small group.  This is called Behavioral Rehearsal in psychology and it works!

Now go out there and kill it. You can do this!

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