I want to start this off by asking to know what your greatest fear is, is it the fear of public speaking? If it is then I assure you it need not be! Public speaking is as natural as having a meal or going to the cinema to watch a movie! Do not say it is easy for me to say this because I have some experience in public speaking because the truth is that I have seen people overcome their fear of public speaking and go on to become great speakers. The truth is if you are interested in public speaking you must not let your fear get the better of you.
According to documented research and surveys carried out worldwide, the greatest fear that people have is the fear of public speaking and it ranks higher on many a list than the fear of death. It follows logically that if these same people had a chance to give a speech somewhere they would actually prefer to drop dead than give the speech. Funny is it not? The striking thing is that it is true!
Pericles, the great orator and statesman of ancient Greece said, "Those who can think, but cannot express what they think, place themselves at the level of those who cannot think." This just goes to show the importance of public speaking as a medium of communication as no one can tell what you know until you open your mouth to do the speaking.
So this brings us to the question, why are people so fearful of public speaking? I think the first major fear has to do with the fear of failure: fear of forgetting what they intend to say, fear of not having the audience accept them and what they have to say, fear of not believing in their ability to do a good job etc.
While I will not tell you that your fears are unfounded, I will only go on to say that you need not worry as every human being even the most experienced of public speakers has at least one fear or the other whether related to public speaking or not.
Here are some tips that might prove helpful:
Have a positive mindset -- There is nothing like being possessive of the right frame of mind for any task you want to embark on public speaking inclusive. If you can convince yourself of the fact that your audience wants you to succeed (this is why they came to listen to you in the first place!) then you are well on your way to success. When you desire to give your best having the right frame of mind, it enhances your confidence.
Prepare adequately -- There is no substitute for knowing your materials and making adequate preparations. A popular cliché goes thus, "Proper preparation prevents poor performance". This works in every facet of life public speaking inclusive.
Visualise success -- What you see in your mind will eventually become your reality so long as you take the right steps towards that reality. Imagine yourself being applauded at the end of your presentation and not being booed as a newbie might probably think will be the case. A proper mental picture will stimulate the creation of a physical picture!
Get to know your audience - My mentor Richie Dayo Johnson (RDJ) says, "A good speaker speaks to an audience about a subject matter and not about a subject matter to an audience". Trust me on this; these are two different things entirely. Knowing your audience is a topic on its own and is very critical to your success as a speaker.
Learn how to master your fear and let it work for you as you become the speaker you want to be!
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