Fear of public speaking: ways to overcome. How to overcome stage fright and public speaking

Everyone has a fear of public speaking. Some are more afraid, others less. Some people know how to hide this feeling in the depths of their souls, while others cannot cope with it. But from time to time, each person is faced with a situation where it is necessary to speak in front of other people. To do this, it is not necessary to be a speaker or a showman. But you may need to give a speech at an interview, wedding, birthday and in other situations.

Fear of publicity is just an instinct. This is an echo that comes to us from the distant past, when our ancestors were still wild and lived in the forests.

95% of successful people know the secret to overcoming their fear of public speaking. They got rid of fear. And many of them even make a living doing it. Not a profession, but a fairy tale: getting paid for speaking a lot.

If you are just learning to get rid of the fear of speaking in public, then the information below is especially for you.

Tips to help you overcome your fear of public speaking:

Write what you want to say on a piece of paper. You need to write by hand. So you better remember the information and you will not need to peek into the leaf all the time. Think over the report to the smallest detail.

At least don't do it ahead of time. Set yourself up for a positive outcome. You don't have to be perfect to perform in public. Have you ever seen on TV or live how TV workers or officials confuse and say the wrong words live? But because of this, they do not run anywhere and do not hide. All people tend to make mistakes. No one is immune from mistakes.

You will feel better if you have a support group. This does not mean a noisy company with banners, but 1-2 people who can support you. Have them sit in the front row and focus on them as you speak. Since there is no guarantee that strangers will listen to you with their mouths open. Each of those who come has the right to listen or not.

If you have no one to take to the event, then look over the heads of the audience. So do many public people and artists. Don't focus on faces. Consider better hairstyles. And from the outside it will look like you are looking people in the eye.

You will be judged by your appearance even before the first spoken word. In advance, in front of the mirror, look at the options and choose what you would like to wear. Work out the image to the smallest detail. If in doubt, seek help from a person who is competent in such matters. After all, if you look good, you will feel more confident. The image should be stylish and modern, but discreet or vulgar.

Do not take psychotropic substances or alcohol. Learn to breathe properly and you won't be nervous. Due to the lack of oxygen, stiffness occurs and the person speaks indistinctly. If you learn to breathe smoothly and evenly, inhaling deeply, then these problems will disappear on their own.

By sticking to these rules, you will soon experience a change in how you feel as you perform and prepare. But it’s worth adding a couple more recommendations: do not eat up tightly before the performance, do not radically change your hairstyle the day before, have a good rest and sleep. Stick to these rules and you will succeed.

Why list the possible reasons for the fear of public speaking when you can go straight to tips on how to overcome the fear of speaking in public? Understanding and awareness of these causes is the first step to combat this phobia!

Education in most cases is the basis of why a person is afraid to speak in front of other people. It is not uncommon for parents to forbid their children from speaking loudly or yelling in public places. Moms and dads close their mouths to their children, arguing that everyone is looking at the child and that it is ugly. As a result, when a growing up or already mature adult person has to speak in public, his voice disappears somewhere, everything shrinks inside, and streams of sweat pour from his forehead. Very often, negative childhood experiences are fixed already at school or at the institute, when a person is criticized by teachers or other students.

Many psychologists associate fear of public speaking with the orders that existed in the primitive community, when a person was an integral part of the tribe (exile was tantamount to death) and all his actions passed through the filter of public encouragement. Very often, the fear of failing or hearing negative feedback about one's actions not only makes a person give up on an idea, but is also the cause of the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

For some, public speaking can be somewhat difficult due to the lack of sufficient experience. Someone may have had far from the best contact with a large audience in the past. Some people have deliberately avoided public speaking, which makes it difficult for them to make it a part of their daily lives.

First of all, a person needs to understand that he is not at all alone in his phobia. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 speakers experience what is known as stage fright. At the same time, almost everyone is nervous before performances. Those who are terribly afraid to say anything in public are called glossophobes in psychology.

Scientists have confirmed that a large number of people in the process of public speaking release an amount of adrenaline commensurate with what is released during a parachute jump. Surprisingly, the fear of public speaking ranks second in the classification of phobias after the fear of death. It is striking that in some individuals fear of the audience comes to the fore.

How to overcome fear of speaking

Get ready and rehearse

First of all, you need to carefully analyze your listeners. Fear of speaking is often a tandem of several phobias. The fear of the unknown has a significant negative effect on a person. To get rid of it, you should know in advance where and in front of which audience you will demonstrate your oratory. Analyze, as far as possible, how many people will listen to you, what their interests and life positions are, what they expect from the speaker and what kind of reaction you want from them. It must be remembered that overcoming the fear of public speaking is inextricably linked to your awareness. Understanding who will listen to you will negate the uncertainty factor.

Once you know what your audience will be, you should begin to carefully prepare for the speech. It is worth building your speech, focusing on average indicators of intelligence. It makes no sense to form complex logical chains, use professional jargon and complex terms. You should choose such a speech only if you have to speak in front of professionals. In addition, you should avoid using words whose meaning you do not fully understand.

Even if you have a short speech, do not ignore the need for at least the slightest preparation. Study as thoroughly as possible the topic you plan to talk about. The main principle to keep in mind is that the more you are afraid to perform, the better you should prepare.

As you finish writing the text of the speech and preparing other additional materials, think about what questions the audience might ask you. If you plan to present data in the form of graphs and charts, it makes sense to check the relevance and correctness of each figure. Think about how any of your thesis has a weighty argument.

Be sure to practice at home, imagining the state in which you feel as comfortable as possible. If there were times in your life when you verbally managed to solve some difficult issue or get out of a difficult situation, use that state to raise your confidence. Do not forget to simulate this state in your head before the performance itself.

It will not be superfluous to speak in front of one listener. This should be your friend, who is well versed in this particular topic. It is this listener who will be able to identify shortcomings in your speech, as well as ask questions. If you do not answer them well, it is worth delving deeper into the material. Otherwise, you can be sure that the entry will go as well as possible.

Be sure to inspect the room where you plan to perform. Think of a place where you will feel comfortable making contact with your audience. Evaluate where the lighting is located, and also check if it is possible to use the projector. When you master the territory in this way, you greatly facilitate your upcoming performance.

take it easy

If you don't have a clue how to overcome fear of public speaking and relax, you can use the following exercises to help relieve tension.

• The meditation technique includes a well-known technique called mindful breathing. The essence of the method is to focus your attention on inhalation and exhalation. In this case, you should breathe deeply, holding your breath for a few seconds. In the process of exhalation, you need to count to yourself from 1 to 5. This method helps to relieve tension and relax. Perform the exercise for at least five minutes.
• Tighten every muscle in your body and stay in this state for five seconds. Then relax and repeat this procedure a few more times. If conditions allow you, walk at a fast pace around the room or street, sit down several times or push up from the floor.

It is believed that stimulants or tranquilizers help to cope with the fear of speaking. In fact, such drugs are completely useless, and in some cases can even ruin your performance, especially if you do not calculate the dose. This can lead to retardation. That is why you should not use such drugs.

Find Support

In the event that among the listeners there are your acquaintances or friends, ask them to support you in every possible way. Any tactile contact will do you good, no matter how surprising it may be. It could be a friendly handshake, a pat on the back, or even a warm hug.

Before you begin your presentation, look for a familiar face among those present. If there are no close people in the ranks of the listeners, find a person with an approving facial expression. Smiling and being positive will help you deal with insecurities.

Consider the non-verbal part of the speech

Don't underestimate the importance of the non-verbal part of your speech. It is interesting that each of us consumes about 60% of information from non-verbal sources. If words can mislead someone, then your gestures on a subconscious level will be read correctly by the audience. The appearance of the speaker, the distance to him, the timbre of the voice, the manner of narration, facial expressions and intonation are non-verbal.

When thinking about your appearance before a performance, it is worth considering that any resemblance to the average listener plays into your hands, as it increases the impact on the audience. This applies to dress, hair, jewelry and manners. If people perceive you as one of their own, then your words will be valued higher. At the same time, articulation and diction of speech should be worked out by you before the performance.

How to overcome fear during public speaking

Even if you have completely calmed down before the performance, the feeling of fear may return the moment you enter the stage. There are several tips to help deal with this problem.

A very popular way to help overcome tension is to say affirmations with an encouraging context. You need to choose positive phrases, such as “I love the audience, and she loves me”, “Everyone is waiting for my performance”, “I can interest the audience”, etc.

The second way is to accept your fear. Allow yourself the right to be excited, because you are human. If you accept this fact, you will immediately feel much better. However, do not forget to tune in to achieve a positive result. No need to waste energy scrolling through your negative experience in your head.

Experts also advise particularly worried individuals to publicly admit their fear. Thus, you relieve yourself of part of the responsibility if you suddenly forget to say something or go astray. However, you should not use this method often, because the next time listeners may react to such a statement without much enthusiasm. You can be honest only during the first speech. Use this method only if other ways to overcome fear have proven ineffective.

If you are an inexperienced speaker, do not practice impromptu. Few people have the innate skill to extricate themselves from difficult situations. Therefore, it is better not to get into a difficult situation. If you need to answer questions, then it is better to pronounce platitudes that are appropriate in this particular situation. Against the general background, this will be imperceptible, and you will remain an unforgettable speaker until the moment you yourself wish to attract the attention of others.

There are many tips that answer the question, how to overcome fear of public speaking. You can imagine that not businessmen are sitting in the audience, but fluffy rabbits. It is also very effective to think about something good. However, such advice is given mainly by experienced speakers, which will be effective only for those who do not experience much fear. The same people who are terrified of public speaking can use any of the methods listed in this article to cope with stress. If you practice a lot, you will soon notice serious progress.

P.S. Experience is the main key to becoming a good speaker. Start by toasting in familiar company. After that, practice loud voice in public places. This will help you overcome your fear of negative reactions from others. Then you will notice that your tone will become more imposing and patronizing. Once you've gained some confidence, start taking action at work. Try to ask questions to the speakers. This will help you overcome your fear of being the center of attention. As a result, you will have a craving for independent performances. Having learned all the means of expressiveness of speech and getting rid of the phobia, you will undoubtedly become a wonderful speaker.

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

In his life, almost every person is faced with a situation when it becomes necessary to show their oratory and speak to 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 perform job duties and hinders further career growth.

Such fears are familiar to many prominent artists and musicians who regularly perform in front of large audiences. The actress experienced a strong 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 personality accentuation factor and go into the category of mental disorders. As a result of exposure to fear as a traumatic factor, a person resorts to the 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 fear that is taking place, it is the defense mechanisms that become an obstacle to personal growth. They give rise to new emotional problems, forming the desire to escape from reality into the "artificial world of 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, the pathological fear of public speaking is called glossophobia or peyraphobia. One should clearly share the natural excitement that any person experiences before the upcoming solo monologue, focused on a large crowd of people, both familiar and unfamiliar. So, a completely adequate reaction of the body - excitement, occurs before the upcoming solo performance of a novice dancer and musician, before the oral entrance exams to the university. At the same time, this person will not experience anxiety, tension and fear when they have to demonstrate their 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 aspects. In anticipation of a crucial event, a person becomes more attentive, more collected, more energetic, and as a result, his performance is successful and of high quality. And the "solo" in public for those who do not experience excitement at all often turns out to be a failure.

An individual suffering from glossophobia will experience an inexplicable and indomitable fear during or before a speech, even in front of well-known listeners 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 elicit essentially the same non-specific biological response. Before or upon the onset of an unfavorable situation for the individual, in this case, in anticipation of being in public, emotional stress arises and grows. A high level of activity of the subcortical system, which activates the cerebral cortex, motor centers, glands of the internal system, the sympathetic autonomic system, changes the functioning of the internal organs. So, common manifestations of stage fright:

• Increase and tension of muscles;
• Change in gestures and facial expressions;
• Changing the timbre and tone of voice;
• Vegetative manifestation: excessive sweating, palpitations, "jumps" in blood pressure;
• Headache, unpleasant, pressing sensations in the region of the heart.

An attack of glossophobia may be accompanied by:

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

In rare cases, in people with increased nervous excitability, such a phobia causes fainting of varying duration. Loss of consciousness, as a rule, is preceded by dizziness, weakness, nausea, pallor of the face and lips, cold extremities, weak frequent pulse.

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

Reasons for the 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, 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 reaction force and degree of "stuck".

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

• incorrect, overly strict upbringing;
• incorrect behavior of parents in the family: intimidation, prohibitions, threats in childhood;
• excessive susceptibility to criticism of others and internal "censorship", giving rise to anankastic timidity and humility;
• negative attitude towards one's own "I", low self-esteem, due to the pressure of adults on the child's psyche;
• negative childhood experience that has been subjected to significant criticism for the individual;
• distortion of the strength of stress factors in the direction of their strengthening;

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 lack of sufficient experience.

A likely factor in the emergence of stage fright is the desire for perfection. Very often, glossophobia manifests itself in perfectionist people striving for the ideal and having the habit of cherishing public opinion.

Also, people whose anxiety is accompanied by accentuation of a pedantic type are afraid to be in front of everyone.

Treatment: how to fight?

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

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

• awareness of the problem;
• analysis of the causes of occurrence;
• development of solution ideas;
• testing ideas in practice.

Let us dwell in more detail on possible resolution methods designed to reduce the level of anxiety, increase self-esteem and get rid of glossophobia.

Stage 1. Get rid of the unknown

We carefully analyze the audience: size, 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, it will become predictable to get a certain result.

Stage 2. Taming the "monster"

Your nervousness is exacerbated by giving the audience negative traits and fixation on "cons", such as: skeptical smirk, gestures of disapproval, critical whispers, etc., allegedly taking place in the audience. You can change your perception of the public by forming thoughts of approval. Endow objects with positive features, pay mental attention to pleasant little things coming from the hall: approving gestures, jubilant voices, interested glances. A great way to overcome stage fright is visualization, when you put your great work in perspective.

Stage 3. We do not allow the failure of the performance

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

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

• search, analysis and study of source data from several sources,
• creating unique text
• summarizing the main points
• making a speech plan,
• selection of compelling arguments
• memorization or close retelling of the composed text,
• studying possible questions and compiling answers to them.

Rehearse your report in front of a mirror or perform in front of loved ones. Listening to the text dictated by your voice will bring a good effect. Pay special attention to the non-verbal part: your gestures, facial expressions and appearance. Such a preliminary presentation will help to identify and correct possible errors, and will give confidence in your oratory skills.

Stage 4. Recognize the possibility of error

It is necessary to reduce the often exaggerated significance of other people, it is logical to evaluate criticism, to recognize the presence of shortcomings in each individual, including: sarcasm, cynicism, skepticism, malevolence and other disadvantages. The realization that anyone can make mistakes, and fair criticism does not always come from the lips of well-wishers, will give you great confidence.

It is necessary to regularly engage in techniques aimed at forming an objective self-esteem and increasing self-esteem. Affirmations on the theme of feeling one's own value and accepting oneself as a unique person give an excellent result.

Stage 5. Fixing on the positive

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

In addition, good methods to overcome stage fright are:

• exercise for different muscle groups
• correct breathing,
• activation of the left hemisphere, for example: mathematical calculations,
• singing mentally or aloud a pleasant melody,
• changing body position to a more open posture,
• regular meditation,
• use of self-hypnosis techniques.

A smile has fantastic power. A sincere smile will reduce mental stress and discomfort, deceive the subconscious (after all, it is impossible to be afraid and experience joy at the same time). Smile in front of the audience and when you receive a smile in return, you will feel your fears leave you. Do not avoid speaking and communicating with the public, confidence will come with experience!

More about stage fright

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

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• take it easy
• Find Support

Representatives of many professions on duty quite often have to speak in public. This mainly concerns artists, top managers, lawyers and other professionals whose activities are continuous contact with the audience. However, almost every person in life has situations when it becomes necessary to speak publicly. That is why it is important for almost any person to be able to overcome the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

Causes of fear of public speaking

Why list the possible reasons for the fear of public speaking when you can go straight to tips on how to overcome the fear of speaking in public? Understanding and awareness of these causes is the first step to combat this phobia!

Education in most cases is the basis of why a person is afraid to speak in front of other people. It is not uncommon for parents to forbid their children from speaking loudly or yelling in public places. Moms and dads close their mouths to their children, arguing that everyone is looking at the child and that it is ugly. As a result, when a growing up or already mature adult person has to speak in public, his voice disappears somewhere, everything shrinks inside, and streams of sweat pour from his forehead. Very often, negative childhood experiences are fixed already at school or at the institute, when a person is criticized by teachers or other students.

Many psychologists associate fear of public speaking with the orders that existed in the primitive community, when a person was an integral part of the tribe (exile was tantamount to death) and all his actions passed through the filter of public encouragement. Very often, the fear of failing or hearing negative feedback about one's actions not only makes a person give up on an idea, but is also the cause of the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

For some, public speaking can be somewhat difficult due to the lack of sufficient experience. Someone may have had far from the best contact with a large audience in the past. Some people have deliberately avoided public speaking, which makes it difficult for them to make it a part of their daily lives.

First of all, a person needs to understand that he is not at all alone in his phobia. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 speakers experience what is known as stage fright. At the same time, almost everyone is nervous before performances. Those who are terribly afraid to say anything in public are called glossophobes in psychology.

Scientists have confirmed that a large number of people in the process of public speaking release an amount of adrenaline commensurate with what is released during a parachute jump. Surprisingly, the fear of public speaking ranks second in the classification of phobias after the fear of death. It is striking that in some individuals fear of the audience comes to the fore.

How to overcome fear of speaking

Get ready and rehearse

First of all, you need to carefully analyze your listeners. Fear of speaking is often a tandem of several phobias. The fear of the unknown has a significant negative effect on a person. To get rid of it, you should know in advance where and in front of which audience you have to demonstrate your oratory. Analyze, as far as possible, how many people will listen to you, what their interests and life positions are, what they expect from the speaker, and what kind of reaction you want from them. It must be remembered that overcoming the fear of public speaking is inextricably linked to your awareness. Understanding who will listen to you will negate the uncertainty factor.

Once you know what your audience will be, you should begin to carefully prepare for the speech. It is worth building your speech, focusing on average indicators of intelligence. It makes no sense to form complex logical chains, use professional jargon and complex terms. You should choose such a speech only if you have to speak in front of professionals. In addition, you should avoid using words whose meaning you do not fully understand.

Even if you have a short speech, do not ignore the need for at least the slightest preparation. Study as thoroughly as possible the topic you plan to talk about. The main principle to keep in mind is that the more you are afraid to perform, the better you should prepare.

After you finish writing your speech and preparing other additional materials, think about what questions your audience might ask you. If you plan to present data in the form of graphs and charts, it makes sense to check the relevance and correctness of each figure. Think about how any of your thesis has a weighty argument.

Be sure to practice at home, imagining the state in which you feel as comfortable as possible. If there were times in your life when you verbally managed to solve some difficult issue or get out of a difficult situation, use that state to raise your confidence. Do not forget to simulate this state in your head before the performance itself.

It will not be superfluous to speak in front of one listener. This should be your friend, who is well versed in this particular topic. It is this listener who will be able to identify shortcomings in your speech, as well as ask questions. If you do not answer them well, it is worth delving deeper into the material. Otherwise, you can be sure that the entry will go as well as possible.

Be sure to inspect the room where you plan to perform. Think of a place where you will feel comfortable making contact with your audience. Evaluate where the lighting is located, and also check if it is possible to use the projector. When you master the territory in this way, you greatly facilitate your upcoming performance.

take it easy

If you don't have a clue how to overcome fear of public speaking and relax, you can use the following exercises to help relieve tension.

• The meditation technique includes a well-known technique called mindful breathing. The essence of the method is to focus your attention on inhalation and exhalation. In this case, you should breathe deeply, holding your breath for a few seconds. In the process of exhalation, you need to count to yourself from 1 to 5. This method helps to relieve tension and relax. Perform the exercise for at least five minutes.
• Tighten every muscle in your body and stay in this state for five seconds. Then relax and repeat this procedure a few more times. If conditions allow you, walk at a fast pace around the room or street, sit down several times or push up from the floor.

It is believed that stimulants or tranquilizers help to cope with the fear of speaking. In fact, such drugs are completely useless, and in some cases can even ruin your performance, especially if you do not calculate the dose. This can lead to retardation. That is why you should not use such drugs.

Find Support

In the event that among the listeners there are your acquaintances or friends, ask them to support you in every possible way. Any tactile contact will do you good, no matter how surprising it may be. It could be friendly handshake, a pat on the shoulder, or even a warm hug.

Before you begin your presentation, look for a familiar face among those present. If there are no close people in the ranks of the listeners, find a person with an approving facial expression. Smiling and being positive will help you deal with insecurities.

Consider the non-verbal part of the speech

Don't underestimate the importance of the non-verbal part of your speech. It is interesting that each of us consumes about 60% of information from non-verbal sources. If words can mislead someone, then your gestures on a subconscious level will be read correctly by the audience. The appearance of the speaker, the distance to him, the timbre of the voice, the manner of narration, facial expressions and intonation are non-verbal.

When thinking about your appearance before a performance, it is worth considering that any resemblance to the average listener plays into your hands, as it increases the impact on the audience. This applies to dress, hair, jewelry and manners. If people perceive you as one of their own, then your words will be valued higher. At the same time, articulation and diction of speech should be worked out by you before the performance.

How to overcome fear during public speaking

Even if you have completely calmed down before the performance, the feeling of fear may return the moment you enter the stage. There are several tips to help deal with this problem.

A very popular way to help overcome tension is to say affirmations with an encouraging context. You need to choose positive phrases, such as “I love the audience, and she loves me”, “Everyone is waiting for my performance”, “I can interest the audience”, etc.

The second way is to accept your fear. Allow yourself the right to be excited, because you are human. If you accept this fact, you will immediately feel much better. However, do not forget to tune in to achieve a positive result. No need to waste energy scrolling through your negative experience in your head.

Experts also advise particularly worried individuals to publicly admit their fear. Thus, you relieve yourself of part of the responsibility if you suddenly forget to say something or go astray. However, you should not use this method often, because the next time listeners may react to such a statement without much enthusiasm. You can be honest only during the first speech. Use this method only if other ways to overcome fear have proven ineffective.

If you are an inexperienced speaker, do not practice impromptu. Few people have the innate skill to extricate themselves from difficult situations. Therefore, it is better not to get into a difficult situation. If you need to answer questions, then it is better to pronounce platitudes that are appropriate in this particular situation. Against the general background, this will be imperceptible, and you will remain an unforgettable speaker until the moment you yourself wish to attract the attention of others.

There are many tips that answer the question, how to overcome fear of public speaking. You can imagine that not businessmen are sitting in the audience, but fluffy rabbits. It is also very effective to think about something good. However, such advice is given mainly by experienced speakers, which will be effective only for those who do not experience much fear. The same people who are terrified of public speaking can use any of the methods listed in this article to cope with stress. If you practice a lot, you will soon notice serious progress.

P.S. Experience is the main key to becoming a good speaker. Start by making toasts in a familiar company. After that, practice loud voice in public places. This will help you overcome your fear of negative reactions from others. Then you will notice that your tone will become more imposing and patronizing. Once you've gained some confidence, start taking action at work. Try to ask questions to the speakers. This will help you overcome your fear of being the center of attention. As a result, you will have a craving for independent performances. Knowing everything means of expressive speech and getting rid of the phobia, you will undoubtedly become a wonderful speaker.

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What is the main cause of fear in public speaking in front of a large audience? How to learn to make fiery speeches and stop being afraid to speak in public?

Hello, friends! Alexander Berezhnov is in touch and I am glad to see you on the pages of our blog!

I know that I have already intrigued you with such a headline and all this will really be in the article.

And how does it relate to public speaking? - you ask.

I assure you, all these tricks are directly related to overcoming the fear of public speaking! Checked by my 7 year old practice.

Public performance- an interesting topic! Note that the title of the article is not "How to Learn to Speak in Public in an Hour (Day, Week)?" because it's actually impossible, it's all a painstaking and gradual process. Who in the subject - will confirm my words.

If you have read the previous articles, you probably noticed that they all have a practical focus. Here my friends and I share our experience and summarize the accumulated knowledge. They are obtained as a result of hard and regular work. And it is not just words.

1. My public speaking experience

In 2010, in the city of Stavropol, we created a club with like-minded people "charismatic speaker", which regularly held classes, invited interesting guests (politicians, businessmen, actors, TV presenters), went out into the "fields" and trained to speak in public, overcoming their fears and complexes.

Today our club has switched to a new format and with colleagues we also conduct trainings in public speaking in youth institutions of the city of Stavropol and the Stavropol Territory. All this is done free of charge. Thus, everyone can improve their public speaking skills.

The topic of public speaking is very close to me. From the second grade, I began to perform on stage, studied vocals and choral singing, performed solo in the city of Stavropol and beyond as a performer of classical and patriotic songs.

Therefore, today I am not only not afraid to perform, but also love to do it very much, I teach these skills to others. He has spoken before several thousand people at city and regional events, held mass actions as a host, was a speaker at round tables of various levels, held presentations of projects in different cities, gave interviews on television and radio.

Many of my friends and acquaintances say:

“Don’t feed him with bread,” just let him speak!”

Indeed, public speaking is my passion! I have been doing this consciously and regularly for 7 years now.

Experiment

Before writing the article, I conducted a large survey among my friends and acquaintances (surveyed about 50 people). Among the respondents were people of both public and non-public professions.

I only asked them two questions:

1. “Do you like public speaking? (yes/no) and why?
2. What are you afraid of when speaking in public?

It turned out that most people are really afraid to perform. Among my main fears, my friends identified:

• fear of appearing ridiculous in front of an audience;
• fear of losing the logic of the story;
• fear of letting your team down(if you are a trusted representative of such a team);
• fear of "talking too much" from excitement.

As a result of the survey, I found out that there is a direct relationship between the size of the audience, the level of the event and the status of the listeners present.

That is, the larger the audience, the more solid the event and the higher the status of the guests, the more difficult it is to perform in front of such an audience.

Public speaking is as much an art as writing music, writing poetry, carving wood, etc. I would even say that this is more complicated than the examples given, since psychology, the inner mood and the personality of the speaker himself play a huge role in public speaking.

The topic of public speaking is very extensive, it includes a huge theoretical base on the speaker's posture, appearance, presentation style, the art of speaking, facial expressions, gestures, the ability to hold the audience's attention, and so on.

I am convinced that all this can be learned only through regular practice.

And in the article we will talk about the psychology of public speaking, and in particular about the fear that many people have at this moment and how to overcome it.

2. Why do most people experience overwhelming fear in public speaking? main reason

So, friends, before you do any business, you need to turn to the theory of this business.

In order to overcome fear in public speaking, you need to know why it occurs.

Fear- this is a protective reaction of the body, which helps us avoid fatal mistakes and threats to life. Moderate fear, or rather, slight excitement is a useful and necessary emotion at the time of our speech. It helps us concentrate better and not lose our train of thought. But excessive fear to the point of trembling in the knees is the main opponent of any speaker!

2.1. So what is the main cause of fear in public speaking?

It's all about our ancient instincts.

Since ancient times, people did everything together, that's how it was easier to survive. Together they hunted and escaped from wild animals. Together they defended themselves from the raids of other tribes. That is, it was not accepted and even dangerous to separate from the team.

And any public speech is, first of all, an expression of one's individuality, most often one's own point of view. Here you just need to stand out from the crowd and be "not like everyone else."

For most people this is very difficult to do.

3. Public installation “Be like everyone else! Don't stand out!"

From early childhood, we were taught to be obedient and humble, fulfilling the will of adults: parents, educators, teachers.

Remember yourself in kindergarten... This is the same secure institution as a school, institute, army and even a prison. Here we went for a walk, for lunch, and attended other collective events. Still, after all, a person is a herd animal and feels uncomfortable alone. And most importantly, it can develop only in society.

Surely you remember the famous fairy tale about the boy "Mowgli", who grew up among the animals. But few people know that modern mankind knows dozens of such examples. This is especially true for India. There, children were lost in the jungle and brought up in animal packs. Wolves and other animals replaced their parents.

Even after they were found by civilized people, such children could never become people in the modern sense. They did not speak, but howled at the moon and ran on all fours. Therefore, it is psychologically very difficult for many of us to accept the very essence of public speaking, especially if we were brought up in an environment of "non-public" people.

Another interesting fact.

Scientists have proven that at the time of public speaking, many people release the same amount of adrenaline as when skydiving.

Fear of public speaking has been found to be second fear after the main thing - the fear of death, and for some it even comes first!

3.1. How can we overcome this ancient instinct?

Friends, the easiest way to do this is simply by realizing that the modern world has changed, new “rules of the game” have appeared. Public speaking, and leadership in itself, has become a very important element of modern people. These qualities are especially pronounced in those who have great ambitions and want to achieve a lot in life.

Friends, remember!

People are afraid to speak in public for fear of criticism, i.e. if you are afraid to speak in public - this is a signal, a kind of small call to the fact that you are highly dependent on the opinions of others and you have self-doubt.

This is very important to know. Since if we want to solve a problem, we clearly need to understand the cause of its occurrence. As a doctor, before treating a patient, he sends him for tests or conducts appropriate examinations in order to accurately diagnose.

So, we have established that the fear of public speaking is common to many people. It is a fact!

Have you ever thought that speaking in public is very useful? This trains your communication skills, erudition, allows you to develop the ability to correctly formulate thoughts and make them more consistent.

You have noticed that many professional speakers are far from poor people, and this is also no coincidence. Remember, we drew a parallel between fear of public speaking and self-doubt. I think everyone understands that in order to earn money you need to be a self-confident person. Otherwise, your success will be very unstable.

So, dear readers, we come to the most important thing!

4. Practical techniques and exercises to overcome the fear of public speaking. "Fast" and "slow" methods

There are basically two ways to solve this problem:

1. Slow;
2. Relatively fast (stressful).

Example

You can learn to swim slowly, that is, go to the pool, study with an instructor, wearing a special swimming vest. Then you will gradually, in a few weeks, learn to swim, and this will not affect your emotional state.

The second way is fast, but rather "stressful". I think you already guessed what he suggests.

A person who cannot swim is taken out in a boat to the middle of the lake and thrown out of it. In this situation, the "teachers" assume that the instinct of self-preservation will immediately force the poor fellow to act, and he will learn to swim in a couple of minutes.

Of course, extremes are not always good, but their dosed use clearly helps in life.

How can such an example be projected to overcome the fear of public speaking?- you ask. But this is already interesting.

So, let's move on to the practical part:

4.1. "Slow Way"

I will summarize it in three main principles:

Principle #1: Familiar Audience and Interesting Topic

I suggest starting small. This is how great things begin. Gather at home a few of your friends - like-minded people. You must be doing something together. Whether it's sports, computer games or work.

Agree with them that on the day of the meeting you will present them with very interesting information. Prepare yourself and do it as if you are in front of a large hall and hundreds of people are watching you. Give it your all, don't give yourself any favors!

I also practice this from time to time. This keeps you in shape. When your friends, acquaintances or relatives look at you, then there is nothing to be afraid of, especially if you speak on a topic that is interesting to you. In this case, your performance will certainly be very worthy.

Principle number 2. Don't compare yourself to others, develop your own personality

I'm sure you've noticed that every good speaker has his own way of speaking. Just remember our Russian comedians: Evgeny Petrosyan, Vladimir Vinokur, Maxim Galkin, Viktor Koklyushkin, Elena Vorobey. Politicians: Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. TV presenters and actors: Vladimir Solovyov, Tina Kandelaki, Vladimir Pozner.

All of them are loved by the audience, but each has its own unique image, which is inherent only to them, thanks to their charisma.

Find yourself, your unique image. The view of your friends from the outside will help you with this. Ask them what style do you perform best in? How do they perceive you? And based on this analysis and your own feeling, develop your own style of presenting a public speech.

Principle number 3. Practice!

Participate in performances, discussions, take the initiative wherever there is an opportunity to speak publicly. If you have time and desire, find like-minded people and create a discussion club. At first, it can be placed at home, and later transferred to the base of your work, study or public organization.

And now we will get rid of fear by stressful methods ...

4.2. "Quick Way"

As I already wrote, there are certain technologies that allow you to quickly get rid of the main problem - the critical perception of others. To do this, you need to increase your stress resistance through certain exercises.

The logic here is very simple: if you can withstand a strong critical assessment of people (necessarily strangers!), Then you can speak in public and not worry about it for sure!

Go!

Exercise number 1. "Cleanliness is the key to health"

You dress up as a cleaner (cleaning lady), take a bucket of water, a rag and a mop, go to the nearest public transport stop, preferably on a weekend, so that there are fewer people on the buses.

Then get on the bus, and saying: "Cleanliness is the key to health", start washing it with your accessories. =) At the same time, you are talking with puzzled passengers and the driver. After driving 5-6 stops, you get off, paying the fare, and repeat this exercise 5 more times. I advise you not to start this exercise alone, as it will be quite embarrassing for you to do it alone.

Exercise number 2.

Surely in the summer on the streets of your city you can find points selling ice cream. Usually this is a refrigerator, next to it there is an umbrella from the sun and a girl (rarely a guy) sells ice cream. Your task is to approach the girl and offer your help in selling her ice cream. Tell us a little about yourself, say that you are undergoing training and this is part of your task.

Compose a quatrain about the company that owns the outlet, then start inviting people passing by with it.

Your main task is to increase sales at the time of your active actions! Do this for 20 minutes. Repeat the exercise 3 times a day at different points.

Exercise number 3. "With a pacifier in the mall"

Buy a regular baby pacifier, put it in your mouth, and go on a field trip to the nearest mall. It can also be a market or similar crowded place. Approach different outlets with the air of an interested buyer. It is best if there are several other passers-by nearby. Stand with a pacifier in your mouth in line for groceries. When it's time to buy, look at the seller without removing the pacifier from your mouth, place an order.

Put the groceries in your bag and move on as if nothing had happened. Watch the reactions of others...

Exercise number 4.

Take the laundry detergent box and pour it into another container. Clean the box thoroughly. After that, pour powdered sugar (crushed granulated sugar) into the box, take a spoon and head to the cafe. It is best if there are many visitors. Right in front of them, take out a box of laundry detergent with powdered sugar and start eating it with a spoon right in front of people and cafe staff.

Walk around the establishment with a demonstrative view. If you are asked questions, answer them, and at the end of the answer, offer to try your delicious powder.

I myself personally went through the first two exercises, and went through tougher ones, which I won’t write about. I think you get the point.

A lot more can be done based on these exercises. It all depends on your imagination and moral readiness.

I will say that it is best to alternate these methods.

That is, you first give yourself a shake-up, and then speak publicly several times in a row, but already having greater stress resistance. Your level grows and, like in computer games, starting from the first level, in the process of gaining experience, it increases.

I know that many will say, but where do you get the courage for such exercises. Friends, but you wanted to go fast, and for everything fast you need to pay something, in this case, stress. But I assure you that nothing bad will happen to you, and panic fear in public speaking will turn into only a slight excitement that will only help you.

Please take the survey:

5. Video of the most disastrous public performance...

Finally, I present to your attention the video with the most disastrous public speaking in front of the camera. I'm sure you will like it :)

Meet! Petr Polyachkin- speaker of the 21st century! (4:34)