Fear of Public Speaking

One of the thing that I hear from my team members about greatest fears people have is speaking in public.

I remember the occasion when, I started as a faculty, very initial stage of my career - five minutes before I was to give a lecture, I froze and fear overwhelmed me. I felt as if I had no idea what I was going to say. About 40 students were sitting in the class expecting to learn something from my class. I began thinking to myself: "What if I can't think of anything to say? What if I make a fool of myself?"

All fear begins with the thought 'What if' and continues with something disastrous. I was predicting the future, and with negativity. I was being stupid. I knew I was being stupid; I knew all the theory, but it wasn't working. Fear kept rolling in. I was in trouble.

That evening I developed a trick, which overcame my fear then, and which has worked ever since. I decided that it didn't matter if my audience enjoyed the talk or not, as long as I enjoyed my talk. I decided to have fun. I've worked as a Lecturer for three years and participate in a lot of events and conferences. Now, whenever I give a talk, I have fun. I enjoy myself. I tell stories, and laugh at them with the audience.

l figured out-once you decide to have fun when you give a talk, then you relax. It is psychologically impossible to have fear and fun at the same time.

When I am relaxed, ideas flow freely into my mind. Moreover the audience doesn't get bored when it is fun.