Public speaking is said to be the greatest fear of the human mind.
For some people it is so scary that they even pee on their pants while they stand on stage.
The symptoms like dry throat,shaking of hands and legs,faster heartbeat,chocking of breathe,sweating,forgetting everything etc has been the common for people who fear stage.
Even the people with great social status fear the stage. The fearing stage can be very annoying in many situations as it hides us from the opportunities and glory of the world.
One with great knowledge also remains behind the curtains because of stage fear. It is said that public speaking is one of the top 5 skills in the world. Lack of this very skill can sometimes become the greatest obstacle to our success.
And in other cases, people who have public speaking skill mostly keeps the probability of stealing the crown with their best persuading skills and fascinating personality. so this game-changer skill is what everyone needs to learn.
Here are few tips according to my own experience.
1.Be sure what you are going to speak
In many cases, we fail to utilize our few minutes on the stage effectively because we don't know what exactly we are there for. So you need to know the purpose of being on the stage, Stage is a platform where you will fight fear and gain confidence. It has a purpose. To know the things that you are exactly going to speak about and do not make your speech lengthy. You can go out of the topic for a while if you feel that audience is getting bored. But always remember to pitch your idea perfectly no matter how large and frightening the crowd is.
2.Breathe
Just by breathing you hold it together. It might sound minor thing but taking deep breathes before going on the stage saves you from being unconscious and keeps your brain relaxed. Take deep breaths for 5 minutes before going to the stage and continue it even when you are on the stage until you start to speak. Fresh air energizes your body and mind.
3.Don't start quickly, take time
Never ever start as soon as you cover the stage. It's better to take time as it makes you used to the stage and audiences. Take few sips of water if available and arrange your content on the podium or maintain the microphone to make your audience not give a hint of your nervousness. This will make it practical and you get few seconds to become used to the stage and prepare mentally for the words that you are gonna speak.
4.Smile
Smile is the key to deal with stage fear. Never forget to smile when you go on the stage. Smile fools your mind and relaxes it. It creates an illusion in the audience that you are confident and prepared. A smile should not be too big nor too small but natural. Smile erases half of your fear.
5.Know your audience before you go to the stage: if possible
Always reach the destination before the program starts. Try to interact with as many people as possible. Looking at known faces from the stage creates a familiar environment for you to speak. That helps in making eye contact with the audience which creates a better effect of your speech to the people.
6.Interact with the audience from the stage
Interactive public speaking is always effective. Arise few obvious questions to the audiences and wait for the answer calmly. The gap should not be too long and the questions should not be too many. If you feel your audiences are being distracted then this is the best way to gain the concentration back. You can ask obvious questions like"Which is your favorite movie", "do you know Bebe Rexha?", etc. But the questions must be according to the audience you have. If you interact, you will be remembered forever in the crowd.
7.Use body motions and facial expressions
Stop acting like a robot when you do public speaking. It's better to keep your body in motion according to what you are speaking. Use facial expressions. Facial expressions denote that you are feeling what you are speaking. If you don't mean what you speak your audiences will not believe you and liar is always ignored by people. Do not make too many body motions but do it as you think is appropriate and comfortable.
8.Practice in the mirror
One of the best ways to overcome stage fear is to practice speaking in front of the mirror. Practice makes a person perfect. So make eye contact with yourself and keep on speaking. Repeat if you forget and don't become disappointed.80% of your preparation is done with the practice in the mirror. It is very beneficial for beginners.
9.Be yourself
The last and the most important thing is to be yourself. You should never lose your originality while speaking. Never think what others might think about you because you are there on the stage and they are still in the audience. Be brave enough to believe yourself and then people will believe you. Speak from your heart. If you just become yourself, you will never have fear of stage again.