The truth is that public speaking is always a mixture of terror and exhilaration.
For everyone.
It's just like snow skiing.
When you start, all you can think about is how awkward you are, how dangerous it is, and how you'll never be able to do this.
You get one turn right, get up a little bit of speed, the snow starts to fly in the sunshine, and a tiny bit of excitement pops up.
Later, as you become a more accomplished skier, the balance between terror and exhilaration changes.
Now you are zipping down the slopes, carving those turns, and feeling like an Olympic Champion!
But there is always that little bit of anxiety lurking as you speed across the snow.
Typically for beginners in public speaking, all we experience is terror.
Waiting for our turn to come, starting our speech, the terror remains.
This seems to consume us, makes us irrational and we often feel paralyzed.
Then somehow, we get through the presentation, come from the stage, and as the numbness wears off, the next feeling we have is the relief that the ordeal is over.
However, we still retain sneaking regard for our courage in making that speech, and a small glow of exhilaration starts to burn within.
Particularly if we can stop saying to ourselves, "how bad we were."
In fact, as you walk from the spotlight, say, "Well done indeed," to yourself. Why?
Because it's true.
With more practice, the amount of terror reduces, and the number of excitement increases.
Now you do another speech, another presentation, and pretty soon you actually realize that you are enjoying this, and you become amazed. I mean, With more practice, the amount of terror reduces, and the number of excitement increases.
Now you do another speech, another presentation, and pretty soon you actually realize that you are enjoying this, and you become amazed.
And slowly, you become hooked on the excitement of giving a speech.
So much so that when you go to the fridge in the night for a drink, the fridge light comes on, and you give a 5-minute presentation!
And then the fun starts to creep in.
And by the way.
If you do not have any nervousness or excitement just before you speak, you will come across your audience as flat.
Did you know that some of the greatest orators in the world have been known to be physically sick before giving a stirring speech?
So, always be kind to yourself. You will get better with every presentation that you make. But you have to make the presentations.
To learn the information and then "do it!"
It's funny how most people will tell you that presenting and public speaking isn't something they enjoy and/or aren't very good at.
I think it's the eyes. All those sets of eyes fixed on you..... BORING into you. It's unsettling. So would it be any easier if your audience was ignoring you and all looking the other way? What if they all dozed off, so it WAS as if you were talking to yourself?
It doesn't matter whether you call the feeling of nervousness or excitement; everyone has butterflies before getting up to speak.
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