How to Conquer a Public Speaking Fear

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For some people, public speaking is a walk in the park. People make careers out of public speaking—from regularly giving presentations at an office job to performing as a stand-up comic.

For others, public speaking is the worst possible thing they can think of doing. They hate getting up in front of others to present, they don’t like to have the attention on them, and they can only think of the worst-case scenario when tasked with a public speaking engagement.

It doesn’t have to be that way! It is completely normal to have a fear of public speaking. There are actually a lot of factors that can go into someone having that fear. However, there are ways that you can overcome your fear and feel completely comfortable with public speaking.

Why Do I Struggle to Speak in Public?

Before we start talking about how you can overcome a fear of public speaking, let’s talk about why that fear exists in the first place.

This likely comes as no surprise, but a fear of public speaking is actually one of the most common forms of anxiety. Specifically, people that struggle to speak in public tend to have performance anxiety. There’s usually a fear of judgement or negative responses from one’s peers.

There are a few different reasons that you might have anxiety surrounding public speaking. It could be as simple as not having a lot of experience with it. If you rarely speak in public and are suddenly tasked with giving a speech, it can be nerve-wracking to think about getting up in front of a group of people to speak.

Perfectionists also tend to struggle with public speaking. This usually stems from a fear of failure. Perfectionists dwell on everything that can go wrong with a speech, and what might happen if the speech isn’t delivered perfectly. Many will just decide not to speak in public—hard to fail if you don't give the speech at all.

Understanding where your fear is coming from can help you ultimately overcome it.

How Do I Train Myself to Speak in Public?

The good news is that there are methods you can try to help ease anxiety surrounding public speaking. We put together some dos and don’ts for preparing to speak in public that we think can help you get over your fears.

The Dos and Don'ts of Public Speaking

These are just a few dos and don’ts of public speaking. There are certainly more tips that you can implement when preparing for a speaking engagement.

Practice and prepare. The most effective thing you can do to get over a fear of public speaking is to prepare. Give yourself plenty of time before the speaking arrangement to practice your speech. When you know the source material and know what you want to say, you can feel more confident going into the speech. It can also be really helpful to record yourself practicing so you can see how you present and work through any parts you stumble through ahead of the actual event.
Know your audience. Limiting the number of surprises that can occur when you’re going to give a speech can also help ease your fears. Know who your audience will be so you know who you'll be looking at when you give your speech. It can also help you establish expectations for the speech. If it’s a more informal speech, you don’t have to worry as much about stumbling or having a few mess ups. If it’s a formal speech, you can come up with an action-plan if anything goes awry.
Be yourself. Part of what makes public speaking so uncomfortable is that it makes people feel not like themselves. It’s okay, and encouraged, to let your personality shine through when you’re giving a speech. Sharing anecdotes and being yourself can actually make your audience feel more connected to you.
Time your speech. This might not be as relevant if there aren’t time restraints for your speech but timing yourself can help ensure that your pacing is right and that you won’t lose the attention of your audience. This can also keep you on track with your speech—it can help to know that the intro of your speech usually takes you two minutes, etc.
Practice in the space where the speech takes place. This is vital to easing anxieties surrounding public speaking. You’ll want to minimize the amount of things out of your control on the day of the speech. Knowing what the room looks like, where you’ll be standing, how your voice sounds, and if there’s a podium can really help you prepare for the real thing. It can bring comfort that the only thing that’s different when you give the actual speech is that there will be an audience.

The Don'ts of Public Speaking:

Memorize a full speech. It is better to have an outline with high-level talking points than trying to memorize a full-length speech. If you trip up on a word or accidentally skip ahead in your speech, it can be incredibly hard to get back on track if you just memorized the whole thing. Instead, have an outline of the speech so you know the order that you want to present your talking points.
Rely on slides. Body language plays a large role in how effective a speech is. You want to be connected with the audience by facing them and talking to them. When you read off a slide, it can cause your audience to think you’re unprepared and lose interest in your speech. A golden rule of public speaking is that slides you prepare should be supplemental to your speech.
Use filler words. This one is absolutely easier said than done. Avoid using filler words where you can when you’re speaking. Filler words can be “uh”, “like”, and other similar words that can distract from your speech. While one or two might slip in during the speech, avoiding them as much as you can will be key. Record yourself giving the speech ahead of time and take note of how many times you use filler words and if there are specific parts of the speech you find yourself using them.
Rush through your speech. When you’re nervous, you’re more likely to talk really fast. You want people to be able to understand what you’re saying. This is why pacing matters and timing yourself in advance is a good tip. Take a deep breath before you start the speech and take meaningful pauses throughout to keep your pace steady.
Fall into distracting habits. As we all know, there are habits we have that come out when we’re nervous. Fidgeting, pacing back-and-forth, or adjusting your hair and clothes can be really distracting when you’re giving a speech. This is also where recording yourself can come in handy—take note of the nervous habits that you have so you can consciously avoid them during the real thing. Plant your feet firmly (but don’t lock your knees) and keep your hands at your sides when you aren’t gesturing.

These are just a few dos and don’ts that we find to be helpful when public speaking. If you take anything away from this post, it should be that practicing is one of the most effective ways to prepare for a speech. Feeling confident in the speech itself can do wonders for easing your anxieties.

How to Calm Nerves When Public Speaking

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Having tips and tricks are great, but might not actually ease the nerves on the day of. No matter how prepared you are, you might still have nerves or feel anxious about public speaking when it's time to give the speech.

That’s completely normal. We put together some practices you can try to calm your nerves on the day of the speech:

Breathe deeply. Taking deep breaths can help calm your nerves. Leading up to the speech, make sure you’re focusing on your breathing and keeping yourself calm. Right before you start your speech, take two deep breaths. You’re going to be the most nervous at the start of the speech so taking deep breaths right before can help you begin the speech strong.
Feel confident in your abilities. You know the source material and have prepared for this speech. Reframe your mindset to feel confident that you know everything you need to know. Focus on the fact that you will succeed.
Focus on what can go right. When you have a fear of something, the default way of thinking will always be to think about what could go wrong. Instead of thinking about what will go wrong with your speech, think about what will go right. Make a list of everything you know will go right leading up to the speech to build your confidence.
Try exposure therapy. One way to get over a fear is to force yourself to face it head-on. For public speaking, join in on an open mic at a local bar and improv. Go up to a stranger in public and initiate a conversation with them. Practice speaking in front of people you don’t know to ease your fears when the real thing comes.
Give yourself grace. Most importantly, give yourself grace. Things are never going to be perfect, including your speech. You could be as prepared as possible and slip ups might still happen. When the speech is over, try not to think about what went wrong or what you thought could’ve gone better. Instead, congratulate yourself for everything that went right.

Conquer Public Speaking Anxiety

Now it’s time to put this all to the test. Try using our dos and don’ts when preparing for your next public speaking engagement. Test out the strategies for calming your nerves when you get ready to give a speech.

As an added bonus, our fidget jewelry is also proven to help with anxiety (learn more here). We also pulled together a few products that we think will give you the extra encouragement you need to tackle your fears.