How to Overcome Lack of Confidence in Public Speaking – Do not think you can’t overcome lack of confidence in public speaking, you can if you are determined to do so. The ability to think calmly and speak clearly while talking to a group of people is not as difficult as you think. The truth is that the presence of an audience should stir you up, give you courage and motivate you to do your best. What if it doesn’t happen this way?
“Confidence is the belief that you can do something well or deal with situations successfully.” Self-confidence in public speaking can be developed, stop thinking that individuals who performs better than you were born that way. Most worked towards it before attaining to the level that you are seeing them.
Don’t loose hope if you are not doing well today. Unless your mind is relaxed, you can not be able to think clearly. The most efficient way of handling lack of self confidence effectively during public speaking is through training, practice and perseverance. You need to conquer the fear and self-consciousness in you. Promise yourself that no mountain is too high for you to climb. One thing that leads to great success is realizing your weaknesses and working towards them.
Let me tell you my experience the first time I attempted to do a public talk. “When I stood in front of the crowd, it seemed as if my eyes was covered with cloud. My mouth was shaking likewise the hand that I was holding my presentation material with. I was in misery. It took me several minutes to utter a word. At the end of that day it became evident to me that I need to do better, and I took it as a task and proud of the successes that I’m recording now.”
Causes of Lack of Confidence in Public Speaking
1. Thinking that you’ve already failed
Do you see yourself as a failure even without trying? Then, this type of negative mindset will affect you in public speaking. When you doubt your abilities to perform well before going for public speaking, the outcome is most times unpleasant.
2. Unpreparedness
When you do not prepare well for public speaking, know that you are paving a way for embarrassment. You will easily fall off balance if you are not acquainted with what you are going to present.
3. Not having enough motivation
If you have something to say to a group of people, and nothing motivates you about that topic, you are bound to “loose your feet” during the presentation. You will make more meaning and be confident with yourself if you are truly motivated.
4. Lack of Vocabulary
If you have poor vocabulary structure, you will not speak with confidence during public speaking. It is easier for a simple question to make you “loose your ground.”
How to Overcome Lack of Confidence in Public Speaking
Having known some of the causes of Lack of Confidence in Public Speaking, it is time to know how to handle and overcome it.
1. Have a Persistent Desire
To remain undefeatable, you need to have a strong desire for what you are doing and what you want to do. Focus on the benefits that a good performance in your presentation will accrue to you. Do you want me to highlight some of these benefits? Undoubtedly, it will earn you respect, more friends and connections. It will equally motivate you to take up more tasks.
If you don’t have a strong desire for what you are going to do, your achievement will not be great or consistent. Take up this task with enthusiasm, have a positive mindset and promise yourself that you will be the best. Don’t be fainthearted so that you will not fall on the way. Conquer that spirit of fear, build up your courage and see yourself achieving more than you can ever imagine.
2. Have a thorough knowledge of what you are going to talk about
There is no way you are going be confident and perform well when you didn’t plan or think very well about what you are going to talk. Prepare yourself very well to avoid that shame of negligence. You can only speak with authority when you are sure of what you are saying. Instead, it will be a case of misleading yourself and your audience. Have it in mind that if you mislead yourself, you will be loss at some point. If you mislead your audience, they will equally realize at some point.
Speaking what you are sure of will boost your self confidence. It will help you to overcome embarrassment. When you have the right words to say, you will not waste a lot of time to say it. Prove that you are an authority in what you are saying. If you have a board, write some words there, if you have an object to demonstrate it, use it.
3. Be Confident and Act Confident
What you feel is what you will act. You cannot force yourself to exhibit that which is not in you. If you try to do so, you will feel like someone under manipulation. Your level of preparedness like I said earlier will help you to face your audience with enough courage. Take a deep breath first before facing your audience as this will boost the supply of oxygen that will give you courage. Don’t be overtaken by your fear, instead overcome it.
Do not feel shy looking at your audience. Stand strong and tall before them. When your leg wants to shake by itself, shake it yourself. Face your audience as if they are owing you something. Smile when you want to because you are not in a warfront. Every nervous movement should not be done to the full visibility or awareness of your audience.
Don’t play with your collar, buttons, necklaces or bangles. You are not supposed to lean on the table or wall, but if you want to take a minute control, you can tightly hold a chair or table. This should not be done in most cases. Don’t hide under your fears, fight it, battle with it and conquer it at every opportunity. Even if you feel afraid, act as if you are not afraid consistently until it becomes a part of you.
4. Don’t Fail to practice
I will not fail to let you know that this is really important. Learn to speak up. It will help you to develop self-confidence. The best way to conquer audience fear is to conquer ignorance and uncertainty. When you are not sure of what you want to do, fear sets in. When fear sets in, the result is poor performance.
Do you want to practice? Have a thorough knowledge of your topic. Look at yourself in the mirror, and present it to yourself. Go ahead to present to any group, your friends and family members. Tell them to observe your flaws and let you know. Take note of all these and work towards it. When you remember that you can do better in that presentation based on your performance, you have already made it. Use your force and power to make your presentation to your audience.
I believe it is now clearer to you that you can perform better in a public speaking even after having a bad record. Most of the professional speakers that you know may have some lapses that they worked on. You can equally do better. Face your fears and conquer them. Be determined to achieve your goal. I believe my article on “How to overcome Lack of Confidence in Public Speaking” really benefitted you. Don’t forget to come back for more interesting topics.