Do you get sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat every time you’re supposed to go up on stage? You’re not alone; about 73% of people have stage fear and performance anxiety.
Here’s how you can get through it, though.
Know Your Topic
If you really break down your fear of public speaking, you’ll realize that it’s linked to one of these factors:
- Not knowing what to say;
- Saying something dumb or incorrect;
- Forgetting what you were supposed to say;
- Saying the right thing in the wrong way.
Well, guess what. These are all situations you can handle with a little bit of practice. If you know your topic well and practice enough, you’ll be able to bounce back even if you do mess up at any point.
Dress Confidently
Another reason people feel awkward on stage is that they know everyone’s watching them. While, of course, you will be worried about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it, it’s only natural to be conscious about your physical appearance as well.
Luckily, this is something you can take care of in advance. Choose a style and color that you feel confident in. For instance, some people think they look better in black, so it would make sense not to take any chances and wear black to look great!
Find Your Audience
Let’s be honest; we’ve all attended events where we weren’t interested in what was being said on stage. Similarly, when you’re on stage, keep in mind there will be audience members who will look uninterested and, maybe even bored; those are the ones you can ignore.
Instead, focus on the ones who seem like they’re following every word. Make eye contact with them as if you’re having a one-on-one conversation. Once you start doing this, you’ll feel more natural on stage, and the people you’re directly looking at will be forced to pay attention throughout the speech!
Have a Plan B Ready in Case You Stutter or Forget Something
Believe it or not, it’s very common for nerves to take over when on stage. You may end up forgetting lines, or you may stutter. In such cases, the first step is to take a deep breath and remind yourself to stay calm. Also, you can do this:
- Make a joke about it;
- Take a minute, and fake a cough;
- Take a quick look at your cue cards
- Take the moment to interact with your audience
- Apologize quickly, and ask if you’re audible to shift the focus
The bottom line is, forgetting a line or two on stage isn’t the end of the world. Take it lightly, and just focus on what you’re there to say.
Try a Hypnosis Session
If you have very severe stage fear, and you feel like it’s always getting in the way of your professional life, consider hypnosis as a possible solution.
Hypnosis can be used for many things, including stage fright, and as a treatment for social phobia disorders. You can also try self-hypnosis tips to improve memory for better performance on stage.
Get in touch with us for a consultation to learn more.
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