How To Go From Nervous To Confident On Stage

Written on the 16 April 2018 by Janet Culpitt

Public speaking and nervousness often come hand in hand. I've witnessed a number of speakers present on stage and I can easily tell who are nervous and who are adept at hiding it. There is no denying nervousness is an emotion that can be quite challenging, if not impossible to quell, but it doesn't mean you can't do it.

As a speaker, I get nervous myself. It's an emotion I am fairly familiar with. However, I have discovered two effective strategies that have allowed me to go from being a nervous wreck to having bold confidence on stage regardless if you're speaking to five people or a thousand. Sure, I still get nervous from time to time but the difference now is I know how to put myself together and deal with it and that's what I am going to teach you.

1. Make Your Audience Laugh

Nothing curbs nervousness better than having a good laugh. A witty joke works every time. When I see the audience chuckle, it makes me confident that my speech is going to start off on the right foot. It lightens the mood, eases the tension and more importantly it helps me relax. Furthermore, laughing together also creates a bond between you and your audience.

2. Avoid Memorisation

Many of you may think that memorising your speech will make you feel more confident on stage. Well, many of you are mistaken. Memorisation is a recipe for disaster. When you memorise a speech, there's a big chance that you won't be able to feel and express the emotions behind it. And trust me, your audience can tell. Instead of a lively, fun and interactive speech, your audience will perceive it as dull and boring and you might as well email them the content and they'll read it themselves. My suggestion? Study it well. Know the topic inside and out, rehearse it until you become confident that even though you miss some words verbatim, you can still get your message across in perfect clarity.

If you want to learn how to become an effective speaker, learn how to build rapport and do business with the people you meet I am inviting you to the Evolution For Progress Event hosted by myself and Sharon Jurd on the 16th of May 2018 in Toowoomba.

In this exciting event, you will learn

• strategies on how to get a massive  stream of clients,
• develop ambassadors who promote your business,
• overcome any fears or existing beliefs you may have around the word "networking"
• and learn how speaking can grow your business more then you ever thought possible. and discover new techniques on how to become the rain maker in your business.

 to join in this amazing event.