Repeated polls show that fear of speaking in public is America's number-one fear. It is so pervasive and intense that it continues to outrank even the fear of death. This fear represents a large chunk of what is generally called "performance anxiety" or "stage fright".
Everyone has experienced some form of this gut-Osterizing anxiety some time in their lifetime. It can show itself in many ways besides speaking or making a presentation. For example, perhaps you felt its panic before a math or driving test. Or when you had to play a musical instrument, sing, dance, or act before an audience. But no matter when it happens, the symptoms tend to be the same.
Your heart gallops. Your breathing becomes shallow and rapid. You feel detached and a little dizzy. Your mouth goes dry and your hands shake. And your memory goes belly-up, making you feel like a blank slate without a piece of chalk in sight. Control of yourself seems to have flown out the window.
Performance anxiety occurs whenever you perceive you are putting yourself at risk. This is risk of being negatively evaluated, found wanting, being embarrassed, seen as a failure, and rejected. How you think and feel about your ability to deliver your presentation will determine how you perform.
Even when you initially perceive that your abilities may not measure up, you can change those perceptions for the better. You can do this by:
- Being kind to yourself. Negative self-criticism is non-productive. Get outside your emotions. Reward yourself for the good things you do and acknowledge and change the bad.
- Assessing the situation to see what specific factors are interfering and determine how to positively change them.
- Recognizing that some anxiety is your friend. The adrenaline rush prepares you to be on your toes, ready to do your best. Without a little anxiety your performance can be blah.
- Working on excessive anxiety through progressive muscles relaxation, visualization, diaphragmatic breathing, breath counting, and physical exercise.
- Trusting your body to tell you when you need sleep or exercise, stress-reduction, or more nutritious food.
- Avoiding caffeine within 24 hours of your performance (coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, colas, over-the-counter medications) because it further stimulates your arousal.
- Having moderate carbohydrate meal which will tend to produce more calming serotonin.
- Remembering that perfection is not a realistic goal. Concentrate on the process and making it satisfactory.
- Practicing over and over to fine-tune your skills to create consistency and confidence.
- Pacing your performance and working at your own rhythm.
- Starting after you have taken a few seconds to settle yourself.
- Perform for your own satisfaction, knowing small goofs do not really matter to your audience.
The "C"-cret to overcoming your public presentation anxiety is having:
* Control of your anxiety
* Confidence that you know what to do, how to do it, and have done it
* Competence resulting from developing and honing your skills and abilities
* Compassion for yourself when you prove to be only human.
