How To Overcome The Fear Of Speaking In Public? 5 Keys

Speaking in public is a general concern that occurs in almost all people, even those who are used to doing it for work or academic reasons.

We know that repeated exposure to those stimuli that generate anxiety is one of the most effective psychological techniques to combat fears due to the effect that continued practice has on our competence and sense of self-efficacy, but… What can we do when we do not have this possibility and yet we need to make a successful presentation?

Understanding the fear of public speaking

Before starting, It is important to know what happens to us in those moments. As in any situation in everyday life, when speaking to many people there are three registers that come into play: the physical part (in this case the nerves that can manifest themselves through various symptoms: sweating, facial flushing, increased of heart rate), the cognitive part (made up of what we think, which can be led by an anticipation of failure such as: “I’m going to get confused, they’re going to laugh at me, I’m going to do it wrong”) and the behavioral: what we do (how the presentation is made).

However, what interests us here is to distinguish the line that separates the objective part from the subjective part, which often tends to mix. Let me explain. The only thing we can manipulate when preparing to speak in public are objective issues.

For example, We must ensure that the concepts are clear, that the expression is appropriate or that the graphic support is relevant. Therefore, the result is in relation to the amount of time invested in preparing the material, our knowledge of the topic or the consideration of the public we are addressing. The rest, the subjective part, such as the opinion that others have of my competence, if they get bored with what I say or if they realize our nerves, is what we must renounce from the first moment we We stand in front of an audience. The trap is set as long as we try to manipulate that part of the equation, the one that does not depend on us.

The cognitive aspect of fear

Before we said that there are three registers to consider: the physical part, the behavioral part and the cognitive part.

Well thenalthough they are all interrelated, the greatest influence is orchestrated in the last so that will be where we focus, demystifying some erroneous beliefs that may be useful for our purpose.

The two fallacies of nervousness

First fallacy: one of the most widespread fears is that attendees easily perceive the speaker’s nervousness. However, these signals are not interpreted by others as we think, and most likely they will not notice them. The sweat of the hands, the heart rate, or the fear of not doing well are imperceptible.

The only “detectable” signs are tremor (of the hands or voice) and facial flushing, and even these factors are usually partially masked by the distance that separates us. Generally, in presentations the interpersonal distance is at least 5 meters from the audience. If it is already difficult to detect it up close, it is almost impossible from several meters away.

We perceive all the details of what we do, but others are left with the general image. The external correlation they have is less than half of what we perceive. In fact, the most useful thing we can do with our nerves is to “encapsulate” them, that is, let them be, given that we have the capacity to think and speak even in the presence of them, which leads us to the second fallacy.

Fallacy of direct manipulation of states

The most common mistake made when we perceive that we are nervous is to try to reduce our tension, telling ourselves: “calm down, don’t get nervous.” But our mind works under the command of paradoxical intention. That is to say, It is enough for us to tell ourselves “try not to think about your nerves”, “try to calm down” for the opposite to happen.

Therefore, the most effective strategy to not get nervous or increase our nerves is not to try to convince ourselves that we do not have to get nervous, but rather accept and tolerate the symptoms of our restlessness letting them be so they can leave sooner.

perfectionism fallacy

We tend to perceive the elements that surround us as a whole, instead of interpreting the details separately.

Therefore, the errors made during the exposition (which represent the details within a whole) and the words not found at a given moment, go unnoticed by the audience as do the number of stairs that must be climbed to reach the room or the prints contained in the paintings that adorn the auditorium. Which brings us to the next point.

selective attention

As if it were a letter salad, Our exhibition works like reading a text: what appears underlined or in bold will attract more attention than words in simple format.

Therefore, if we do not emphasize our mistakes (following the analogy: if we do not “underline” them), neither will others in their “reading of the exposition.” In the same way as with nerves, accepting and tolerating failures reduces the probability of repeating them, promotes our security and redirects the public’s attention to other aspects.

A final trick to get rid of our nerves

If you want to feel more confident and avoid the fear of speaking in public, one last proposal.

Look between your eyebrows: eye contact is essential to generate a feeling of security and trust in our interlocutors. However, in evaluation situations it can be a distractor or an intimidating element that reduces concentration and increases nervousness. Therefore, If we look between the eyebrows of our examiners, they will believe that we are looking into their eyes and we maintain a neutral fixation point devoid of undesirable emotional reactions.