Public speaking is an acquired taste for most people. That is, the first taste of it is usually disagreeable to the untrained person. Over time, if emboldened by a few tasty morsels, he develops a taste for it and eventually wonderes how he ever lived without it.
The way to honestly be very good at something runs parallel to this analogy. To be exceptional requires that one loves the activity for its own sake. In public speaking, to love it means to share with others things you consider of relative value and importance.
Though all people approach public speaking with different goals in mind, a few pointers, if you will on how one can eventually find it an indispensable boon to one’s life.
- Let go of yourself. When you speak publicly, the only thing on your mind is the speech. It’s really not the time for thoughts of your bills, arguments with the boss, and needing to have the car washed. All these other thoughts get in the way of you being natural on stage.
- Be uniquely you. This may sound like a contradiction of the first pointer, but nothing is more true. If you let go of your ego and just let your true personality shine though, the audience will be awed by this. This is partly the reason why most people flock to movies and theaters, as a means to express their own feelings albeit vicariously. Words depend on the manner in which they are spoken and less by the matter these words are a part of.
- Have a chat with your audience. Create a sense of give-and-take communication with the audience. Never let the audience feel you never wanted to be there with them in the first place. You will want your hearers to know that you are speaking with experience from the heart.
- Wear your heart on your sleeve. Being passionate isn’t right for some occasions, but being passionate in public speaking is just what the doctor ordered. Speak with emotion, confidence and conviction. There is no audience that would rather see the speaker.
- Practice makes perfect. Practice with your speech and its delivery. Never neglect to exercise the mental and physical traits necessary to create a direct impact on the audience. Measure your performance by capturing your speech on video, or ask for advice from an expert. Find ways to improve your technique.
If you follow these suggestions, public speaking will never concern you with fear, worry and anxiety.