Public speaking is one of the most nerve-wracking tasks anyone can have to do. There are a lot of things that can go wrong and it leaves many people feeling nervous and woozy.
But what if we told you there was a way to reduce your chances of feeling this way? There are some psychological facts about public speaking that would be useful to know before going into this situation. For instance, the speaker’s physical appearance plays an important role in how they’re received by their audience.
A speaker ought to look as confident as possible because this will help them feel more confident as well! It goes without saying that you should always prepare for your speech beforehand and make sure you’re not reading off of your slides, but that’s not the only thing you can do to help yourself be at ease.
Psychological facts:
1. A speaker ought to look as confident as possible because this will help them feel more confident as well!
2. Being an experienced public speaker actually reduces anxiety levels during a presentation so don’t let your lack of experience discourage you from doing it!
3. Good posture is something that many people forget about, but standing straight even helps with your self-esteem when you are in front of a crowd! It gives off the impression that you are totally stable and ready for whatever the audience has in store for you.
4. Speaking in public involves imagining how others perceive us, which triggers many different thoughts and emotions in our heads. This is why we feel so nervous and our heart rate increases!
It’s not just because we’re about to do something difficult, it’s also because we’re concerned that others will perceive us in a certain way and that they won’t like us.
5. If you want your speech to be memorable, don’t forget the importance of storytelling! When people listen to stories, their minds automatically create images about what is happening.
Not only does this help them remember more details, but it also helps them relate better to the speaker as well as understand his or her message.
6. Public speaking can actually lead to real physical pain! Stress causes hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine to become activated and this leads to pain sensitivity increase by up to 13%.
It’s definitely not something you should ignore and there are other psychological facts about public speaking that might help reduce it as well!
7. The speaker’s physical appearance plays an important role in how they’re received by their audience. A speaker ought to look as confident as possible because this will help them feel more confident as well!
8. Don’t forget the importance of storytelling when giving a speech! When people listen to stories, their minds automatically create images about what is happening.
Not only does this help them remember more details, but it also helps them relate better to the speaker as well as understand his or her message. If you want your speech to be memorable, use stories liberally!
9. Being an experienced public speaker actually reduces anxiety levels during a presentation so don’t let your lack of experience discourage you from doing it!
What causes fear of public speaking
Public speaking is one of the most common fears which can be traced back to ancient Greece when speech was a private matter and only spoken in front of people who knew each other.
Nowadays we are constantly being put on the spot, from giving presentations at work to delivering speeches at weddings. This fear of public speaking is known as Glossophobia.
The saying ‘the only thing to fear is fear itself’ has never felt more real than it does when you’re standing up in front of an audience to deliver your best words, yet feeling so petrified that all you want to do is run away.
However, for some odd reason every time you raise yourself out of bed with the aim of winning over your fear, somehow you get more anxious about it. Being faced with an audience is guaranteed to make anyone feel anxious, but you don’t have to let your fear stop you from doing what you love.
For many people public speaking is a major challenge that creates anxiety and even panic attacks, making it one of the most common phobias in the world.
Even top politicians are not immune to being afraid of standing up in front of others. Barack Obama himself has admitted his fears about giving speeches, while Margaret Thatcher suffered severe stage fright for many years before she managed to deal with her anxieties.
However, it’s important to note that very few people speak to audiences on a regular basis without feeling at least a little nervous beforehand.
Before you can get rid of your fears of public speaking, you need to know what’s causing them. You may be surprised to learn that even professional speakers experience fear before they speak, and it seems like the more people fear public speaking, the less likely they are to overcome it.
The most common fears of public speaking include:
- Speaking too fast or quietly
- Forgetting your words
- Being caught unprepared for questions
- Being judged by others – Not being interesting enough and entertaining enough for other people to listen to what you have to say.
However, the best way to overthrow these fears is just as we would overthrow a country – by knowing your enemy first hand. So how do we go about doing that? By learning about our audience!
When we believe that our audience is not fully engaged or that comments will be made about us after we have finished speaking then this can increase our fears.
Being able to predict how an audience will react is not possible and so it’s suggested that speakers try and adopt a ‘beginner’s mind’ – focusing on what they themselves want to say and how the audience may respond rather than letting their thoughts wander towards other unhelpful places, such as what everyone else thinks of us.
Another way you can challenge your fear of public speaking is by trying out different types of speaking opportunities such as: – Volunteering as a speaker at school (even if it means giving a one-minute presentation) – Taking up Toastmasters which offers a fun and supportive environment for those wanting to work on their public speaking skills – Joining a public speaking club at college, university or local library
No matter how nervous you feel or how many mistakes you make, remember that the audience is not there to judge you. In fact, most audiences will appreciate you for facing your fears and daring to speak in front of them.
Public speaking should be about sharing stories that inspire people and helping others overcome their fears as well!
It’s important to remember that your fear of public speaking does not come from within yourself but rather through what you have learned throughout life – whether consciously or unconsciously – from other people.
This means that it is possible for everyone who feels fearful about standing up in front of an audience to improve their skills and become confident speakers over time as long as they are willing to face their fears.
For those who find it difficult to conquer these fears, then online courses or coaching can be helpful in overcoming the fear of public speaking. However, like anything else, it does take time and effort for this ‘fear’ to subside.