Stop the Fear Syndrome
When you talk about speaking in public in English, do you say you’re afraid or stressed?
The words you use when you talk to yourself are important for your success.
Let me share something I tell my clients so they become confident and impactful public speakers.
If you talk about being afraid of speaking in public, that’s what your brain will retain. And if you’re afraid of speaking in public, then the “fight or flight” response will be triggered, causing you to either want to run away from your audience or see them as the enemy. As a result, you’ll start to tremble, forget your words, sweat, blush etc.
In fact, there’s a simple solution.
Avoid saying to yourself “I’m feeling afraid of next week’s presentation”.
Instead, say “I’m a bit stressed about this presentation”.
Why is this choice of words so important?
Fear stops you from performing to your full potential because it makes you imagine unreal risks.
Positive stress, on the other hand, raises your cortisol level. It means that you’ll work hard preparing your presentation, rehearsing lots beforehand, and on the big day your adrenaline will give you the energy you need to give the best of yourself.
If you listen to great leaders talking, you’ll notice they don’t talk about being afraid of something but they might talk about feeling a bit stressed. This is because they know that fear will stop them from being successful.
As I said, your brain only retains what you tell it to remember. Therefore, it’s important to only tell yourself something that will have a positive outcome for your presentation.
So, the next time you find yourself saying you’re afraid of speaking in public, stop yourself, rephrase it and simply say: “I’m just in stress-mode right now”.
Tell me, did you ever realize the words you tell yourself matter so much when you’re preparing your speeches in English?
Would you like to have more confidence and impact in your Public Speaking?
Please do get in touch for a free 20-minute phone appointment to discuss your needs. I’ll describe in more detail my specific coaching approach.
Let’s work together to release your inner voice!
