Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations, specifically situations in which the person is being judged. For many people, there is one trigger that sets off social anxiety. Theses triggers can be anything from meeting new people to going to parties to (you guessed it) public speaking. Public speaking is the most common social phobia, which is not surprising. What may surprise you is that a fear of public speaking can be categorized as a psychological disorder. I know what you're thinking: "But I'm normal! I don't have a disorder!" I am certainly not insinuating that you do, simply stating that it is so common to be afraid of public speaking and that that fear can be so extreme, that it can be classified as a disorder.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I have Googled something along the lines of "how not to be afraid during public speaking." But I can tell you that not a single one of those Google searches helped me. Each time, I was still just as nervous as the last. And no amount of preparation or pep talks was going to change that.
What I am going to share with you is not how to get over your fear of public speaking, but how to succeed even with that fear.
1. Speak.
Your voice might shake. Your face might turn red. You might start to sweat. Acknowledge those possibilities, and speak anyways. Don't get caught up in what you look like or how your voice might sound—just say what you need to in the best way that you can. For years, I refused to speak up in class because I was afraid of sounding stupid. In my last semester of college, I finally let go and said what I wanted to. My heart pounded in my chest, and my face felt like it was on fire, but I spoke anyways. I was the only one that noticed, or at least the only one that cared. Don't let your fear hold you back from showing off your brilliance.
2. Abandon Perfection.
You will not be perfect. I repeat, you will not be perfect. Once you accept that, speaking comes more easily. You will lose track of where you were, you will mess up some words, you will have long, awkward pauses. Just keep going. Press on. Do not turn back. If you mess up, don't go back, only forward. You will be great, but you will not be perfect.
3. Be Prepared.
This one seems obvious because it is. If you do not know what you're going to say, anxiety will take over. You will not be able to recover. Rehearse, memorize, internalize. You've got this. If you have a clear message, nobody will notice your shaky voice.
That's it. I cannot tell you how to get over your fears, but I know how to work with them. If you follow these tips, you will be OK. You'll still be afraid, but it will not overtake you.
