OVERCOMING STAGE FRIGHT

AND PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY

Semester II

Prof. Younnes ELKHADIRI

 Introduction
• Fear of public speaking, or even just anxiety about
speaking in large groups, is one of the most common
fears, and nothing to be embarrassed about.
• Anxiety is caused when you feel threatened, and your
body reacts to raise your heart rate, increase your
breathing, and start perspiration.
• Being the center of attention and having all eyes on
you, can be stressful. Your body's "fight-or-flight"
mechanism kicks in, which is why symptoms of stage
fright are similar to symptoms that occur when you
are in real danger.
 symptoms of anxiety
• Wonder if you have ever had it? Here are the
most common symptoms of performance anxiety.
• Racing pulse and rapid breathing
• Trembling hands, knees, lips and voice
• Dry mouth and tight throat
• Sweaty and cold hands
• Vision changes
• Nausea and an uneasy feeling in your stomach
 Prevalence!
• Stage fright is normal, but that certainly doesn't mean
it's benign.
• Performance anxiety can affect your career and personal
life.
• It can diminish your self-esteem or hold you back from
taking on leadership roles at work.
• If you’re prone to stage fright, it’s important to take
control of it before it starts controlling you.
 What do I do now?
• Confronting your fears and vulnerabilities, accepting
yourself for who you are, and not feeling like you
have to prove yourself to others, is the first step
toward overcoming performance anxiety.
• Keep in mind that nobody is perfect, nobody expects
you to be perfect, and it is OK to make mistakes.
• The second step is learning how to redirect your
negative thoughts, beliefs, images, and predictions
about performing in public.
• Doing this is not as difficult as you might think.
 Types of stage fright personality
• The avoider
• Do you go to great extremes to avoid any possibility of
being "on stage"?
• Did you choose all your college classes to avoid any
presentations, or picked a career which wouldn't ever
include any public speaking?
• Do you usually succeed in avoiding presentations, but
often have regret about the way this fear controls your
life choices?
• If you belong in this group, you are probably troubled by
both fear and regrets.
 The masked avoider
• You don't let the fear dictate your major career and life
choices.
• But you do strive to avoid the occasional presentation at
work? the wedding toast? or the leadership of a civic group?
• Do you keep your fear a secret, and try to find ways around
it?
• The problem hangs over your head for lengthy periods of
their life, even though you rarely actually give a
presentation?
• If you belong to this group, you probably suffer considerable
anticipatory fear and shame.
 The accidental public speaker
• Did your professional success lead you to the necessity of
public speaking, even though you would rather avoid it?
• Are you an attorney, engineer, author, a doctor, a teacher?
• Has your work become so successful, so much in demand,
that you are increasingly requested and pressed to present
your talents and knowledge before an audience?
• If you belong to this group, you must either develop the
ability to face an audience or cut short the successful arc of
your career.
 The dilemma wonderer
• Do you have a passion for creative expression?
• Are you an artist, musician, singer, actor, comedian,
professional speaker or athlete?
• Your spirit urges you to seek out the audience, but your
body warns you to stand back?
• If you belong to this group and develop stage fright,
you face a dilemma which cannot be avoided.
• Your spirit urges you to seek out the audience, even as
your body warns you to stand back, and you must
choose.
 Tips to overcome stage fright

• Luckily, there are simple and easy ways

to overcome this reaction, and allow you
to give an amazing presentation!
 Advance Preparation
• Practice, practice, practice! Perform your presentation for
friends, roommates, a tutor, or anyone else who will listen.
• Become familiar with the space where you will be
presenting.
• Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing,
especially shoes. Minor physical annoyances will distract
you during the presentation.
• Pick a simple phrase that will relax you that you can
silently repeat to yourself immediately before presenting.
“You’re fine” works nicely, as does “all right.”
 Before the Presentation
• Do something relaxing. Read a favorite poem or
listen to a favorite song.
• Exercise! A quick walk will get oxygen to your brain
and calm you.
• Avoid caffeinated foods and beverages like chocolate,
soda and coffee. They will not give you true energy,
but they will speed up your heart rate and make your
anxiety more intense.
• Take small sips of room-temperature water.
 Cont.
• Don’t force yourself to eat if you’re not hungry.
• Warm up your voice! Talk to friends, call a family
member, or find a private space to sing your favorite
song or give yourself a pep talk.
• Tense up your muscles for ten seconds, then release and
focus on the feeling of relaxation.
• Start with your feet and work your way up to your
shoulders.
• Visualize! Imagine how well the presentation is going to
go, and picture yourself being extremely successful
during the presentation- happy, prepared and confident!
 During the Presentation
• If standing, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart,
one foot slightly in front of the other. This will help
your balance and discourage a nervous rocking.
• If your legs are trembling, lean onto the lectern or
move around a bit.
• Make eye contact. This might sound hard, but it will
make you feel less isolated.
• Focus on the friendly faces in the audience and think
of how well you’re doing.
• Keep breathing deeply! Don’t be afraid to pause and
collect your thoughts.
 Conclusion
• All of these tips will not work for everyone.
• The single most important thing you can do to
eliminate stage fright is to be entirely prepared for
the presentation, so practicing is a must.
• People react to potentially stressful situations in
different ways, so experiment with some of these
strategies to see what works best to reduce your
own public speaking anxieties.
Thank You