Public speaking - a fear greater than death?

I used to be so petrified of public speaking my hands would shake...

I'd break out in a sweat.

My voice would tremble and I'd sound like a shadow of my former self.

My voice was not connected to my diaphragm.

Through nerves & self doubt I would take shallow breaths.

I had no personal power.

My stomach would drop and I would feel physically sick.

This was real fear.

At least in my mind.

Research suggests public speaking is a fear worse than death for many people.

Fast forward to now, and I'm completely at ease, self assured & confident in my own skin.

So how did I overcome it?

By taking charge and grabbing the bull by the horns.

I realised if I took every opportunity to speak publicly it would become less nerve racking.

So I...

* Performed at open mic nights at comedy clubs

* Made it a point to always speak up first during company meetings

* Instead of going to a private room at work to make cold calls or run sales meetings, I'd stand at my desk for everyone to hear

* Took up acting classes

I was building the necessary mental muscle to overcome this irrational fear.

And the strange thing was, as it was on my terms and not externally applied, it empowered me.

I was 'deciding' to do it, not being forced to by an authority figure.

And slowly but surely I became more sure of myself.

- I built the muscle

- I made it feel comfortable

- I developed the habit

- I became more self-assured

Fear of public speaking is a construct of the mind, conditioned through insecurity, feelings of being judged, of looking or sounding stupid, alongside other negative & paranoid thoughts.

It's all in our heads.

We are our own worst enemy.

People really don't care that much - it's the spotlight effect.

So free yourself and see it for what it is.

Our minds playing tricks on us through fear...imagining things that don't actually exist.

All we can ever really control is our mind.

So keep a very close eye on those negative thoughts & beliefs holding you back

Because once you get on top of those, there really is no limit to what you can achieve.