The number 1 phobia in America is the fear of public speaking (#6 = fear of dying)
Stage Fright
The fear of having your performance evaluated negatively. Stage fright can affect people in many ways including shaking hands, trembling voice, or freezing up.
The Cause
Everyone likes to look good in front of an audience. If you think they will evaluate you negatively, you will become anxious and experience tension and fear. It will be even worse if the consequences of that negative evaluation are serious.
Common Occurrences for Stage fright
1) Job interviews
2) Asking someone for a date
3) Performing sports in front of spectators
4) Making an important business phone call
5) Asking the boss for a raise
Key Parts of Stage Fright
A key part of stage fright is situational. There are many myths concerning the conditions under which stage fright will occur. One of the most common is that it will occur before a large audience, and the larger the audience, the greater the anxiety. Like many myths, this one is often untrue. A large audience makes some people feel energized and try harder, while it might make others feel more tense. It depends on the situation. Here are just a few situational factors that determine the level of stage fright that can influence your performance; who is in the audience, or how skilled or knowledgeable your audience is. The amount of the stage fright a person experiences in any situation is controlled by two factors:
1) Importance of the consequences of the performance:
The more important you think the consequences of a performance are the more stage fright you may experience. For example, if your job depended on your presentation's success, you might experience much more stage fright.
2) Prediction of a successful performance:
The more you predict failure and doom, the more stage fright you will experience!
GREAT WAYS TO OVERCOMING STAGE FRIGHT
1) LEARN TO RELAX
The day before a presentation get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and practice the three "R's" = Rest, Relaxation, Recreation.
Then just before your presentation find a quiet environment free from distractions or interruptions. By relaxing your mind and body, you can distract yourself from fear-provoking thoughts. Find a comfortable chair or lie down. Close your eyes and visualize yourself relaxing. Listen and concentrate on your breathing and slow it down. You will be so busy concentrating on relaxing and breathing that you cannot think about your problems.
2) REALITY TESTING
In using reality testing to combat stage fright, the main idea is to avoid evaluating your performance negatively and continually act as though you are not afraid. Understand that you are your own worst critic. Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety when speaking in front of a group of people. This is perfectly normal. The best way to deal with this anxiety is to first acknowledge this fear is perfectly normal and you are not alone. Assume the role of a scientist and look at the facts themselves. Here are some sample self statements based on the situation; "I know more than the audience," "I've done this before," "These people want me to succeed," "I like myself whether I do well or poorly," or, "If all else fails, I'm still alive."
Repeat to yourself a positive word or phrase. This can be anything that will distract you from having fear-provoking thoughts. While you are focusing your attention on this word or phrase, you cannot be having thoughts such as, "What if the audience doesn't like me?" Realize people want you to succeed, be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They want you to succeed, not fail!
3) PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE - Then REHEARSE
To reduce your fear, you need to make sure you properly and thoroughly prepare yourself before you speak. Proper preparation and rehearsal can help you reduce your stage fright. Remember, "He who fails to prepare is preparing for failure" so prepare! Nothing will relax you more than to know you are properly prepared.
Know your material! If you are not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech or presentation and revise it until you can present it with ease. Practice everything that you will say and do in your delivery. This rehearsal calls for you to even flip pages on your flip chart, use your sound equipment, and practice handling your props. Repetition is the mother of retention. By practicing in front of a mirror or videotaping yourself will immediately improve your delivery and help reduce your nervousness. Much of stage fright comes from worrying if you will make a mistake. But by knowing your material and practicing, you will do fine.
4) KNOW THE AUDIENCE
If possible, meet and greet some of the audience members as they arrive and chat with them. It is much easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.
5) KNOW THE VENUE
Visit the venue or room that you will be presenting in and become familiar with it. Take time to walk around the room where the audience will be seated including the speaking area. Walk from where you will be seated to the stage. Stand confidently at the lectern. Speak into the microphone. Visualize yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful. Familiarity breeds confidence!
6) NECESSARY FRIEND
Don't apologize for feeling nervous. Most of the time your nervousness does not show at all. If you don't say anything about it, nobody will notice. However some stage freight is necessary. The same nervous energy that causes stage fright can be an asset to you. It keeps you "up" and makes you look enthusiastic. You can turn that nervousness into positive energy, harness it, and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm!
Mark Twain said it best when he said, "There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars." Being confident means believing in yourself. Do not try to be perfect. Just be natural. Do not be over confident or the extreme of being arrogant or conceited will show.
When a person becomes afflicted with stage fright, his mouth becomes dry. The action of licking the lips automatically causes the glands to the mouth to function. When the mouth is moist again, the stage fright will disappear in almost every instance.
7) GAIN EXPERIENCE
Experience builds confidence which is the key to effective speaking. Most beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease after each speech they give. You can gain valuable speaking experience by taking a class on public speaking or by joining Toastmasters. Learn by doing!
|
