Dear :

From time to time, I send updates about trends in media, technology, and culture — with a focus on the unusual, the newsworthy, and the practical.

Today I offer remedies for stage fright, an all-too-common concern.

The Bite of Stage Fright

The human brain is a wonderful thing. It operates from the moment you’re born ... until you get up to make a speech.  

Nearly everyone experiences stage fright, including stars like Adele, Rihanna, and Andrea Bocelli. 

For many people, the fear of giving a speech exceeds the fear of death. Jerry Seinfeld says that the person delivering a eulogy probably envies the man in the coffin.

Bear in mind that what you're feeling is not so much terror about the performance itself, but the desire to get it over with quickly so you can relax afterwards.

Nixing Negative Thoughts

We all have indelible memories about embarrassing experiences that we fear might reoccur, like the time you stumbled in a poetry reading in sixth grade.

Here are two ways to beat back those obsessions: 

Strategy 1: Repress your inner critic, the little voice that makes you doubt yourself. Imagine that you’re turning off the volume.

Strategy 2: (This is my approach). Allow the negative thoughts to percolate briefly, then imagine they are disappearing through the top of your head.

Fear is Good

Learn to channel nervous energy. Take those butterflies in your stomach and force them into formation.

Embrace the anxiety and direct it towards performance energy. Studies show that telling yourself you’re excited, instead of trying to calm down, will lower anxiety and improve performance.

Just before you start, think of a situation when you triumphed. Or call to mind a relaxing vacation.

Stage Fright is Invisible

Really. The audience cannot read your mind. No one can hear your heart pounding or see that your hands are shaking.

Bear in mind that the audience wants you to triumph, not fizzle.

Remind yourself that you have expertise, which is why you were invited to speak in the first place.

Preparation is the Best Antidote

The more you rehearse, the less frightened you’ll be. But don’t memorize your presentation. If you forget the “script” midway through, you’ll be in a world of pain. Just jot down a few bullet points instead. If need be, refer to them.

The more comfortable you are with the subject matter, the more confident you will feel. If you prepare, you can say the first thing that comes to mind and it will be a thoughtful comment. 

If possible, visit the site of your presentation ahead of time. Walk the stage and figure out where you want to stand. Make the space your own.

If you fumble, just move on. Even the most fluid performers will jam. Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma once said that he relaxes on stage after he makes his first mistake.

Please contact me if you need help overcoming stage fright, tailoring presentations, developing messages, or preparing for media interviews. 

I wish everyone a happy fall.

Warm regards,

Greg

Greg Stone, President                                                                                           Stone Communications, www.gregstone.com                                                                                              

Author of mystery novels Deadline on Arrival
and Dangerous Inspiration,
and three business books:
Branding with Powerful Stories:
The Villains, Victims, and Heroes Model,
Artful Business: 50 Lessons 
From Creative Geniuses, 
and Defining Hybrid Heroes:
The Leadership Spectrum from Scoundrel to Saint (co-author)

LInkedIn: stonegreg 

Instagram: @gregstoneauthor       

617-489-5400