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“There are two types of speakers in the world;
the nervous and the liars”
- Mark Twain -
The
fear of presenting can feel irrational and we can all struggle to comprehend
why we should feel so apprehensive. After all, what’s the worst that could
happen?
I
often find people are reassured when they realise there is a physiological
reason behind this state and furthermore if you learn to control these
feelings, they can be used to produce a presentation which is enthusiastic,
passionate and engaging. Here are some facts about the fear of presenting that
help you understand and fight these concerns.
Fear
and nerves
The
main concern that people have when presenting is their nerves. In my experience
this can range from slight apprehension to full blown paralysis.
The
good news is that you are not alone. Speech anxiety or glossy phobia is
believed to affect up to 75% of the population.
As
Jerry Seinfeld so eloquently puts it, “According to most studies, people’s
number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two.
Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a
funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy!”
So,
where does this fear come from?
I
often ask students and delegates to complete this phrase “The human brain
starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you ………... ”
Without fail they write “die!”. The actual phrase is “The human brain
starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to
speak in public.” – George Jessel. Whilst this always raises a laugh and a
knowing nod of the head, by understanding the science behind it we can control
it rather than the other way around.
