Fear Of Public Speaking And How To Overcome It

The fear of speaking to groups, or social phobia, is a very common one, as shown by fear of public speaking statistics. Sometimes, just the mere thought of public speaking is enough to get most people’s hearts racing. It’s comforting to know that you’re not alone, and that most people in the audience are just relieved that it’s you and not them up there!There are many reasons why most of us have a phobia or fear of public speaking. The actual fear can be broken down into individual elements, which makes it much less intimidating. Once I discovered exactly why I had such an intense fear, it was relatively easy to learn how to overcome the fear of public speaking.

Ironically, the best way to lessen the anxiety is to confront it, feel uncomfortable, make a few mistakes, and then get up there and do it all over again. I found a supportive environment in which to do that, namely the public speaking organization called Toastmasters. I also went along to business networking events to promote my business, which involved speaking in public about my services.

Gradually the fear dissipated, and in overcoming the fear of public speaking, I discovered how much my self-confidence had improved in leaps and bounds, in all areas of my life. I felt that I could tackle just about anything.

I also realized how much the fear of public speaking or rather the avoidance of anything to do with it had cost me in terms of opportunities to develop myself further in my career and other areas.

So don’t let your public speaking fear hold you back. I’d definitely say that the feeling I get when I’ve faced the discomfort is worth all the sweaty palms and racing heartbeats in the world! I actually do enjoy it now when I’m up there.

And that is an achievement in itself.