How I Learned to Love Public Speaking
When I first started in tech, I was so scared of public speaking that the mere thought of it made me break out into a cold sweat. Every time I had to do a presentation, my palms would get sweaty and my heart would start racing. It was like my body knew something that my brain didn’t—that I was about to step onto a stage and make a fool of myself. But then something happened. After years of practice, I eventually learned how to not only tolerate public speaking, but actually enjoy it. Here’s what worked for me.
Find Your Voice
The first step in learning to love public speaking is finding your own unique voice and style. This doesn’t mean you have to be some kind of wacky comedian or outrageous performer—it just means you need to find your own strengths as a speaker and use those strengths to create an engaging presentation. If you can find something that makes your presentations stand out from the rest, it will be much easier for you (and your audience) to stay interested in what you have to say.
Practice Makes Perfect
I know this one sounds obvious, but practice really does make perfect when it comes to public speaking (or anything else, for that matter). Before every presentation I give now, I take time out of my day for a few days before the event date just to practice the material over and over again until it feels like second nature. The more familiar you are with your material before stepping onto the stage, the less likely you are to make mistakes or stumble over your words during your presentation. Plus, if there’s any unexpected downtime during your talk (which happens sometimes!), you won’t feel lost or awkward trying to fill up space with random stories or jokes.
Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
When it comes down to it, fear is just another form of comfort—we fear new things because they take us out of our comfort zone and force us into unfamiliar territory. So if you want to learn how to love public speaking (or anything else), don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone every once in awhile! Try doing something different with each presentation—maybe try telling stories instead of reading off bullet points or give slideshows instead of PowerPoint presentations —and see how far out of your comfort zone you can go without feeling overwhelmed or anxious. You might surprise yourself!
Public speaking doesn't have to be scary—it can actually be fun if you approach it with an open mind and willingness to learn! By finding your own unique voice as a speaker and practicing until the material feels like second nature, stepping outside of your comfort zone every once in awhile, and focusing on delivering quality content rather than worrying about making mistakes, anyone can learn how transform their fear into enjoyment when it comes time for their next big presentation!