Public speaking fear disappears with practice

Practice makes perfect, or so the saying goes. But often public speakers do not practice enough and this is why they are frightened of speaking in public. One of the key ways to boost your confidence is to practice. But how much practice is enough? And can you do too much practice? These are questions which people often ask.

Suffice it to say you cannot over practice. Polished public speakers are those who have done loads of practice sessions. It's rather like actors - they rehearse for weeks just to get one scene right. To the audience it appears natural, but to the actor it is a repetitive action that comes automatically to them. And that's precisely what you need to boost your confidence as a public speaker; you need it to come naturally to you and lots of practice is essential in that.

But how much practice should you do? You keep practising until the speech you are going to make comes so naturally to you that you do not even have to think about your performance. If you find that you are having to try to remember things, that the words do not come out the same each time, then you have not done enough practice to help remove your fear of public speaking.

Labels: confidence