Public Speaking anxiety can turn to fear

Being anxious before a speech or presentation is not unusual. Indeed it is normal for many people. Anyone who is not a little anxious before speaking probably is not thinking hard enough about the likely impact of their talk. People who want to make an impact have a degree of anxiety because they want to be sure that their speech will work.

The anxiety may be caused by a fear that the speech might not work properly. Or it can be due to an expectation of failure. However, a common cause of anxiety is a 'high' of happiness and excitement. So, even confident, excited presenters will have some degree of anxiety.

If you are not anxious before a presentation or a speech you clearly have no expectation of failure, but neither are you excited by your talk. In other words your audience will perceive you as just as bored as you feel. Anxiety is good for you and your audience. However, too much anxiety can inhibit your performance. This is when anxiety turns to stress or worse, panic. To avoid excess anxiety the best remedy is careful planning and preparation as well as plenty of practice.

Labels: fear