Toastmasters' 5 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

News provided by

May 05, 2021, 08:24 ET

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., May 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Mark Twain once said, "There are two types of speakers: those who get nervous and those who are liars." From Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi to Samuel L. Jackson and Julia Roberts, even world leaders and renowned celebrities have had to overcome their fear of public speaking before achieving success.

Toastmasters’ 5 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

For more than 95 years, Toastmasters International, the world's leading organization devoted to communication and leadership skills development, has offered a casual club setting for people to face their fear and practice speaking in front of a small and supportive audience. Toastmasters offers these tips for overcoming the fear of public speaking:

Find your motivation. Understand why you want to face your fear. According to Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher and writer), "he who has a why to live can bear almost any how." Knowing why you want to face your fear of public speaking can help you tolerate the distress and discomfort along the way. Consider, what could be different in your life if you were a better public speaker?
Understand your fear. Investigate why you fear public speaking. Is there a backstory (e.g., the person with dyslexia who was teased at school when she read out loud)? Sometimes fear comes from deep emotional wounds which public speaking may trigger. Healing from past trauma may lessen some of the fear you experience when speaking in public.
Don't face your fear alone. Fear is a normal emotion and has been evolutionary helpful for survival, but it can feel overwhelming at times. Join a group like Toastmasters so you can face your fear in a non-judgemental and caring environment. With the support of others, your fear will be less overwhelming.
Build your toolbox. Fear has a profound effect on the body and mind. Learn tools to help you cope with the body's fear response. Don't face your fear until you have sufficient tools; otherwise, it can re-traumatize you.
Adopt a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset believe that learning and effective effort, rather than natural talent, are what make great public speakers.

For additional tips on dealing with the fear of public speaking, read Kristen Hamling's "Scared of Public Speaking?" in the Toastmaster magazine. For more support and information on this topic, check out Toastmasters International's webinar: Lose the Fear, Learn the Relevance.

To find a local Toastmasters club where you can develop or improve your presentation skills, visit www.toastmasters.org/Find.

About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 364,000 in more than 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

SOURCE Toastmasters International