How to Increase Your Self-confidence at Public Speaking?

Somehow, when we were young, we thought everything was possible for us. We could easily say "I want to be an astronaut" and truly believe so! No matter what happened, we could speak (and also laugh, cry and shout) in front of a lot of people, without even noticing it!

Somehow, as we grew older, our self confidence became nimbler and weaker, product of social conditioning, and now we sweat and tremble when we're asked to address a few words!

Quite a job they have been doing with our minds, huh?

Nowadays, if we want to feel more comfortable while speaking in public, no matter what scenario we are into, we have to increase our self confidence and start really enjoying the little time we have on stage! When you get to feel more grounded, you will have a wonderful time while having others to have a great time as well!

Here are 3 simple steps you can take right now to increase your self confidence .

Step 1: First of all, we have to be very conscious about the way others see us. This is achieved by practicing in front of a mirror. This is really important, because a mirror will neither lie nor conceive. We can get a brutally honest friend to do this job as well, but a mirror will do. Once we are in front of the mirror, we should practice our speech (or at least saying a few words, if you haven't got your speech figured out!). Try doing faces, laughing, crying, shouting, standing up and sitting down, walking , etc. If you do this whenever you have to speak in public, you will get a good idea about how you are seen by others! As simple as it sounds, practicing in front of a mirror is a vital step if you want to increase your self-confidence.

Step 2: Prepare yourself! If you have practiced in front of the mirror, you have been preparing the image you will project at stage. Now it’s time to prepare the subject. Whether you have to give a short on-the-go speech, or talk in a 50 minutes academic lecture, preparation is central. Internet makes this step easier, because you can search the web about virtually anything you need to know. Do your homework: Investigate about the place, the people, the news where this subject is mentioned, the history of the subject and how it applies to our lives today. Use your imagination ! Anything you may find out about that thing you need to talk about will help you assembling your speech and answering questions if needed.

Step 3: Now that you know how you look and what you are going to say, it’s time to put together your speech in the best way possible. This is achieved by following the next scheme: At the beginning of the speech, try to think as a journalist. Make a brief introduction of the subject while mentioning the two or three most relevant points you will talk about. As long as the speech develops, you will deepen into these few topics. Stick to them! You don’t want to bore your audience to the death while trying to say everything there is to know about the subject! Just stick to the central points. If writing your speech down makes you feel more comfortable, do it. But once you did it, throw it away! Don’t try to memorize your speech; don’t try to say it to the letter, as this will make you feel more rigid and unsecure, and if you forget a single word, you will be in a lot of trouble! Is better to come up with a few keynotes and leave some space to improvise.

Following these simple steps, you will feel more prepared and grounded, whatever your scenario is.

Remember: The main secret is to relax and have fun! If you have fun, you will let go, and everyone will notice it, following your relaxation as well! The more fun you have, the better your speech will be!

Good luck!

Hernan