Methods & strategies: Getting rid of your fear How I learned to stop worrying and love the stage A lot of people get nervous when they have to speak in front of others. According to a quote falsely attributed to Mark Twain, there “are two types of speakers: those who get nervous and those who are liars.” Steve Rohr and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, authors of Scared Speechless: 9 Ways to Overcome Your Fears and Captivate Your Audience, even claim that “[p]ublic speaking is the #1 fear in America. Death is second. Yes, we’d rather die than give a speech.” However, even if you do see traces of glossophobia – the fear of public speaking – in yourself, there’s no reason to go crazy. There’s hope. You can do this. You can shine in the exam. Here are a few ideas how. ■■ Remember that this isn’t really going to be a public speech. Only a handful of people will be present, and they all want you to succeed. ■■ The more you know about the topics, the easier it will be to talk about them. Plus, the more you apply yourself to your studies, the more interesting they will become. ■■ Practice makes perfect. Do the exercises in this book. If possible, do them with friends! (True friends are the ones who won’t laugh at you for saying, “Instead of playing another drinking game, why don’t we practice for our final exam?”) ■■ Learn some phrases and passages by heart. Once you know them well, using them in your speech or presentation will be easy and effortless, and this will make you feel good and confident. ■■ Don’t forget to breathe and speak slowly. ■■ Try paradoxical interventions (“I’ll try my best to fail!”). For some people, they work extremely well. See, for example, Ryan Howes’s short introduction to paradoxical interventions in Psychology Today (search for it online). ■■ Tell yourself nice, reassuring things over and over again. In her article “20 Affirmations for Public Speaking with Ease”, Kathryn Drury Wagner lists some tried and tested assertions “to make yourself feel more confident and powerful.” Among these are: − − I have so much to say and can’t wait to share it. − − I am courageous on this stage. − − Today, I am fearless. − − I enjoy presenting and sharing my ideas. − − I am more and more comfortable speaking in front of others. − − Today, I expect success. Good luck! How-to [A] 10.8 Video: Encouragement 95 Key aspects Strategies Sample task 10 The world of work Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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