What are the best practices for dealing with stage fright at speaking events?

I think my initial anxiety about presenting to a large audience was rooted in some fear regarding how I would be perceived. Would my words influence the audience? Would there be a perception of both logic and emotion? Would I connect? With these things in mind, it became useful for me to prepare by engaging with a reasonable sample of actual or potential audience members ahead of time - understanding how to present my message- internalizing my points and focusing on how to best those points, choosing my words and gestures with my audience in mind.

Do you ever feel like a deer caught in headlights when speaking to an audience? It's a fear as old as time. Here's the truth: - You're not alone - You can overcome it Here are five tips to help you thrive in front of a crowd: 1) Practice. A lot. 2) Focus on your breathing. Deep breaths = calm. 3) Make solid eye contact with your audience. 4) Use visual aids to help guide you. 5) Reframe your nerves as energy and excitement. Remember: The audience wants you to succeed. They want you to engage them and leave them with something valuable. Don't let your nerves hold you back from giving your best performance. Take the stage and own it!

Before you come on the stage to deliver the speech, understand that your audience is just like you. They too have fears, and insecurities and are imperfect just as you are. You should be glad you are taking the initiative to challenge your fears and inspire others through your example. Fear of judgment is inevitable, but that's what makes progress. You'll never know unless you try. Speaking from my experience, I always take the initiative to talk about the topics I am aware of, whenever asked to deliver the speech. Take it as an opportunity to challenge yourself and get better at it.

When you are in fear your body is expressing stress response - the heart beat faster, the blood pressure rises, the digestion and immune system shut off. It is so important to acknowledge how you feel and not ignore it or try to push through it. 4 Count Breathing is a quick way to get out of Fight or Flight and back to Rest, Digest, and Heal. Inhale through the nose for 4 counts ("one thousand one" etc) then hold the breath in for 4 counts, then exhale through the nose for 4 counts, and hold the breath out for 4 counts. Twice around is enough to reset the nervous system and gives your mind something to do in present time. The fear comes from remembering something negative from the past or worrying about something in the future.

I have given more than 1000 professional keynotes, not counting the many, many hours of academic teaching I've done over the last 25+ years. I still get stage fright. I will always get stage fright. That's OK, stage fright is your friend. If you stop having it, you've gotten blasé and a little dead inside. That little tingle you get is what gets you to the place where you can do your best speaking – I use the fear as energy and go into a far more energetic space I do into when I e.g. lecture for students. Don't fret about stage fright, it's normal, it's helpful, it's your friend. Worry more about losing it, because that might mean that you're no longer caring enough!

In my experience, I have found that practicing is the key! Find out what works best for you--a written speech, a memorized one, or note cards. Then make a video of yourself and watch it to see how you do. Try out your speech in front of friends/family. Once you find your best method, practice, practice, practice!

One key thing to do is to know your space. Understanding key landmarks and how the stage/platform is laid out allows you to know where to stand during certain points in the speech but also allows you to cultivate a zone of comfortability. Even being able to walk around the stage beforehand can be significant to improving comfortability. This will also help you get used to the view from the stage.

I have found that practicing - OUTLOUD is the very best method to move a written speech from information to communication! Some things look great on paper but lose impact when verbalized. Practice in front of a mirror or on Zoom. Make sure you practice the full speech rather than just starting or only key points to ensure transitions between points and/or concepts is smooth. If the subject is going to be controversial or new for your audience, make sure to be prepared for interruptions!

If you're the kind of speaker who needs preparation, by all means prepare. But don't think it is "defense". It's not. In the end, when you're up there, there's only you and the audience, and no matter how much you've chatted to your mirror or a camera, that won't matter. There is nothing like the live thing, and don't think preparation will be enough. Sure, a bit of thinking beforehand can help you with your scenes and your bits, but in the end you have to take the stage, deal with the audience, go big live. Preparation can make you stilted and scared, so don't overdo it.

Preparation is how you get the content into you and stuck. Everything will change once your on stage but in the heat of the moment, you don't rise to the occasion you fall to your highest level of preparation. Those who practice beat those who have natural talent but don't practice almost every time.

There's a ton of things you can do. A bit of yoga, deep breathing, masturbation (don't laugh, I know pros who literally do this), or a shot or two of hard liquor. Whatever works for you. That said, don't let anyone tell you there's one thing you have to do. Some people benefit from a bit of breathing exercises, some don't. Some speak better with a drink in them, some don't. Only you can find out what works for you, so try everything (yes, that too), and figure it out.

Breathing is just another form of meditation. If you are thoroughly prepared, the fear will dissipate as you begin your presentation and an organic connection will evolve quickly. Lack of preparation is the formula for failure. Absolute preparation erodes fear.

In addition to calming your nerves, deep breathing exercises can also help improve your focus and concentration. When you're anxious, your breath becomes shallow, which restricts oxygen flow to the brain. Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, help regulate your nervous system and slow your heart rate. This can significantly improve your clarity of thought and allow you to deliver your message more effectively.

Before you go up, breathe easy and visualize everyone clapping at the end and step up to the podium! Before you speak - exhale - release all of the pressure from your chest.

Before going up, exhale completely and fill your lungs fully then exhale again. Concentrate on what you want THEM to feel and then "live" that feeling while you are speaking!

To effectively connect with your audience as a public speaker who is dealing with stage fright, you may need to avoid making eye contact when you initiate your speech, just so that you are able to gain some level of control. After a few moments, you may then try to make eye contact with specific individuals who seem to be giving positive feedback. Instead of trying to engage with everyone at once, focus on one person for a few moments before moving on to someone else. This helps create a sense of connection and lets you gauge how the audience is reacting. As you rotate your focus at regular intervals, you'll engage different parts of the audience and foster a more inclusive and interactive experience.

I still get tons of anxiety before speaking and breathing exercises or visualization don't help me. What does help me is the first laugh of the audience or nodding or hearing lots of conversation during a discussion time. Keep good stories in your arsenal. If something moves you than write it down or commit it to memory. If it makes you laugh, take note. Good stories are a great way to connect with people and once you have that down your nerves will ease up.

Being anything less than extraordinarily prepared is the sure formula for failure. Some use a humorous ice-breaker to display your humanity. If standing, maintain an erect posture and relaxed hand gestures. Survey the room to establish eye contact. You want every attendee to feel you are speaking to them. If appropriate, pause and take a temperature check of your audience. This is a practiced skill. If you are new to the game try and assemble a group of your peers for a test run. Over time, this becomes an innate skill.

The most important thing for any speaker is authenticity. As long as you're real on stage, as long as you do you, the audience will excuse a number of things. I've had to stop mid-speech, state that I've lost my train of thought, asked to take a moment, and the audience was happy to let me do this, as taking that moment enabled me to get back to my best self. It's OK to be scared on stage, because you can always ask the audience for help to get over it. I have seen speakers say "I'm freaking out, so excuse me if I'm sounding a little frazzled. Don't ask me anything difficult yet!" and have the audience love them for it!

Public speaking it like being a musician - most people listen in awe because they can't / didn't know/ or are curious. Most mistakes are overlooked or missed all together by the audience. just enjoy it

Every time I get done speaking I get bombarded by my brain telling me all of the things I should have done better or could have don differently. It used to crush me. Now I embrace it as potential ways to improve but ask my audience for feedback that helps me understand where I succeeded and fell short. You are your own worst critic so don't let your inner critic have the last word. Are the people who hired you happy? Good! Are there places to improve, sure. Perfection is not your friend.

If you're scared, wait. You do not have to push forward in fear because you might cause more damage if you do. If you experience stage fright, it's perfectly okay to honor your feelings and to wait, pause, or delay your speech while you get yourself together. Also, consider co-presenting with a supportive and experienced speaker. Or, start with familiar audiences or small crowds and work your way up.

One thing I found helpful it is not fear. I just was nervous and excited. As things get closer my excitement or over thinking has made me feel in fear. It is normal to get nervous but it is not normal to create fear within your mindset. Fear brings on doubt and you already have what they are looking for. Breathe and speak with clarity and love and understanding of what your audience is in need of.

Just be... People are people. Just speak like you are speaking to your friend. It's easier to detach from "the stage" when you genuinely connect this way.

1. Power Pose Practice: Before your speech, spend a few minutes in a power pose (like Wonder Woman or Superman). This can boost your confidence levels by altering your brain chemistry to feel more powerful and less stressed. 2. Storytelling Instead of Memorizing: Rather than memorizing your speech word for word, structure it as a series of stories or key points. This approach can make your delivery more natural and less nerve-wracking, as it feels more like a conversation. 3. Speak to One Person at a Time: Imagine you’re speaking to just one person in the audience. Shift your gaze to different audience members, but always focus on connecting with one person at a time. This can make the crowd feel less intimidating.

You’re not there to impress. You’re there to be helpful. Many of my clients find that a liberating thought. It lifts a huge amount of pressure from their shoulders if they can just show up to share, e.g. their insights. It’s called “giving a speech” for a reason.