Are You Normal?
Andy O'Sullivan
Public Speaking Confidence Strategist | Transforming Fear into Confidence for Career Success | Proven Strategies to Speak Up, Lead Meetings, & Deliver Presentations | 20+ Years’ Experience Helping 1,000s of Professionals
In years gone by when attending meetings, I would sit wondering why all the other speakers seemed so confident and relaxed, whereas I was always so nervous.
Whenever I used to speak in public or deliver presentations, some of the symptoms that I experienced were: -
Some of the symptoms that I used to experience before delivering a presentation were: -
? Nausea
? Sweating
? Dry mouth
? Sticky palms
? Pounding heart
? Butterflies in the belly
? Twitching leg muscles
Do any of these sound familiar to you?
Over the years, while running my many courses on public speaking, when asking attendees to share some symptoms they experience in the days or hours before speaking in public, these are the same ones that get mentioned every time.
One fascinating revelation always evolves out of this sharing.
Those attending the course start to realise how they are not the only ones to get nervous or experience these symptoms.
We all do!
All the other speakers we have ever seen and thought looked so confident will also have been feeling some level of public speaking anxiety, even if they would not admit to it.
It is not just speakers who experience nervousness and anxiety before delivering a presentation.
Many professional musicians and actors have admitted to experiencing the same anxiety, that they refer to as stage fright.
Sometimes the stage fright becomes so severe, they are physically ill and throw up before their performance.
A few well-known artists who experience this degree of stage fright are Adele, Rhianna and Katy Perry.
We can take a little comfort from the knowledge that if these highly talented and accomplished artists experience anxiety before their performances, we as the occasional presenter, are no different.
We are normal!
About the Author
Andy O'Sullivan is an international bestselling author of 5 books on public speaking, pitching and presenting. Andy is a speaker and educator on the subject of how to survive and thrive in the business world with effective public speaking, pitching and presentation skills.
