How to overcome public speaking fear is a common riddle among public speaking enthusiasts. Self confidence and self esteem both must come hand in hand, but having both requires awareness with your own limitations and capabilities, it is purely essential.

Gloss phobia, it is the fear of speaking in public. Characterized with having symptoms like avoiding public events or groups that may involve speaking in front of them (which is inevitable), anxiety over speaking in front of a crowd, nausea and a feeling of panic. If you have these symptoms and you think that this fear is irrational, then you can overcome it. It can be a tough job but it is something that’s worth it.

Public speaking has been around ever since man learned to talk. It can be very influential to people during election campaigns, war times, press conferences and the like, but not only famous people can do it, so can you.

Here are 10 tips on how to overcome public speaking fear.

Why wait?

If you are about to deliver a speech in front of a crowd or on an event, then stop stalling and just do it. Creating excuses to stall time gives opportunity for anxiety and panic to slip into your mind, thinking:”What if I fail?” But what if you won’t? There are always two end path where the speech would go, down the drain or with flying colors and I think you would know which way to go by thinking fast and focusing just on your speech not on what the outcome will be. One of the secrets on how to overcome public speaking fear is getting it over immediately.

Don’t underestimate yourself

You are what you think you are. Some people say that they are not good speakers but when asked how many speeches have you delivered they say: “none”. You will not know how to overcome public speaking fear if you have not faced it. How do you know that you are not a god speaker if you have not tried to deliver a speech? So if you are tasked to speak publicly, delete this preconceived thought from your mind and think positively.

Practice makes perfect

This is true, especially when you are about to deliver your speech. 15-30 minutes of practice before delivering your speech should do the trick. Although some people have natural talent, it would not be possible without preparation, practice and experience. Public speaking is mostly skill and honing this skill is what makes a good public speaker. But do not over practice; it will give way for anxiety, especially for first time speakers, to sink in. Remember: Anything that’s too much is bad for you. Even practice!

Know who you are talking to

Speaking in front of your friends is an easy task but the people you are talking to in front of an audience are total strangers. Try to mingle with your audience minutes before your speech, this makes you connect with your audience even more and this also gives you an idea on how you deliver it. Connecting to your audience is everything, it is the reason why you are up the stage, trying to communicate your intentions, or the intentions of the group that you are representing.

You are not alone

You will find that there are in fact many people dying to overcome fear of public speaking. Try to meet up and communicate with people that are having the same problems as you are. This can make you feel comfortable and confident that you can get rid of this anxiety since you are not alone in this battle. Plus, there are also people that are experts when it comes to public speaking and they can give you tips on how to improve on your skill.

Take criticism as a stepping stone and not a reason to quit

One of the major steps in how to overcome public speaking fear is by learning how to deal with criticism. It is a part of life; you will just have to deal with them. You will find that the better you are at public speeches the more criticisms and evaluations you earn. So all you have to do is to take them positively and move on with your life. Take them as an opportunity to grow and learn to gain experience. Times when these criticisms sink in, all you have to do is to try and do what you did not do on your next speech and move on.

Take time to learn

Some people learn faster than other people and this is fact. Take your time to enjoy what you have and improve on it. Do not compare yourself to others as you cannot expect to master public speaking techniques within a matter of days. One of the keys on how to overcome public speaking fear is to learn the art by heart. So enjoy the process – it is proven to be the best way to learn!

No one is perfect

First time speakers can have this perfectionist side of them. Just try to be who you are and be sincere in your speeches. It might seem vague for you but the audience can actually see and sense that you are passionate on how you deliver your speeches upstage.

Remember that overdoing a speech can have adverse effects on your presentation. This theory applies to practically everything in life too.

Don’t let your failures get you

Dwelling on past failures is perhaps one of the key factors that kill the dreams of many public speakers. People fail, that is true but it can be a great opportunity to bounce back and learn from your mistakes. Failing is not a reason to quit; it is a reason to move on and to improve.

You cannot undo what wrongs you did in the past but you definitely can make a change in what you do in future.

Celebrate to success

Every once in a while, celebrate for delivering a good speech. Reward yourself with spoils like eating out or not doing anything for a whole day or whatever that works for you. The trick is to boost your self-confidence and the next presentation will definitely be a better one.

At the end of the day, try not to be too serious on the craft and enjoy as you learn to realize how to overcome public speaking fear is really a piece of cake.