How to calm your mind for public speaking

Speaking
Written By Liam Sandford

“Will the tech work?”, “Can the audience hear me?”, “How do I build connection?”, “Is there parking at the venue?”, “What if I mess up?”, “I don’t know anything about this”, “What if I am asked a question I don’t know?”

There is so much to think about when you are delivering a presentation and calming your mind is not easy. In fact, you probably have several things racing through your mind both before and during your presentation. So how do you deal with that?

It is not just about the speaking, but also logistical things that somehow create more anxiety about public speaking. Consider this: are you thinking more about what you have to say, or whether there will be somewhere to get lunch? Often it is the non-speaking elements that create noise in your mind a derail your focus.

The thought of public speaking is worse than actually doing the speaking. Luckily there are ways you can calm your mind to deliver effectively every time.

Sort logistics before

Logistics are a distraction from actually speaking — how you are going to get there, how big the venue is, how many are in the audience, the tech set up. The great thing about these pieces are that you can get answers to most logistical questions ahead of time. This changes the unknown into knowns that you then don’t have to worry about.

Usually there will be an event or a meeting organizer that can tell you everything you need to know about the room, and maybe even the audience if you are presenting at work. Ask the questions to reduce the load of racing thoughts in your mind.

Dealing with your worst case scenario

A common trail of thought is thinking about what could go wrong. “What if I fall over or the audience laugh at me?” There are mechanisms you can put in place to deal with this — the chances are that your worst case scenarios are highly unlikely.

Write down your 5 worst fears from public speaking, and ask:

  • What is the worst possible outcome of these fears?

  • How likely is it that your fear becomes the reality?

  • Is the outcome really that bad?

  • What is the upside if it goes well?

When you see your fears in front of you it is easier to gain control of them. You might realize that they are extremely unlikely or that the outcome is not actually that bad. Either way you can put steps in place to mitigate the risk of your worst case scenario becoming true, and free your brain capacity to focus on what you need to say.

5 minutes before

The most important part of calming your mind is what you do in the 5 minutes before you are due to speak. Sometimes you have more control over this than others, especially if you are halfway down an agenda.

Three important questions?

  • What gives you energy?

  • What drains your battery?

  • How do you relax?

Shape everything around these preferences in the final 5 minutes. If you gain your energy from people (extroverts) spend that 5 minutes with others. If you gain your energy from time on your own (introverts) spend that 5 minutes gathering your thoughts and away from others. It sounds simple but ensuring you are as relaxed as possible before you speak is the final preparation you need to be able to focus.

Some techniques I have used:

  • Power Posing

  • Deep Breathing

  • Meditation

What works for one person will not work for everyone — use trial and error to figure out what works best for you, and make that your routine. The key is that you are not cramming in the final hours leading up to the presentation — this will busy your mind and reduce your focus when speaking.

Actionable takeaways

  • Ask questions ahead of time when it comes to concerns about logistics. Usually there will be someone who will know the answer.

  • Write down your worst case scenarios — use it to gain control of your fears.

  • Through trial and error find out how to prepare in the best way for you and make that your pre-speaking routine.

  • Don’t cram in your preparation — avoid doing any prep on the day of your presentation as this creates more noise in your mind, rather than just focusing on what you need to say, and building connection with the audience.

More from me

Liam Sandford
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