Can Public Speaking Really Be Effortless?

Speaking
Written By Liam Sandford

Stress is a natural response to presenting, especially if you do not speak in public regularly or have found it overwhelming in the past. But the act of speaking does not need to be difficult.

It is easy to overegg public speaking in your mind. There is so much to think about, and the fact you don’t do it every day means you feel rusty, even if you have delivered great presentations in the past.

But how do we go from finding public speaking stressful to making it effortless?

There are four pieces of the puzzle:

Effortless Public Speaking Puzzle

Image from Liam’s book Effortless Public Speaking

Calming your mind: A common problem most speakers face is having a racing mind. The list of things to think about is endless. How you manage everything going on will determine whether your speaking performance is effortless or not. A calm mind when speaking means being able to focus on just two things:

  • What you are saying

  • Your connection with the audience.

If you can do this, and slow down your delivery you might just be able to make speaking effortless.

Removing pressure: If you can practice in social settings with a structured conversation, nobody else knows you are practicing your public speaking skills. This means there is no failure, there is no feedback and there is nothing that can go wrong. You are simply building successful reps and laying the foundations you need to become a good public speaker. Practicing with the pressure removed makes it easier to transition to public speaking in front of large crowds.

Good preparation: There is no ‘one size fits all’ for public speaking preparation. You have to do what works for you. Craft a routine that means when you come to speak in public it is like going out for coffee with your friends. It sounds obvious, but steer into what gives you energy and stay away from what drains your battery. Most people just fit into systems other people have set up, but everyone is different so your preparation should be individual to you.

Be yourself: There is nothing more effortless than being yourself. In fact, you are your superpower — nobody else can do that better than you! Bring your personality into your presentation. Share stories and your process. Have conversations with the audience, just like you would at dinner.

In its most basic form public speaking is just a conversation. If you can bring these four elements together and just have conversations with your audience, public speaking can be effortless.

Actionable takeaway’s

  • Build a daily speaking habit by structuring just one conversation you have every day — it can literally take just 30 seconds.

  • Prepare for public speaking in the best way for you — if you don’t prioritize your time and energy, someone else will.

  • Focus on just two things when speaking in public: what you are saying, and your connection with the audience.

More from me

Liam Sandford
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