12 Reasons People are Afraid of Public Speaking
This weekend I’m conducting two half-day public speaking seminars. We have several people who have registered, but we are nowhere near being sold out and never had I had a waiting list for this particular training. Why? Because public speaking is one of people’s greatest fears. Here are twelve reasons why I believe this might be the case.
1) Inexperienced. I would venture to say that most people who say their greatest fear is public speaking haven’t actually ever done it. You will never overcome a fear if you don’t ever give it a try.
2) Don’t want people looking at them. For many, I think it’s probably less about the words that are coming out of their mouth and more about all the eyes that will be focused on them. Just keep in mind that if the audience has their eyes focused on you, it’s more likely that they’re actually listening. Trust me. It beats the alternative of seeing a room full of people sleeping!
3) Self-narrative. If you continue to tell yourself you can’t speak in public, eventually you’re going to believe yourself. If you change your private speaking, your public speaking will have a better chance at success.
4) Self-Comparison. Some people are afraid to speak in public because they compare themself to other people they’ve heard speak and they don’t see themselves being able to do what they do. Well, I have great news for you. You don’t have to do what you see someone else do. Give yourself permission to be uniquely you.
5) Afraid of Forgetting. What if I get up there and forget what I’m supposed to say? Well, that’s what your notes are for! With one quick glance, you can be right back on track. Even the greatest speakers out there may at times need to jog their memory of that they wanted to say next.
6) Inferiority. The thought of speaking to someone who may know a little more than you do is very intimidating for some people. Just know there will always be someone who knows more than you but not everyone is called to deliver the message you have to give.
7) Imperfection. What if I mess up? What if I stutter? What if I mispronounce something? The idea of being imperfect and on display for all to see is unimaginable for some. But guess what… No one wants to hear a robot speak. It’s your imperfections that make you human and more relatable to your audience.
8) Performance anxiety. Some people get so worked up about the idea of speaking in public that they aren’t able to perform at all. Take a few deep breaths. Focus on how what you share will benefit those who are listening and go ahead and do it afraid.
9) Won’t make sense. What if nothing I say makes any sense? What if no one understands what I’m trying to say? If this is really your concern, practice delivering the content to friends and family and ask for their feedback. If they get it, then chances are those in the audience will too.
10) Afraid of being judged. I believe there are plenty of people who wouldn’t mind the actual act of speaking in front of a group of people but they are consumed by what other people might think of them. There is only one judgment we should be concerned about and no one in the audience you’ll be speaking to has the authority to render the final verdict.
11) What if I don’t know the answers to their questions? Some people are so afraid of being wrong or not knowing, that they choose to not speak at all. We will never have all the answers. Why would you choose to withhold what you do know out of concern about what you don’t know? Somebody needs to hear what you have to say. Share it freely.
12) Isn’t everybody? Finally, I believe some people have just adopted the mindset of being afraid of speaking in public because they’ve heard so many other people say they’re afraid of speaking in public. And if everyone else is afraid, shouldn’t I be also? Never allow someone else’s fear to set limits on your life. Go for it! Just because they won’t, doesn’t mean you can’t.
Different people fear speaking in public for very different reasons. I believe many have these fears simply because they’ve never been taught how to effectively present in front of a group of people. Whether you need to present to three of your peers at work or three thousand people at a conference, public speaking is a skill that can be learned and developed. While some people may never get to the place where they absolutely love doing it, you can still overcome the fear enough to do it effectively when you need to. No matter what profession you’re in, honing this skill is one of the simplest ways to opening the door of greater opportunities to you.
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