Why do I feel so nervous when I get up to speak?
There are usually two separate things at play when you are feeling nervous.
This answer may surprise you, but most of what you feel as nervousness is probably not nervousness. We just saw Roger Federer win the Men’s Final’s at Wimbledon this year. Federer had been playing well this year and has certainly has had a great career in tennis. He is one of the most accomplished players in the world. On Sunday June ______ he walked out on the court to play in front of a sold out stadium of XXXX thousand. There were X millions watching on TV. This was the tournament that could put him back at the top of his game. His opponent was ______ x years younger than him with a faster serve and a deadly backhand. So you could probably assume that Federer was nervous.
I don’t know Federer so I can’t speak from him but I think if you asked him he would say I AM PHYCHED, I AM PUMPED UP. I AM READY to play this match. I am ready to be successful. Roger Federer knows that he is experiencing a build up of adrenaline. He also know that if he doesn’t feel the blood pumping through his veins, he would not play so well. So when he feels it, he doesn’t say OH MAN, I AM SO NERVOUS. He says I AM READY! He puts all that energy into his game and in fact it is that energy and that mindset that helps him to win.
When you are standing up to speak in front of an audience makes you feel nervous, but maybe it doesn’t. Maybe you are experiencing a build up of adrenaline. Maybe you are just ready to speak! Can you look at it like that? Can you say, my heart is pumping, I am psyched, I am ready to speak? If you can you will put all that energy into giving a great presentation. You will wow your listeners.
Second thing is the fear of being judged. Is Federer feeling that he will be judged? Most likely yes, but most likely he has learned to not concentrate on that. Why? Because it will not do him any good. It will only hurt his game. If he has X million dollars riding on a game, and his career position riding on a game, he better be able to put that out of his mind
When you are speaking you are in the game. It is not going to help you at all to keep thinking that you will be judged. Train youself to not worry about any judgement. When your presentation is over and you are successful or not, you can than evaluate if you were successful or not and improve what you need to improve for the next time. And remember, there is always a next time.