Public speaking is something we’ll all be tasked with at some point in our lives, even though, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 73% of adults suffer from fear of public speaking.
And trust me, stage fright is no joke. If you’ve ever stood in front of an audience while your palms grow increasingly clammy and your tongue seems to swell so big the words don’t even fit in your mouth, you know it’s not pleasant.
When you experience stage fright, what you’re feeling is your own potential and power. So welcome it, and turn your stage fright into stage might.
But don’t worry. There are many methods that can help us manage stage fright. From visualization techniques to breathing exercises to positive self-talk, we’re a Google-search away from finding a viable solution to our stage fright problems.
One solution I’ve found to ease my stage fright is to take the negative judgment out of it. More often than not, we frame stage fright as undesirable. Well, what if we didn’t? What if it were a good thing? What if we looked at it as helpful and beneficial? What if we embraced it?
Stage fright doesn’t have to be bad. It can be invigorating. It can be the signal that reminds you that what you’re doing is important to you, that you have something valuable at stake in what you’re doing. It’s the nervous energy of your impending achievement.
Stage fright is the polar bear plunge of emotions. You took the journey all the way to the snowy shore. You’re looking out at that bay which may as well be an ice bath. You can see your breath hanging in the air. Now, all you have to do is use that pent up excitement, that stage fright, to jump in. And once you do, it’ll shock your system. It’ll wake you up. It’ll make you feel alive and appreciative for your immanent success.
When you revise how you think about stage fright, you will have access to, and control over, a powerful energy. And then what? What does it look like when you’re able to embrace the influence of stage fright? Well, you’re calm. You’re cool. You’re collected. You know what you have to say is adding value. You’re well rehearsed but not rigid. You’re fluid. You make it look easy. You move with ease and speak with confidence.
When you experience stage fright, what you’re feeling is your own potential and power. So welcome it, and turn your stage fright into stage might.
William W. Brown is founder and board chair of Legacy Early College. [email protected]
