The ability to overcome the fear of making an error is a key component of professionalism. Fear of making a mistake can make you freeze in certain situations like speaking publically. Wherever you are — live, online in a virtual conference, or in front of fellow team members –chances are you’re going to have to address an audience. I coach actors — for whom fear can literally tank your career. After watching actors overcome fear, I discovered these strategies could work for any actor.
These are the three most important tips that will help you overcome fear when speaking in front of people, no matter who they might be. Learn them, practice them, and use them whenever you’re called upon to speak in public:
1. Be bad!
This is a great strategy, even though it may seem counterintuitive. It reverses your fear, as does many other strategies of reverse psychology. The phrase came from the great actor Martin Landau, who would coach his fellow actors by saying, “Try to be bad.” What he meant was, when you fear making a mistake, or being wrong, you block the free and natural instincts you need to perform. This isn’t just about acting — it’s about being yourself. Grant yourself the freedom to mess up, and the big surprise is that you’re far less likely to do so.
This is a great way to practice before the speech. Invite a few friends to be your audience. Keep it casual. Ask for their reactions as you’re talking — did you sound genuine? Is your voice interesting? Is your voice too monotone? You can do anything wrong. You’ll likely make some great discoveries. By the time you’re ready for the Big Day, you’ll be well aware of what works and relaxed enough to do it.
“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford
2. Turn fear into gratitude
Success requires discipline. That can sometimes feel like a burden, or a trap. It can slow down your progress, making it difficult to get out of a rut. You have a choice. It’s your choice. If you choose to embrace discipline in your life, it will create positive habits which in turn create positive results. In terms of your need to get better at speaking in public — be it for one day or one job, or for the rest of your career — it’s the same situation. If you resent it, you won’t let yourself grow.
Look at the joy that positive outcomes will bring and feel grateful to have the opportunity to attain them. You’ll be free from the fear of not doing well, free from the fear of the unknown, and free from not understanding what it takes to do well. It’s a tremendous shift in how you define putting in the work — from confinement to freedom, from a trap to new wings — and it’s an approach you can use for countless situations throughout your life.
3. You can make everything better
It is something I always tell my Hollywood clients. You can make everything better. We all get into bad situations — we face frustrating and daunting problems all the time. If you’re facing a challenge with that clammy feeling that it could all go south, try switching your mindset from negative to positive. What can you do to improve your situation? It can teach me a lot. What can it teach me? As soon as you ask these questions, you go into problem-solving mode — and chances are there are plenty of solutions in your experience to draw from.
Take the pressure and use it to your advantage. Focus with intention. And if things don’t go 100% perfectly, look at that low point as a part of life as natural as spilling coffee and getting a stain on your shirt. Sometimes it happens. But you prevailed. Imperfections are what make us human, after all — and being human is far more interesting that seeming like a robot. The example is even possible to use in your next presentation!
I’ve found that these 3 strategies can turn around even the worst kinds of fear. You can become more philosophical, accept punishment and still have fun. They open you up so you can be yourself — and even show a little vulnerability to your audience. That’s never a bad thing, believe me.
This Hollywood Coach Shares 3 Tips to Survive Nerves originally appeared at Addicted 2 Success.
This Hollywood Coach Shares 3 Tips to Survive Nerves in a Foolproof Way appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.