Stage fright and how to overcome it

Stage fright and how to overcome itrnMany people would rather die than speak. Even the successful people are often found plagued with fear of performing on the stage in front of large gathering. Research says that as many as 90% in the world people suffer from the stage fright at some point of their lives. Successful actors, politicians, athletes and musicians suffer shaky hands and sweaty palms.rnStage fright is a phenomenon that one must learn to control if one wants to be good at public speaking and want to impress the audience. Actually the fear doesn’t occur much on the stage but the nervousness that occurs when considering a speaking engagement overpowers the speaker or the performer. Once you are there it usually goes away. But if we take the fear positively then we can also think of the advantages it comes with. Fear makes to work harder and heightens your energy. One is more conscious of one’s posture and breathing. rnFor a better speech or performance on stage one must always practice to control it. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright but you can certainly control it by taking effective measures. • Do your homework well before hand. Prepare yourself and know what you are going to speak on the stage. At times people know their content of speech but forget once they are on stage. To overcome this, you can prepare pointers. It will be easy to remember the pointers. It is actually advisable not to mug up the content because it increases the chances of less interaction with your audience. • As a part of preparation, go to the venue or the hall where the speech is going to be delivered, and practice the speech. It will give you a great degree of confidence to speak in front of the audience. • It’s easy to speak in front of known people instead of speaking in front of strangers. Always reach half an hour before the speech and try to know your audience. Interact with your audience. Share jokes, this will lighten your and audience’s mood. • Before every speech check if the mike or the speaker is working well or the podium is in the intact condition. • Use humour in your speech. A serious or humourless speech can’t be enjoyed neither by you nor by your audience. • Know that the audience want you to succeed. They are your friend’s listening to you who want you to give your best. • Visualize yourself giving the best of you. Imagine the confidence and energy on your face while giving speech. Imagine the people applauding and cheering you on. As said above, stage fear may not be overcome completely but it can be controlled by regular practice. But if you still feel that it’s very difficult for you to speak even in front of a small gathering then you better join a good Public Speaking Course which will help you to cope up with the fear of speaking in public or stage fear and will make you a better and confident speaker. Public Speaking