Never Fear Another Public Speaking Engagement, Even Roger Federer Gets Nervous Before A Tennis Match
There is an unlimited number of examples we can find to help us overcome our fear of public speaking. Last Sunday, I watched the championship match of the 2007 US Open Tennis Tournament.
An interviewer asked Roger Federer, “What do you do prior to the final of a major tennis tournament?”Federer replied, “I get nervous, cold chills, and have fears like most people have in everyday life.” This is amazing considering the 2007 US Open was his 10th straight final and fourth straight US Open championship.
The reason why this is important is because Roger Federer is the best tennis player in the history of the game, he won his 12th major tennis tournament and is only 26 years old. By the way, the record is 14 majors and it looks as though he will break the all time record very soon.
I love this sports analogy because of the simple fact, if the best male tennis player admits he is nervous before a tennis match, it is not unusual for us to feel a bit nervous prior to a public speaking engagement.
Seven (7) ways you can manage your fears prior to a speaking engagement:
1.) Relax and focus only on the value you will impart to your audience.
2.) Stay focused on the reason why your speech will make a difference.
3.) Commit to delivering your best speech possible.
4.) Do a few exercises to unwind and take the stress away.
5.) Meditate prior to your speech to get into the zone.
6.) Say a prayer, it will make a world of difference during your speech.
7.) Manage your fears by living in the moment, it will serve you well.
These and other forms of fear management will empower you to be the best speaker you can be. If Roger Federer admits to nervousness, it simply means we are all human and this is good enough for me.
Paul Lawrence Vann is CEO of the Wealth Building Academy. He is a speaking expert, coach, and trainer. Paul leads people to understand the importance of being a persuasive speaker. He is a national speaking coach and delivers 3-4 day speaker training programs to audiences throughout the U.S. To learn more about Paul Lawrence Vann, contact his staff at (800) 476-8976 or paul@paullawrencevann.com
