12 Helpful Ways To Overcome Your Public Speaking Anxiety

A fear of public speaking is commonly cited as one of the most common fears among US adults today. So what can you do if you’re asked to give a speech or presentation for work or some other reason? While it can seem intimidating or even impossible to go through with it, there are strategies you can use to work toward managing or reducing public speaking anxiety over time. We’ll cover 12 of these here to help you get started.

What is public speaking anxiety?

Speech anxiety usually stems from a fear of being judged by or embarrassed in front of one’s peers. When we stand on a stage in front of a small or large audience, we may be scared that their scrutiny could expose our faults and weaknesses and that we might not be accepted as a result. Since humans are deeply social creatures, with social connection being closely tied to our overall health, the prospect of rejection on any scale can be frightening. It may even trigger our fight-or-flight response, causing physical symptoms like shaking, sweating, and a racing heart and making us feel vulnerable and afraid.

Public speaking anxiety is not a diagnosable disorder on its own, but it can sometimes be linked to one—typically social anxiety disorder. In fact, fear of public speaking is often one of the symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD) per the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Note, however, that this fear usually must be usually chronic, severely distressing, and out of proportion to the situation in order for a SAD diagnosis to be considered. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a clinical anxiety disorder like this, it’s typically recommended that you meet with a mental health professional for evaluation and personalized treatment advice. Effective support for your symptoms is available.

12 tips to help you manage public speaking anxiety

Next, we’ll explore 12 public speaking tips that may help you reduce anxiety and build confidence around speaking in front of others. 

1. Don't expect perfection

It’s unlikely for anyone to give a 100% perfect speech or presentation—not even the most admired public speakers. Expecting your performance to be perfect may set you up for disappointment. Instead, you might attempt to reduce your public speaking anxiety by aiming to visualize success in a realistic way, expecting slip-ups and accepting them as part of the experience. 

2. Don't try to be someone else

You might watch and learn from the best public speakers, but it generally won’t benefit you to try and be them. You likely have your own style and message, so masking that in the name of trying to be someone else might actually increase your public speaking anxiety. Saying what you have to say in a way that feels natural to you may make you less likely to make mistakes and more likely to appear at ease and captivate your audience.

3. Put it in perspective

Try challenging negative thoughts about the experience. Realistically, what’s the worst thing that can happen—and how likely is that outcome? For many people, making a mistake and feeling embarrassed is their most feared situation when it comes to public speaking. If this applies to you, consider the fact that you've likely been embarrassed before in life and you may be embarrassed again—it’s part of the human experience. You made it through previous experiences of embarrassment and you can do so again. Plus, any missteps you may make are likely to be small in actuality, appearing larger in your memory than they’ll be in anyone else’s.

4. Remember why you're doing it

What’s your reason for giving this speech or presentation? Focusing on that may help you look past other factors that might be causing you stress. Your primary goal probably isn’t to impress others or achieve public-speaking perfection or fame; instead, it’s likely about teaching, informing, or helping others by conveying your message. Keeping this in mind may help you put other concerns to the back of your mind and direct your energy towards your main mission.

Preparing your speech or presentation thoroughly can be helpful for two key reasons. First, it can reduce the likelihood of you making mistakes during your presentation. Second, it may help build your confidence. For example, you might do research, organize your key points, write down what you'll say, proofread it, and practice it several times until you're ready to present. 

You might also make a list of everything you'll need on the day and ensure that it’s all charged, in working order, and ready to go, such as a laptop, projector, any props or visual aids, or other tools. If there’s a time limit, it may help to have a clock or watch that’s accurate and visible to you to help you stay on track.

6. Practice

The more you practice your speech or presentation, the more confident you may feel, which could help reduce your anxiety about presenting. Doing a practice run of your speech in front of family and friends can also be a powerful tool in helping you work up to the real thing. Make it clear to them that you’re looking for honest, constructive feedback rather than flattery or reassurance, as they could have helpful tips you may want to incorporate into your final speech.

Remembering that your audience is made up of human beings like you rather than being a threatening, indistinguishable crowd could help you feel like the presentation is more of a conversation than a formal speech—even if you’re the only one talking. This may help increase your confidence and ease. 

One way to make your audience seem more human and less intimidating could be to arrive at the venue early and meet some of them. Mingling and making small talk with your audience may help relax you and potentially reduce your public speaking anxiety. It could also help to remember before beginning your talk that most people fear public speaking and would feel nervous in your shoes too, so they’re likely to be understanding and forgiving of any missteps you may make.

It might take you longer to gain confidence if you start your presentation or speech with a soft voice and small gestures. Instead, it may help if the first words out of your mouth are loud and clear. The stronger your start, the quicker the stress and anxiety of public speaking may fade.

9. Don't be put off by a yawn or frown

It’s almost guaranteed that at least a few people in the audience will yawn or fidget during your speech, no matter the topic you’re discussing or how engaging you may be. These movements likely have nothing to do with you or your presentation and may only distract you, so it can help to try and ignore them.

Similarly, if you glance at your audience and see some frowning faces, try not to assume that they're displeased or bored. It may be the exact opposite: They may be concentrating on what you're saying and processing the information, and that could be their natural expression of deep thought.

10. Expect to stumble

It can help to expect to stumble over your words here and there during public speaking situations, as almost everyone does. If this happens, you might aim to carry on gracefully rather than fall apart at the first fumbled phrase. Taking a deep breath, shrugging off mistakes, and even laughing at yourself or making a joke about more significant mishaps is likely to be less embarrassing than walking off the stage in tears. Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques leading up to the presentation may help you recenter after a mistake and recover more easily as well.

11. Take time to reflect

When the event is over, reflecting on how it went could help prepare you for future speaking engagements. You might start by writing down a few positive things that you did and a few things that you could do better next time. Try not to dwell on the mistakes. You might also ask yourself if the experience was as terrifying as you thought it would be and jot down any reminders to help you manage your fears next time around.

Finding ways to hone your public speaking abilities could help you build confidence, improve presentation skills, and decrease nervousness in the future. Enrolling in a course, support group, or public-speaking club like Toastmasters could be helpful. You might also solicit feedback from people who have seen you speak or present in the past so you can identify areas for improvement. 

If your public speaking anxiety is so intense that you feel that you absolutely can’t do it, you may be living with social anxiety disorder or a phobia. Meeting with a therapist may be helpful in this case. Even if you don’t feel you have a diagnosable disorder but are still looking for support in managing your fears, you could benefit from connecting with a mental health professional. They may help you find ways to feel confident speaking publicly, manage nervousness, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and address symptoms of a mental health condition, if applicable.

For people with social anxiety, whether diagnosable or not, the prospect of seeking professional support in person can be nerve-wracking or intimidating. In cases like these, online therapy may represent a more convenient and comfortable option. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can then meet with virtually from home. Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy in many cases, so it may be worth exploring if you’re interested in this format.