Study the strategies of overcoming stage fright

Introduction:-

Have you ever found yourself in front of an audience with your knees shaking and sweat
trickling down your temple? Maybe you want to throw up, or suddenly there’s not enough air
in the room. You may feel like your mouth is as dry as a sandy desert and your voice,
normally controlled and strong sounds as if you were sitting on a washing machine in the spin
cycle. Wait, it gets worse. You can’t for the life of you remember the first line to the song –
and it’s your own song!

Welcome to stage fright! Firstly let me say that this condition is natural and normal. Many
people experience this kind of anxiety from newbies to major pros. I highly recommend you
read my post Warning: stage fright can ruin your performance. It will give you a background
as to the cause and symptoms of stage fright also known as, performance anxiety.

It is vital that you don’t allow this to go on to ruin your performance experience or even
prevent you from getting in front of an audience altogether. I am going to help you to focus
on developing strategies for helping address the root of the problem.

1
 What is Stage Fright?
It’s not uncommon to freeze on a stage. Weak knees, a churning
stomach, a dizzy feeling- these are all common symptoms of anxiety
that you might feel before speaking in front of others. What makes
stage fright, also known as performance anxiety, different from
ordinary feelings of anxiety is its persistence and its strength. People
who experience stage fright feel intense fear and dread of performing
in front of others. In its most serious form, it may cause you to turn
down opportunities, such as a promotion or an invitation to speak at a

large conference. It can harm your confidence and reduce your self-
esteem, leaving you feeling alone and embarrassed.

How Can You Reduce Your Stage Fright?

 Practice, Practice, Practice! Being as prepared as
possible for a presentation will help build
confidence. ...
 Try Some Relaxation and Breathing Techniques. ...
 Visualize Success. ...
 Visualize Failure. ...
 Break the presentation down. ...
 Keep Your Mistakes to Yourself..

2
Speak for Success!

10 Ways to Deal with Fear of Public Speaking

Learning to love speaking in public may seem like a distant goal. But it's actually closer than
you think. As a first step, remind yourself that the topic you’re passionate about is most likely
of interest to listeners. And they are listening, not thinking about you and your nerves (or
even your speaking skills). Here are 10 “quick fixes” that you can use for even more practical

approaches when stage fright comes to call.

#1 Get your head in the right place.

I’m going to start out with some tough love: It ain’t about you! Speech anxiety is unpleasant
enough that you may focus on how awful you’re feeling instead of what really matters: the
response of your audience. Put yourself in their shoes and think about what they’re hoping to
get out of this presentation. You’ll be on the right wavelength, which is that of your audience.

3
#2 Belly breathe.
Modern life with all its gadgets and digital assistants makes it easy for you to become a
“talking head," which includes breathing shallowly and rapidly. The fight-or-flight response
to social anxiety exacerbates this type of respiration cycle. To counter these habits, learn
how to breathe diaphragmatically. Yes, it will help you to have a resonant voice; but it will
also calm you and slow your heart rate.

#3 Turn that negative talk into positive thinking.

The longer you stay in negative territory concerning your response to public speaking, the
more it will seem like home. We’re all experts at beating ourselves up through negative self-
talk. Why not use positive thinking instead? Turn self-destructive statements around by
flipping that negative mindset. Create a positive groove you can stay in.

#4 Stand straight and open up your chest.

Body language matters in terms of how confident you look! Try this: hunch your shoulders
slightly; now stand straight, allowing your chest area to come forward as your shoulders drop
into their natural position. Doesn't that feel better? You certainly will look more professional!

#5 Let go of intrusive thoughts.

Focus is one of your most important tools when it comes to reaching and engaging audiences.
But you’re human, which means off-the-grid thoughts will intrude when you don't want them
to. Learn not to engage these thoughts or resist them—instead, notice them, then let them
float away! Come back to your message and its reception. Here's how to stay focused.

#6 Greet your audience. And smile.

One of the most effective ways to have a relationship with an audience is to take a moment to
allow that to happen. You do that in your greeting. Here’s how to start strong by giving
your audience a greeting they'll remember. Invest yourself in this moment, letting listeners
know that you really enjoy being there. Again, you too will feel it

4
#7 Talk . . . don't present.
Edward Everett was the at-the-time famous orator who delivered a two-hour address at
Gettysburg in 1863. But we remember the other guy—the one who gave the two-
minute speech known as the Gettysburg Address. Since then, speeches public and private
have been getting more conversational. Your need to calm your nerves come from the
thought that you’re there to GIVE A SPEECH. But you’ll really just be talking to some
people. Sounds enjoyable, doesn’t it?

#8 Visualize a successful outcome.

Athletes, chess grandmasters, and theoretical physicists use positive visualization, and you
should too. In other words, help yourself create a successful presentation! It just makes sense:
the more time and effort you spend anticipating positive outcomes, the better prepared you’ll
be to respond that way in the real situation.

#9 Turn the spotlight around.

This too is a visualization technique. Speaking in public can feel like standing alone in a hot
bright spotlight. There, every move you make can add to the feeling that you're naked and
vulnerable. So in your mind, turn the spotlight around. Now you’re in the cool dark and the
spotlight is on the audience. After all, aren’t you supposed to “illuminate” listeners?

#10 Move!
Ever feel like you’re in a pressure cooker when speaking to a group? Need to know how to
think on your feet when speaking under pressure? With speaking nerves comes the
release of stress hormones that are telling you to fight the threat or get away fast. If you stand

5
stock-still, the pressure will just build. So move! It's all part of my secrets of body language
for powerful public speaking! 

Conquering Stage Fright

Public speaking is said to be the biggest fear reported by many American adults, topping
flying, financial ruin, sickness, and even death.

You may have heard the joke that some people would prefer to be in their own
coffins than give a eulogy at a funeral. While this may be an exaggeration, many
would agree.

Most of us feel a degree of nervous apprehension when preparing to speak up

or perform in front of a group. But those who are filled with feelings of dread
and panic in such a situation—or anywhere the person might be center of
attention—may be suffering from a form of social anxiety disorder (also known
as social phobia).

The fear of public speaking or performance, often called stage fright, exacts a
huge toll on self-confidence and self-esteem and causes some people to leave
school or a job or pass up a promotion. Many, including seasoned professional
performers, suffer in silent terror. And because they feel embarrassed, people
try to keep their fear a secret, even from a spouse or other close family
members or friends.

Taking Steps to Overcome Your Fear

Learning to improve your speaking or performance skills is good, but it’s
generally not enough to substantially reduce your fear. You must address and
revise any negative perceptions, beliefs, thoughts, images, and predictions
related to public speaking or performing. And it’s often helpful to uncover the

6
deeper fears related to being seen and heard by others, showing vulnerability,
and being considered less than perfect. Learning to accept yourself and not
feeling that you have to prove yourself to others is at the root of healing.

It is recommended that you learn skills to reduce and manage your fear and
anxiety and not resort to using medication or natural products alone. It’s also
critical to learn cognitive-behavioral methods to stop the cycle of avoiding fearful
situations. Avoidance may give you immediate relief, but it reinforces your fear
in the long run.

Some people also choose medication or natural remedies to help reduce their
symptoms of performance anxiety. Talk with your physician to find the most
appropriate treatment for you.

Conclusion:-

Stage fright is a common type of anxiety that refers to feeling anxious when presenting
before an audience. These anxiety symptoms may be either physical or emotional. In severe
situations, they can feel incredibly debilitating. Stage fright can affect anyone—it may even
impact people who seemingly appear comfortable in front of a crowd.
Stage fright was experienced as a problem and perceived as having negative career
consequences by a considerable percentage of the surveyed students. In addition to a desire
for more help and support, the students expressed an openness and willingness to seriously
discuss and address the topic of stage fright. This provides a necessary and promising basis
for optimal career preparation and, hence, an opportunity to prevent occupational problems in
professional musicians.
Don’t short change yourself or your audience by allowing fear to control you, do whatever
necessary to overcome the fear, remember to be patient with yourself and your star will
shine!

May you meet no fear on stage.