Serious Stage Fright

Up until now, everything has been fine.  You've made it to the stage in one piece.  You stand in front of the lectern.  You look out into the sea of expectant faces.  This is your audience.  You start to shake and your shiver.  Your heart skips a couple of beats.  Your legs are threatening to disown you with immediate effect.  You feel a cool bead of sweat form at the back of your neck.  You are scared.  You ask yourself, "Why am I here at all?  Do I really want to speak to these people?"  You feel like doing only one thing.  Running.  Away.  Fast.

Congratulations!  You've just experienced stage fright.  And the good thing is that you didn’t die.  You lived to tell the story and re-live it all over again.

Will it comfort you to know that all speakers have at some point in time had a problem with stage fright?  Some have even been known to pass out in anticipation of facing a room full of strangers and addressing them.  So you are not alone.  Ready for the next revelation?  Good. Here's how you can deal with stage fright:

Know the topic. It will make you confident and confidence drives away fear which is nothing but stage fright by another name.

 
Know the end. See yourself speaking effortlessly and ending with a huge round of applause

 
Know the venue. Arrive early and practice walking onto the stage. The next time you get on stage, it will be familiar territory.

Know the people.  This includes the audience and guests.  You can achieve this by arriving early and mixing with your audience, introducing yourself and getting to know them before you speak. When you mount the stage, you will have a few familiar faces you can look at during your speech.  And remember, most people come to an event expecting the speakers to do well.  Make their dreams come true.