"Speaking" of which....

[KenWittlief]

The problem most people have with public speaking is that your ego is on the line.

Most people can talk to strangers on a personal level, because there is constant feedback. You can see if the other person is agreeing with what you are saying, or is questioning you.

With a conversation, its not just 'you', its everyone involved, and the converstaion is owned by everyone involved

but when you stand on a podium, or a stage, and talk, with no feedback, then you can quickly lose the audience if they do not agree with, or accept what you are saying

and that is when your ego is at risk. In the back of your mind you have this fear that people are going to laugh at you, stand up and call you an idiot, say you dont know what you are talking about, and walk out

its that open loop, that lack of feedback that makes you feel uneasy.

This is why many people recommend you put a few jokes in your presentation, say something humorous. when people laugh that is feedback, and you get a reassurance that 'they are still with me'.

Some other things you can to do avert the jitters:

1. expect the worst. Tell yourself the audience is absolutely going to hate you, they are going to yell and curse and throw things at you. Then no matter what happens your ego is not a risk, because that is what you expected. If the speech goes "better than expected" then all is well.

2. Pretend you are someone else. Pretend that is not you up there, pretend you are an actor doing a character, an impresonation of sorts. Think of a character or famous actor, and tell yourself you are acting out that role. That way, your ego is not on the line, its not you saying what you are saying, its an actor in a play or movie, so it doenst matter what the audience thinks.

Bottom line is, the problem is your ego, and the thing you are really afraid of is a massive rejection.