Why do we fear public speaking and What to do about it

Genre: Human Behaviour, Human nature

Have you ever had stage fright? or maybe just some unexpected nerves before a big presentation? It's okay if you have. In fact, It's more than okay- it's downright normal.

Being afraid of public speaking is one of the most common fears people have.

Are you afraid of public speaking?

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• Yes , I am
• Nope, I am confident
• Sometimes, I feel confident and sometimes I don't

Studies have shown that 70-80% of people struggle with anxiety surrounding public speaking. That makes it one of humanity's most common fears- which is pretty crazy when you remember there are bears, sharks, and quicksand out there!

Stage fright is no laughing matter though, as it can be a real problem for students and even

teachers who rely on public speaking in their daily life. Thankfully, once you understand why it's so terrifying, you can start practicing ways to overcome that fear.

Afraid to Speak

So, why do we as humans struggle so much with public speaking?

Given how much time we spend communicating with each other, it seems odd that the art of speaking to groups would be so terrifying. But the logic is really simple when you think about it.

Humans are "social animals". For thousands of years, we have relied on the community for interpersonal relationships for survival. While tigers have claws and bears have teeth, humans have language and the capacity for understanding. This makes us really good at working together and organizing things like mammoth hunts- or, you know, just going out for dinner with friends.

With so much of human history built around community and the communication that enables it, it makes sense that one of the things we would most fear would be rejection, humiliation, and isolation. Because that is really what the fear of public speaking is- we worry that doing a bad job will result in people liking us less. We worry they'll reject us or that we'll be humiliated. or that our friends, classmates, or even community will ostracise (a fancy word for "leave out" ) us for messing up.

But all that is anxiety talking. These days, the worst that can happen is some embarrassment from stumbling over words or maybe a bad grade (but hey, statistically the teacher might also have anxiety about public speaking, so it's more than likely they'll go easy on you!)

Surprisingly, the fear we have of public speaking doesn't always come from modern anxieties, but from ancient instincts. In prehistoric times, being ostracized from your community could mean real danger.

Fighting the ancient fear

In the early days of humanity, being left alone meant survival was a real challenge. Alone, we aren't stronger than a tiger and our teeth aren't sharper than a bear's. If we ran into either of them, we'd be in real trouble. On the other hand, as a group - a community - humanity is at the top of the food chain.

So now we can see a little better why public speaking can be so intimidating - to our ancient instincts, it means life or death. But with that knowledge, we can examine ways to fight that fear and start giving the best speeches of your life! Good to start small.

Start Small And Build

The first thing to recognize is that anyone can improve as a public speaker. Public speaking isn't a skill you have or don't have - it's a skill that is built and requires practice. And that is actually one of the key ways to prepare for public speaking - by practicing what you are going to say. Even if that means walking around your room and talking to yourself! Speaking out loud, even in an empty room, can help build confidence and memory to overcome those public speaking fears.

And speaking of walking around, that's another trick that can help public speaking confidence. People often imagine speech as standing behind a podium, going through notes, and staying stiff as a board. In reality, a podium can just act as a barrier between you and your audience.

Some of the very best speakers in the world are up, active, and walking around as they speak. Just think of comedians! Not only does movement and body language helps you connect to those listening, but it can also help you to calm your own anxiety and think more clearly.

Putting it all together

As you practice and begin speaking publicly, it's important to remember that perfection isn't the goal. Brain freezes can happen, even presidents stumble over their words, and misspeaking is common even in regular conversations. It's good to accept these things as inevitable in the world of public speaking.

If you speak enough, each of those mistakes will happen. The key is to remember that the goal is to improve, not get everything right. The more you practice and speak publicly, the more comfortable you'll become with it.

And when any mistake or stumble happens, you learn how to deal with them and continue speaking. Audiences rarely remember the mistakes - so you shouldn't either. Practice, face your fears, and find what tricks work best for building your comfort level. Put in the time, and you'll be overcoming your fear of public speaking sooner than you think.