The 1970s saw the introduction of a number of fads – disco, bell bottoms, pet rocks, LeCar, and All in the Family spinoffs. One of the most fascinating to me during that decade was The Book of Lists.
My junior high classmates and I would pore over it when we were supposed to be studying biology or whatever, to learn the worst places to hitchhike, 10 worst song titles (according to Dr. Demento), and famous people who died during sexual intercourse (very popular with the junior high crowd).
The 1977 edition of the book included the list “The 14 Worst Human Fears.” Speaking in public was number one, with 41% of respondents citing it as their worst fear. Death itself placed 7th, at only 19%. As Jerry Seinfeld joked, “This means to the average person, if you’re going to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than giving the eulogy.”
While there have been questions since that book was published about the origin of those figures, and their accuracy, there is no doubt that speaking in public creates varying amounts of discomfort in everyone. People I have trained have ranged from a little nervous to out-and-out terrified. And, whenever someone tells me that they get nervous when they speak in public, I always have same answer.
“Good.”
Nerves mean that you care. It means that speaking in public is important to you. It means that you want to perform well. The key is to turn those nerves into good, positive energy that makes you a better, more compelling speaker.
And, it turns out, being nervous is also good for your health (in moderation, of course, like everything). In her new book The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life, Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins outlines some of the benefits of “stress.”
“[Stress] actually serves a fundamental purpose in human physiology: the discharge of cortisol, and the speeding up of our heart rates and shortness of breath that come with the fight-or-flight response may feel like ill effects, but they’re also signs that your body is producing energy and getting more oxygen to your brain to push you to full wide-awakeness.”
Jenkins, The Right Call, p. 36
“…along with cortisol another stress hormone is released, a neuropeptide: oxytocin. One of oxytocin’s roles is to help heart cells regenerate – it actually strengthens your heart.”
Jenkins, The Right Call, p. 39
So, public speaking is good for you. It might not replace 30 minutes on the treadmill followed by 30 minutes of weight training, but getting your heart revving actually strengthens it.
Now, how do you turn those nerves into positive energy? The first, and best, way is to know your material. Cold. The better prepared you are, the less nervous you will be. The more you rehearse your talk, the more comfortable you will be when delivering it. If you can scout your location ahead of time, do so.
There are also the traditional ways of calming down:
Deep breaths in through the nose, held for a four-count, and then out through the mouth.
Sitting still, eyes closed, and feeling the weight of your feet on the floor and your body in your chair.
Picturing a calm blue ocean (or another tranquil place if you hate the beach) for 30 seconds.
Last, accept your nerves. Embrace them. Use them. Legendary actress Helen Hayes said, “Of course I get butterflies before I go on stage. You just need to be sure that those butterflies are flying in formation…” Get your butterflies flying the way you want them to – it’s not just good for your talk, and your career, it’s good for your heart.
