Public Speaking Confidence

From being a stammerer filled with stage fright to delivering 100+ speeches in 4 years! Here are 10 things I did to train myself to be the best at it: 🎤 Practice Small Chunks: Break your speech into smaller sections and practice each part separately before combining them. This makes it easier to remember and reduces anxiety. 🎤 Record and Review: Record your practice sessions using your phone or a camera. Reviewing these recordings helps identify areas for improvement and track progress over time. 🎤 Gradual Exposure: Start by speaking in front of a mirror, then progress to speaking in front of a small group of friends or family, and gradually increase the audience size. This helps build confidence step-by-step. 🎤 Use Flashcards: Write key points or parts of your speech on flashcards. This helps you stay on track during your speech and reduces the fear of forgetting your lines. 🎤 Join Speaking Clubs: Participate in public speaking clubs like Toastmasters. Regular practice in a supportive environment helps you gain confidence and receive constructive feedback. 🎤 Practice with Distractions: Train yourself to stay focused by practicing your speech in environments with potential distractions, such as a noisy room or with background music playing. 🎤 Mirror Neurons: Watch videos of great speakers and try to mimic their body language and speaking style. This activates your mirror neurons, helping you learn by imitation. 🎤 Mindful Breathing: Before speaking, take deep breaths in for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four. This helps calm your nerves and centre your mind. 🎤 Positive Visualization: Spend a few minutes each day visualizing yourself giving a successful speech. Picture the audience applauding and yourself speaking confidently. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence. 🎤 Use Technology: Utilize speech practice apps that provide real-time feedback on your speaking speed, volume, and clarity. This helps you adjust and improve your delivery. When I learned these lessons, I realized that public speaking wasn't something to fear but something to celebrate. To be able to reach more people and create a long-lasting impact! So, if you're struggling like I was, start training your brain. It's not easy, but it's worth it. ❤️ #publicspeaking #growth #communication #softskills

CAs can build a balance sheet in their sleep. But ask them to speak in a room full of people, and suddenly the confidence disappears. I have seen it happen. I have felt it myself. I still feel nervous before going on stage. Every single time. But here is what I figured out. Fear does not go away. You just get better at showing up despite it. And this one practice helped me more than any workshop or course: Record yourself speaking for 10 minutes. Any topic. Step 1: Watch without sound. Mute the volume completely. Just observe. Are your hands moving or frozen? Is your face alive or blank? Are you making eye contact with the camera? Body language builds trust before you say a single word. Step 2: Listen without watching. Replay it with volume. Close your eyes. Do you sound confident or hesitant? Is your pace too fast? Are you saying 'um' every few seconds? Your voice is your instrument. You cannot tune it if you never hear it. Step 3: Fix one thing. Not five. Not three. One. Write it down. Record again tomorrow with just that one thing in mind. Fear of public speaking does not go away with more knowledge. It goes away with more reps. And the best rep you can do is the one where you watch yourself back honestly. 10 minutes of footage will teach you more than 10 workshops ever will. The ones speaking confidently in every room did this consistently.

Confidence doesn’t mean no fear. It means you speak even when you do feel fear. Over 75% of professionals experience public speaking anxiety. But the best leaders don’t eliminate fear — they master it. Here are 7 steps to control public speaking anxiety in 2025 ⬇️ (So you can speak with calm, confidence, and command.) 🔹 1. Reframe Anxiety Instead of: “What if I feel anxious?” Say: ✔️ “My body is getting ready to perform.” ✔️ “This energy means I care.” 🧠 Harvard research shows that labeling nerves as “excitement” improves performance without reducing arousal. 🔹 2. Use an Anchor Word™ Choose one word that reflects your confident speaker self: Command. Certain. Clear. Lead. Before you speak: ✔️ Say it silently ✔️ Breathe it in ✔️ Connect it to a time you felt powerful 🧠 This creates a shortcut in your brain to access calm on demand. 🔹 3. Map the Space Fear loves uncertainty. So eliminate it. If in-person: ✔️ Arrive early ✔️ Walk the room ✔️ Stand where you’ll speak If virtual: ✔️ Test lighting, sound, background ✔️ Practice navigating tabs 👉 Pro tip: Choose 3 visual landmarks to focus on during your talk. 🔹 4. Do a Bad Take on Purpose Before your real practice: ✔️ Mumble ✔️ Be awkward ✔️ Use too many fillers Then do a clean run. Notice the improvement. 🧠 This exposure method helps your brain realize: “That wasn’t so bad.” 🔹 5. Redefine Your Audience You’re not performing. You’re serving. Before speaking, picture your audience as: ✔️ Supportive teammates ✔️ Curious learners ✔️ Future collaborators 🧠 This shifts your mindset from fear to connection. 🔹 6. Activate Your Opposite Self (for 5 minutes) Before you speak, do the opposite of your norm: ✔️ Too soft-spoken? Be bold ✔️ Too stiff? Move freely ✔️ Too monotone? Exaggerate your energy Set a timer for 5 minutes. Then return to your natural self — more charged. 🧠 This breaks your usual pattern and gets your nervous system ready. 🔹 7. Create a Post-Speech Recovery Ritual™ After you speak: ✔️ Write down 3 things you did well ✔️ Play a power song ✔️ Ask someone: “What landed most for you?” 🧠 The brain encodes success immediately after stress — use it to reinforce confidence. Remember: Confidence ≠ No Fear Confidence = Speaking anyway Master these steps — and your nervous system will start working with you, not against you. ✅ Save this post ✅ Follow me for more actionable ways to: ✔️ Speak with executive presence ✔️ Get the job or promotion you deserve ✔️ Lead meetings like a pro ✔️ Stand out — without needing to be the loudest Your message matters. Let’s make sure the world hears it. #publicspeaking #executivepresence #leadership #careergrowth #communicationtips

I’ve spoken on stages around the world representing TikTok and other companies, and I still remember that moment right before walking out when your heart starts racing and you wonder if your mind might go blank. Over time I realized something important: Confidence on stage isn’t about being the most polished person in the room. It’s about shifting your mindset. A few things made a huge difference for me. First, overpreparing the opening. Once you get through the first 30 seconds, your body relaxes and the rest of the talk flows more naturally. Second, taking your ego out of it. You’re not there to impress people. You’re there to help them. The moment you focus on serving the audience, a lot of the pressure disappears. Third, speaking to people instead of at them. Using the word “you” pulls the audience into the conversation and makes the whole experience more engaging. Fourth, memorizing the structure instead of every word. When you know the key ideas you want to land, you can speak naturally without worrying about forgetting a script. And finally, not trying to be perfect. If you stumble on a line or lose your place, just pause and keep going. Sometimes those moments make the talk feel more human and relatable. I still get a little adrenaline before stepping on stage, but now I see it as energy rather than fear. Curious, do you enjoy public speaking, or does it still make you nervous?

Public speaking is the 2nd most common fear in the world... Only behind death. Think about that. People would rather face snakes, sharks, and even their own mortality before getting on stage in front of a crowd. And yet… public speaking is one of THE most valuable skills you can develop for your career, your confidence, and your ability to inspire others. Here are 4 tips I use to simplify public speaking: 1️⃣ Prep with bullets, not a script - Start by outlining 3-5 main points you must cover. Think of them as road signs guiding you through the talk. - Under each point, jot down 2–3 supporting bullets (a story, a stat, or an example). - Rehearse flowing between the bullets... not word for word, but concept to concept. - Practice enough times so you can explain each point naturally, even if phrased differently every time. 👉 The goal isn’t perfect recall... it’s confidence in your structure so you can speak with flexibility, not rigidity. 2️⃣ Record → Review → Refine - Open Zoom, start a solo meeting, and hit record. - Deliver a 3-5 minute version of your talk. - Watch it back with a pen in hand. Circle filler words like "um" and "like." Note your pacing... are you rushing? Are you monotone? 👉 Treat it like watching game film... you’re not critiquing you, you’re refining your performance. 3️⃣ Progressive exposure (small room → bigger room) Step 1: Share your talk with one trusted friend. Step 2: Deliver the same talk to 3–5 colleagues. Step 3: Volunteer to lead a short update in a team meeting. Step 4: Say yes to a small group presentation. Each step deliberately stretches your comfort zone, but in a controlled way. By the time you’re on a stage, your brain has learned: “I’ve done this before.” 4️⃣ Pull your audience in Public speaking isn’t just giving a speech. It’s building a conversation. A few ways to do it: - Ask simple questions: “How many of you have felt ___ before?” A show of hands immediately creates engagement. - Use audience examples: Call out a relevant situation they know well... “For the marketers in the room, you’ll recognize this pattern…” - Tell a story, then pause: Give them space to reflect. Silence is powerful... it lets the audience lean in. - Acknowledge their reactions: Smile when they laugh, nod when they respond. It reminds them you’re there with them, not just speaking at them. 👉 Connection turns a one-way presentation into an experience people remember. 💡 Bonus Tip: Join Toastmasters International. It’s a nationally renowned public speaking program with local chapters in every city. I was a member for 4 years, and it completely changed me... from someone terrified of a crowd… to one who is confident on that stage. Public speaking isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection. And the crazy part? The very thing you fear could become the skill that unlocks your biggest opportunities. 🔥 Your turn... what’s the single tactic that’s helped you most in overcoming the fear of public speaking?

Feeling confident in public speaking is a ~learned~ skill. There are a couple of things I do to feel more comfortable speaking in front of large crowds (that you can steal too): 1. Practice in front of friends and family. The first time, they’ll happily watch you. The 10th time they’ve seen the same material? Make it fun & give them snacks and make them dinner. 2. Record yourself and review the footage. Watching yourself on camera may feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s the best way to spot and fix habits you never noticed before. 3. Start small and scale up. Book smaller speaking engagements before a big event. Testing your material on a smaller scale helps you fine-tune your delivery and gain confidence. 4. Keep a speaking journal. After every engagement, write down what went well, what could’ve gone better, and what you learned. Over time, you’ll spot patterns and continually improve. 5. Talk directly to attendees. Ask them what stood out, what they found impactful, and what they remember about your performance (no matter how long ago the event was). Their perspective will help you refine your content and delivery. These strategies have made a huge difference for me, and I hope they help you as well. What’s the biggest hurdle you face when speaking in front of a crowd? --- Hey hey! I'm Nathan Minns, and I'm an internationally recognized communication coach, conference emcee, & comedic performer. I help people communicate with confidence to build better relationships and achieve their goals. If you want your group to become more confident & effective communicators, message me!

We’ve coached thousands of speakers on building confidence. Most of them weren’t missing natural-born ability or charisma. But they were missing a clear understanding of their unique perspective. Confidence isn’t about knowing you’ll perform perfectly in a presentation. It’s about knowing you have something valuable to offer before you ever say a word. So my experts started asking our clients 4 simple questions: 1. How do you see this situation differently? Different from your peers. Your managers. Your customers. You don’t have to be loud, but you do have to know what angle is uniquely yours. 2. What experience do you have that no one else has? No one else grew up exactly like you, worked the jobs you did, or made the mistakes you’ve made. Your path matters. 3. What’s your expertise? Yes, you have some. If you’ve been invited to a meeting to share or someone asked you to speak on a stage, it wasn’t random. There’s a reason. Find it. Name it. Own it. 4. What part of your personality shows up when you’re at your best? Are you warm? Funny? Analytical? Direct? Good. Bring that. Don’t leave your personality at the door. It’s part of your power. Most people have enough confidence buried somewhere deep inside them. Crystallizing your perspective is what helps bring it out. #PresentationSkills #ExecutivePresence #ImposterSyndrome #PublicSpeaking

Public speaking used to terrify me. I'd lose sleep the night before... go completely blank in front of a room. I used to dread every presentation. I’d stress over every word. And when I’d finally get up there...nothing. My mind would go blank. Fast forward to today... As a coach, I now run workshops, facilitate, and speak publicly with confidence. This morning, I shared my top 5 tips with the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS) on how to "Speak to Influence". Here’s the breakdown: 1️⃣ Hook them early — 5 ways to open strong: ↳ Tell a story: “I once stood in front of 30 people... and forgot everything I planned to say.” ↳ Ask a question: “What if your biggest fear became your biggest strength?” ↳ Make a bold claim: “Most presentation advice is wrong—and here’s why.” ↳ Drop a stat: “75% of professionals fear public speaking. I used to be one of them.” ↳ Lead with WHY: Not what you're saying—but why it matters. 2️⃣ Prepare with the end in mind Ask yourself: ↳ What do I want the audience to feel? ↳ What do I want them to do after? Design everything—your tone, structure, slides—to drive that outcome. 3️⃣ Say it out loud—before you write it down ↳ We don’t speak like we write. So prep like this: ↳ Speak your ideas aloud. ↳ Then shape them into your script. (Because “Henceforth, furthermore…” doesn’t land in real life.) 4️⃣ End on a peak People remember two things: the peak and the end (Peak-end effect bias). So don’t fizzle out. Close with: ↳ a challenge ↳ a poll ↳ a call-to-action ↳ Or a simple mic-drop moment Make it stick. 5️⃣ Use story structure ↳ Forget data dumps. ↳ Build a narrative: set the context → introduce the hero → the pain → the climax → the solution. Most importantly, Don’t try to be Obama. Be you. Flaws and all. "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." Oscar Wilde If you’ve ever frozen in front of a room, I’ve been there. And I promise. It gets better. Which tip above would’ve helped you the most? P.S. If this helped, consider reposting ♻️ and share it with someone who's prepping for their next big talk.

To be great at public speaking, you can’t just be good at speaking. Here’s what most people overlook: 🔵 Adaptability is key. Even with a well-prepared talk, live events are unpredictable. The room’s energy, unexpected technical issues, or audience engagement can shift. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Is it scary when this happens? Yes. But it’s also part of a speaker’s toolkit to know how to stay calm and improvise in those moments. 🔵 Master the art of silence. The best speakers don’t fill every moment with words. They use pauses to let their message sink in. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Get comfortable with silence—it’s one of your most powerful tools for impact. 🔵 Confidence is built in preparation. Rarely is someone a natural at “winging it,” despite how it may look. Confidence comes from knowing your material, practicing until it’s second nature, and getting in the reps. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Rehearse until your nerves shift from fear to excitement. Preparation removes fear of the unknown. 🔵 Your body speaks before you do. People will read your body language long before they hear your words. Strong posture, eye contact, and purposeful movement say more than you realize. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Command the stage with your presence—engage with your whole body, not just your voice. 🔵 Understand the power of connection. You can have the most polished speech, but if you're not resonating with your audience, you’re missing the point. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Start with a story or question that grabs attention. It’s not about perfection, it’s about making a real connection. Public speaking isn’t just about speaking; it’s about commanding the stage, connecting with your audience, and delivering your message in a way that sticks. How do you approach public speaking? Share your experiences below 👇

When I first started speaking publicly, my biggest struggles were: 1️⃣ Physical fear (How do I stop shaking and sweating?) 2️⃣ Mental fear (How can I do something so scary?) 3️⃣ Imposter syndrome (Who am I to do something like this?) 4️⃣ Lack of confidence (How do I find the confidence to show up as my best self?) Sound familiar? 🙋♀️ Here’s my advice: 🧠 Understand what’s happening in your body. When you step up to do something risky (like risking judgment, rejection, or looking silly), your body sounds the alarm. You shake. You sweat. You feel like you might throw up. But guess what? You can override that automatic response. Your body is just trying to keep you safe, but your mind knows better. Take a few deep breaths, calm yourself, and get on with it. 🌬️ 💭 Reframe your thoughts around public speaking. Nothing has meaning beyond the meaning you give it. So you get to decide—Is it scary? Or is it exciting? Is it a huge deal? Or is it a way to serve? Choose to see speaking as a conversation, an opportunity, an act of generosity. Shift your mindset, shift your experience. 🌟 📚 Your story is your authority. Think you’re not qualified to share? What could you possibly be MORE qualified to share than your own experience? Sharing the stories you’ve lived, the challenges you’ve overcome, the lessons you’ve learned and earned along the way—that’s your superpower. And no one is more qualified than you. 🦸♀️ 💪 Confidence comes from competence. You’ve got to get your reps in. Take one small step into discomfort, then another, and another. Build a track record of success and let it fuel your confidence. Confidence also comes from commitment—remind yourself why your message matters, who you want to help, and why it’s important. Lean into your commitment to serve, and let it fuel your confidence. 🔥 ✨ Confidence comes from clarity. A confused mind says no. We don’t like to move into the fog. Get clear on your message—WHAT you’ll share to make the impact you’re here to make. Clarity on your message fuels your confidence. 🌈 What’s holding you back? 🤔 Let me know, and I’ll share anything I’ve learned along the way that can help.