The Fear of Public Speaking: Practical Tips for Calming Nerves
- Fred Miller
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
If the thought of standing in front of an audience makes your palms sweat and your heart race—you’re not alone.
The fear of public speaking is one of the most common anxieties people have. The good news? With the right techniques, you can calm yourself and transfer that nervous energy into your presentations. That’s a positive thing because a presentation without energy is B-o-r-i-n-g! (Ever experience one? Yech!)
1. Reframe the fear. Nervousness and excitement feel almost the same to us. Instead of saying, “I’m terrified,” tell yourself, “I’m excited.” That shift changes everything.
2. Prepare and practice the right way. This is where a lot of speakers go wrong. Don’t memorize word-for-word. It's hard to do and makes you sound stiff and robotic. Instead:
Know your key points, not a script.
Break your talk into sections—opening, body, closing—and rehearse them separately before putting it all together.
Always practice out loud. Silent rehearsal doesn’t prepare you for real delivery.
My best tip for practicing is HERE.)
Mix up the order—start with your closing, then do the middle, then the opening. This helps you master the material, not just the sequence.
When you rehearse this way, you sound polished but natural. And that’s a big confidence booster.
3. Visualize success. Picture yourself walking on stage, delivering with confidence, and hearing applause. Athletes use visualization all the time—so should speakers.
4. Control your breathing. Slow, deep breaths calm your nervous system. Try the 4-4-4 method: inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four.
5. Focus on the audience, not yourself. Your talks should always be about your audience. Shift your mindset from “What if I mess up?” to “How can I help them?” That perspective lowers anxiety and strengthens connection.
Remember: anxiety is normal. The key is managing it. With practice—done the right way—you can turn fear into focus, and nerves into energy.
Do these things when preparing for and delivering your presentations and they will be absolutely, positively - NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————–
About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!”
Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, andPresentation Skills.
They do this because they know:"Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities."
They also know:We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts.
He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT!
Services:
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Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT!
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Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.
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