Public Speaking: Building Confidence by Tracking Success

Public Speaking Successes you already Possess

There are many situations in which you are already successful with speaking.  You just may not know it. There are certainly techniques and strategies to empower you when you speak your story.  What you have RIGHT NOW  are tools you may not realize that you have.

5 Confidence-building Strategies

1. Make a mental or actual list of times that you successfully engaged someone’s interest and attention. Pull that list out when you need it to keep you moving forward. You may need that list when you doubt your abilities in taking the next step in your business or social situations.  The list will keep you confident in the situations where your confidence falters.
2. Keep updating the list on a regular basis. This will prove to you your successes as you go. It forms more lasting confidence. You will spend less time building your public speaking confidence because you’ll already feel confident. Those successful situations will be at the forefront of your mind.
3. If you find yourself pondering whether something was a “success” or not, note your pre- and post-presentation confidence levels.  Score it a s a success if your confidence levels were higher after the presentation.  The presentation may have been either in-person, on-line, in front of a group, or with one person.
4. Resist the urge to undermine your performance.  Many times people feel that because they made “mistakes” and didn’t do “perfectly” during their speech, that they failed.
5. Fairly and objectively observe your performance after you present your speech.  Monitor your thoughts in order to remain without judgment.  Avoid black and white thinking and magnification.  For example, if you noticed that you would have liked to have spoken in certain areas  of your speech more fluently, a judgmental statement would be “You were too hesitant and sounded like you didn’t know what you were talking about.”  A fair and objective statement would be “You spoke smoothly and enthusiastically in many parts.  There were spots where you hesitated.  Nonetheless, your preparation ahead of time helped you to hesitate less than you would have without preparing.  You delivered information that the audience didn’t’ know before you spoke.  Next time, with preparation, even if you hesitate, you’ll be able to transition more smoothly.”

Self Growth & Self-Critique: Replace Erroneous Thoughts

Avoid validating erroneous thoughts that commonly present themselves for the purpose of abandoning new, uncomfortable life projects.  Be gentle and objective with yourself as you move forward and expand your public speaking and visibility.  You’re reading this article because in some facet of  your life, you’re expanding your ability to more fully and more expansively express your unique skills, talents, and personality.  You have made that choice to propel yourself in a new direction-to grow.  Along with growth and change comes discomfort.  Feel the discomfort and EXPRESS YOUR SERVICE OR PRODUCT PUBLICY ANYWAY.

Here’s to your public speaking and visibility success!