Public Speaking: 3 Fears that Keep Leaders Playing Small (& How to Play Bigger)-Part 2
In Part 1 of Public Speaking: 3 Fears that Keep you Playing Small (& How to Play Bigger), we addressed the 3 fears that keep you playing small: making mistakes in front of others, trying something new, and not getting a return on your investment
You learned that it’s critical to heal these fears so you can shine your light and FINALLY be visible to your ideal audiences. You move beyond these public speaking fears by: growing into the bigness of your your gifts and your vision, re-framing the way you view “mistakes,” and re-framing how you view the return on your investment.
5 Strategies for Breaking into Public Speaking Confidence in Bigger Ways
Here are 5 strategies for your growing into the bigness of your gifts and your vision and re-framing the way you view “mistakes” and the “return” on your investment.
- Prepare for success. You’re more likely to feel good about your performance when you prepare ahead of time. The rest then is up to the Universe to support you in any learning. Be open to the learning without judging yourself.
- Be vested in the journey-your own growth, and how you’ll be helping people. If you’re focused on seeing immediate results, such as immediately getting a client from your speaking engagement, chances are you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. You’re building your unique brand awareness. You’re exposing people to who you are as a unique provider of your services.
- Speak from your heart. View public speaking as a way you’re delivering a message-your unique message. Yes, content, delivery, and call to actions are components. Yet when you speak from your heart while focusing on what your underlying message is, that is where you feel energized, at peace, and in your element. It’s also where the audience connects with you.
- Focus on what your audience needs from you. It’s not about you. It’s about your audience connecting with and engaging with your unique talents, personality, and experience.
- Embrace healthy discomfort as a good sign. Remind your Conditioned Self (the part of you that is afraid of change and wants things to stay the same) that these are new opportunities for following your dreams. It’s going to be uncomfortable along the way and that means you’re taking risks. Without taking risks, we don’t grow.
Summary
In order to grow into the bigness of your vision, and to re-frame the way you view mistakes and the return on your investment, implement the aforementioned 5 strategies. They are sure to help you step out of “smallness” you’re used to and into the “bigness” of which is calling you.
To your playing big into the large voice calling you,
Cher
I so agree with the “speak from your heart” part of your list, Cher. When we feel passionate about what we’re talking about, it makes a huge difference in our delivery.
I love the concept of embracing discomfort! In order to expand we need to wear different shoes – so doing some positive self talk goes a long way toward getting comfortable! I do many presentations and have found when something is new I practice in the mirror, and with others as much as possible to be at ease with the material and my message. Public speaking is a process. Feels so good once accomplished. Great insight Cher – thank you!
Hi Cher,
I love your tips on how to play bigger in the speaking arena. These are so refreshing and different from so much of what is out there. There is a truly holistic approach in what you share. Tips that allow people to be authentic in the way they approach public speaking. We need people to be more real, not more slick. Thanks for a great post!
I’m with Christine. I love the way your tips remind me to bring my heart, deliver the message that I have to deliver, and know that my conditioned self is going to step up to keep me in my place. I embrace the process, and know that the results will come in their own good time. Thanks for the tips!
This is my favorite of all of your posts so far! ~ I love the focus on “reframing” and the excellent tips that you give. ~ And the image you’ve selected for this post is perfect! 🙂
Cher – What really resonated with me was your mention of how important it is to “Prepare for Success”. This is a very powerful mindset! If we don’t prepare to succeed we won’t take the inspired bold actions necessary to bust through our fears so we can play BIG! Thank you for sharing your heart-felt wisdom 🙂
Teena
http://www.coupletherapyconnection.com
Hi Cher,
The 5 strategies you mentioned are very helpful to achieve our goals. I also agree that the image and the accompanying message are very inspirational. I personally found the 5th strategy, “Embrace healthy discomfort as a good sign” to be very crucial in the whole process because it will keep us going regardless of the outcomes.
Yerusalem,
I’m glad these strategies are helpful and that you are inspired by the photo of the birds. Yes, the fifth strategy has been monumental in my own inner success. Your insight to be free of the outcome is most likely a large part of your success too.
To your healthy discomfort,
Cher
Teena,
You’re so very welcome 🙂 Preparing for success has been a huge strategy for as you put it, “taking the inspired bold actions to bust through our fears!”
To your BIGNESS,
Cher
Tina, thank you so much 🙂 I’m glad the reframing tips were helpful to you.
Cher
Kailean,
You’re so very welcome 🙂
To your results,
Cher
Christine, thank you for your insight and description of being more real, not more “slick”-very entertaining and true 🙂 I’m glad you found the information refreshing. Yes, I do approach my work very holistically, even directing guided meditations in sessions. Many of my clients tell me they experience inner shifts in their personal lives as well as their professional endeavors, which I believe speaks to the holistic approach.
To your “realness”,
Cher
Veronica, I love your description “Feels so good once accomplished” and your metaphor of wearing different shoes 🙂 Practicing in the mirror is a strategy I recommend to clients as well as video-taping 🙂 Like you said, it creates that “ease”.
Cher
Bonnie,
Speaking from the heart is such a great foundation for connecting 🙂
Cher