Thanks for all of the great entries!  It was tough to pick a winner this month. There were many good questions and some of them were technical in nature and others were a revelation of the fear that many people possess. Our two winners seemed to really have some serious fear when in front of large groups so I had to award the prizes to them because of their honesty. Perhaps winning a contest will give them a reason to smile the next time they are about to present in front of a group and that will help loosen them up a bit. I think some of the answers that all of those with questions had can be found in the advice Read More...

When it comes to public speaking, there are two extremes of the speaking spectrum – those who are terrified of presenting to a group and those who always jump at the chance to be in front of an audience. Most people fall somewhere between these two points depending on the size and make up of the audience. Where are you on the speaking spectrum?

In the business world, it is often our job to lead meetings, give presentations to clients and talk in front of rooms full of people. Being an effective communicator, both one-on-one and in front of a group, is necessary to inform, educate and persuade. The better you are able to express your ideas, the more success you will experience.

This month’s contest has two Read More...

What’s scarier to most Americans than spiders, heights, or even death? There hasn’t been a horror movie made about it yet, but more than 75% of Americans surveyed report that they suffer from “glossophobia,” a debilitating fear of public speaking.

Statistically, far more of us claim that we would prefer death to giving a speech; even comedian Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy. 

Why is the prospect of trying to communicate information in front of even one person so horrifying? Most glossophobes fear looking bad, being criticized, suffering rejection, and losing business or Read More...

Fear once had a very basic purpose-it ensured our survival as human beings. This intense, natural instinct is rarely necessary in our modern society today. Though you might feel panicked when you are running late or doing something for the first time, these situations can’t compare to what a cave-man must have felt when a saber tooth was about to eat him for lunch.

Fear is All About Imagination

We are incredibly creative, and have an outstanding ability to create fantastic scenarios in our minds. Our thoughts are so powerful that they can produce measurable physical responses within our body, even when there is no real danger.

When it comes to the pursuit of goals and dreams, Read More...

Download the 5 Steps for Getting Past the Fear of Public Speaking mp3
(1. Right click the link 2. Choose “Save Target As”)

Jerry Seinfeld once said that at a funeral, most people would rather be in the coffin than standing in front of the group giving the eulogy.  This is said because a fear of public speaking is a fear of many people.  It’s a real fear, known as speech phobia, and the effects of this fear, according to some, are a fast heartbeat and dry mouth before speaking.  Some people actually say they feel faint before speaking in front of a group.  Their Read More...