18 tips on how to overcome stage fright and present confidently

Stage fright

Recommendations on the test bench. Not only the recommendation to use alcohol to reduce stage fright, fear of speaking, and performance anxiety quickly backfire. Here are 18 more beneficial tips to manage presentation nerves.

Overview

Not everyone is happy about stage fright

Film director Michael Bay can tell you a thing or two about how stage fright can manifest itself in front of an audience. In his films like Transformers, it gets wild. But at the presentation of a new television set, he had to flee from the stage because of a defective teleprompter. He lacked the words. Such a blackout is rarely a pleasure! The primeval mechanism is in all of us. In exceptional situations, it should help us to ensure our survival. So it is well-meant by evolution but rarely turns out to be helpful in today’s world. Speakers in balance are more convincing. I will help you to feel comfortable during your presentation.

What is stage fright?

When stage fright is felt, adrenaline and noradrenaline are released by the adrenal cortex. Typical consequences are a nervous feeling in the stomach area, the heart is beating faster, the knees become weaker, the hands moist. An unpleasant cycle begins. The reptilian brain is alert to danger and wants to improve our chances of survival. Good intentions, but…

Symptoms of stage fright

Typical symptoms that sufferers experience:

• Increased heartbeat
• Wet hands
• Dry mouth
• Urge to urinate
• Discomfort

Symptoms that can be seen from the outside:

• Blushing
• Hectic speaking
• Unsteady movements
• Avoidance of eye contact
• Shaky voice

Good to know: Most of the time, the audience is far less aware of this than those affected fear.

Causes of stage fright

Possible causes for stage fright are:

• Perfectionism
  Those who want to be perfect often achieve the opposite by doing so. So tense, it becomes more difficult.
• Poor or no adequate preparation
• Inexperience
• Lack of routine takes up a large part of the attention.
• An unpleasant experience in the past
  Early traumatic experiences often play a role, especially in cases of very intense stage fright and fear of speaking. You do not have to consciously remember them, and they do not have to have happened in a real performance situation. The human unconscious has its own opinions and ways of protecting us from potential dangers.
• Fear of rejection
• Low self-confidence
  Brooding, doubt, and self-deprecation do not encourage one to feel comfortable in front of an audience.
• Fear of failure
  In their minds, some people construct disaster scenarios that even horror movies can hardly keep up with.
• Obstructive convictions and beliefs
  We are usually not aware of them, and they seem to be all the more influential in the background.
• Self-sabotage
• Bad habits
• Too much caffeine and …
  This gives the body additional stimulation and intensifies the symptoms, and the nervousness after a pot of coffee increases.
• Fear of Murphy’s Law

Household remedies to take away stage fright and speech anxiety

Many secret recipes are supposed to help with stage fright. Some of them do more harm than good, though.

Frequently heard recommendations:

• Practice, practice, practice.
  Yes, and please properly and not forcefully.
• Memorize the whole speech
  This will not be a pleasure for the audience and will cause you even more stress if you just don’t want to forget a word.
• Teleprompter
  So does Barack Obama. Whether this can be adequately realized in your situations remains questionable.
• Making friends with stage fright
  In principle, this is true, but there are limits to what can be achieved.
• Arrive early and relaxed at the venue
  A very good idea.
• Put all text on PowerPoint slides.
  Instead, it would be better to distribute your message by e-mail and stay at home.
• Relaxation techniques
  Yeah, a good idea for the prep. There is a wide range of choices, you will find a suitable relaxation technique.
• Meditate
  Yes!
• Chewing gum
  Welcome to the Wild West. Beware in Europe.
• Bring the magic rabbit’s foot or any other amulet.
  I have no experience in sorcery and I could not find any approved studies about it.
• Ignore stage fright, just don’t think about it.
  Easier said than done!
• Pretend you don’t have stage fright.
  Someone said, “Stage fright is an attempt to pretend you don’t have stage fright.” But that shouldn’t lead to more pressure because you feel you have to pretend.
• Start the speech with a very funny joke
  Beware!
• Move back and forth a lot in front of the audience to relieve stress.
  This will neither please the audience nor benefit your mental condition.

18 tips to dissolve and relieve stage fright

There are numerous tips for dealing with stage fright. However, although they will usually bring some relief if the anxiety is deeper-seated, they will probably have a short-term effect. It is then much more recommendable to deal with the resolution of intense stage fright and speech anxiety with professional help.

1. Practice, practice, practice

Good preparation is essential in the case of stage fright. You need to practice as much as necessary before the performance or public speaking.

Good preparation is essential in the case of stage fright. However, it is not just a question of frequency. Especially very frequent rehearsals can further aggravate the situation if they are unfavorable.

The justified impression of being well-prepared is good for self-confidence. Pressure and perfection hurt.

2. Develop a routine

It helps to develop a routine and to become familiar with performance situations. This works for stage fright, but not to the same extent for speech anxiety. This requires psychotherapeutic support.

3. Do not dress up

Wear comfortable clothes. Make sure that you feel comfortable in your clothes and do not dress up. Otherwise, you will not feel comfortable, and the audience will see that. If you do not wear high heels otherwise, it is better to avoid wearing them on stage. Otherwise, it will be very shaky and the others will probably have more fun than you.

4. Keep calm

Don’t rush your speech or presentation. Start slow and allow yourself time to get into a comfortable pace. Take your time to get used to the audience, and offer the audience the necessary time to get used to you. You could do that by starting with a story. Storytelling is not only helpful at that moment.

5. Don’t apologize for being nervous

Most of the time, no one in the audience will notice you are nervous. Why should you tell them? You may feel yourself shaking and shivering, while your audience might not be aware of it. Don’t mention it. It will make your audience nervous too.

6. Support

Look for professional support. Let us help you maintain your condition management, uncover causes, and reduce their influence. There are coaches with the appropriate psychological-therapeutic training and the necessary certification.

7. Physical activity

Stress can be reduced by supporting movements, gestures, and facial expressions. The appropriate use of body language improves both one’s own condition and the effect on the audience. A change of location can also serve the message if it serves a strategy.

8. Maintain posture

Body language affects not only observers but also ourselves. Rely on body postures that serve the management of the condition. A good posture is not a matter of course, this also requires practice.

In addition, there is a connection with sovereign posture and mental security. So-called “Power Postures” are even supposed to have an impact on our body chemistry. Use this!

9. Breathing

Many people underestimate the effect of breathing. The use of appropriate breathing techniques is very helpful. Nervousness is accompanied by fast, short breaths and if this is not addressed, it will throw you off balance.

10. Self-programming

Constructive autosuggestion and self-programming are much more conducive than negative self-talk. Inner dialogues are often more hurtful than the most devastating criticism of other people.

11. Hypnobalancing™

If nothing else helps: Hypnobalancing™ offers proven techniques for resolving intense stage fright and speech or performance anxiety, as well as promoting helpful mental states.

12. Professional feedback

Very few speakers can realistically assess their impact themselves. How do you make an impact, what potential is waiting to be awakened? Professional feedback gives you the necessary feedback and hints on what you can improve.

13. Mental training

Mental training is intensive virtual training in which you experience without risks, release blockages, and strengthen your confidence.

14. Plan B

Having a few backup strategies in place is reassuring. Knowing what is possible even in a blackout gives a good feeling.

15. Be confident in dealing with technology

Use modern technology for the presentation. It can all be quite simple, but often it is not. Even using a teleprompter is not as easy as it looks. Beat Murphy and get ready. Double-check everything in advance.

16. Have encouragement in the audience

Bring a person of trust to the opportunity to speak, actual, or virtual. That feels good. For very important speeches, I sometimes sit in the audience of my clients.

17. Structure

Whether you call it workflow, structure, procedure, or rituals, it makes things easier. Familiar processes relieve the mind. Checklists, if necessary at least in your imagination, provide security.

18. Positive anchors

From chaos to calm. Set positive mental anchors for good conditions yourself or with support. Safety, confidence, quick-wittedness, humor,… Your choice! Learn from Pavlov and the dogs.

The anchor serves as a reminder or a trigger. The simplest way to explain an anchor is to think of it as a link to an emotional state.

Help with Stage Fright

Success often requires speaking and presenting effectively, convincing others, and advocating for your ideas. Yet, many remain silent because they suffer from intense stage fright. While a little anxiety can be stimulating, excessive fear can cause people to freeze and hold back their valuable contributions.

Does stage fright or performance anxiety block you and thwart your ambitions? Don’t let fear keep you silent—take action! It is entirely possible to overcome your fear of public speaking and perform with confidence.

Why Work With Me?

Benefit from my expertise in:

• Marketing
• Psychology (I am a therapist)
• Communication

Ready to overcome stage fright and deliver your message with confidence? Learn more about my approach in my profile.

Your Options

You can decide how much effort to invest based on the benefits you expect to gain. Here you can find information about the fees for my support.

Not in Berlin? No problem! I also offer sessions via telephone or video support. However, there are plenty of good reasons to visit Berlin for a personalized session.

Preparing Important Speeches and Presentations

The Art of Effective Communication

Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who do speak are not always successful. True success in communication requires mastering a few additional, critical steps to ensure your message resonates.

Make Your Message Shine

Do you want your message to be convincing and your personality to shine? I can help you prepare your speeches and presentations to achieve exactly that. Whether you need comprehensive guidance or just a few tweaks, you decide the level of support that fits your needs. At a minimum, I recommend a test run with professional feedback to fine-tune both your delivery and your content. This helps you understand how you and your message are perceived, identify what works well, and determine areas for improvement.

Why Wait for Feedback?

Why wait until after your real performance to receive valuable feedback, when it's too late to adjust? Early preparation is key. As the saying goes: 'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.' With thorough preparation, you will not only feel more confident but will also be well-equipped to make a lasting impact.

Tailored Support to Fit Your Goals

You can decide where the effort is most worthwhile, based on the expected benefits. I offer support covering all areas of effective communication, including psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical techniques, and the use of media like PowerPoint. My goal is to help you deliver a well-rounded, impactful presentation.

Flexible Meeting Options

Not in Berlin? No problem. We can meet via telephone or video call. Of course, visiting Berlin can also be an enriching experience, and I am happy to welcome you here.

Overcome Stage Fright

Many people struggle with intense stage fright, which can cause their performance to fall short of its true potential. With my guidance, you can overcome these challenges and deliver your best possible performance. Together, we'll turn anxiety into confidence, ensuring that your message and personality shine through.

Contact Me for More Information

If you have specific questions or want to know more about how I can help, just ask me directly. For questions that might interest others, please feel free to post them in the comments section below.

Looking for Professional Support?

If you're interested in coaching, training, or consulting, have organizational questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, the best way to reach me is through this contact form (where you can choose whether to provide your personal data) or by email at mail@karstennoack.com. You can find the privacy policy here.

Transparency and Frequently Asked Questions

Transparency is important to me. To help you get started, I've provided answers to frequently asked questions about myself (profile), the services I offer, fees, and the process of getting to know me. If you like what you see, I'd be delighted to work with you.

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Related Articles

• Overcome your stage fright or even public speaking anxiety
• Create an excellent speech or presentation as a masterpiece
• 15 tips on how to stand up for your conviction: Be brave, speak up!
• Professional feedback for public speakers: Analysis with recommendations for improvements
• 18 tips to increase your assertiveness

P.S.

You know the feeling of stage fright. How nervous do you feel before a speech or presentation? What are your recommendations for relieving and resolving stage fright?

Articles

This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.

Published: May 1, 2020
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: May 1, 2020
Translation: ./.
German version: https://www.karstennoack.de/alkohol-hilft-bei-lampenfieber/
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