How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

For some, speaking in front of a crowd can be exhilarating. For others, it can feel paralyzing. The difference tends to come down to your personal history and experience, according to two faculty members teaching public speaking courses at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

But even if you don’t have many positive formative experiences with public speaking, you can still develop confidence in communicating when all eyes are on you with experience and practice.

How Common is Public Speaking Anxiety?

More than 60% of surveyed college students expressed a fear of public speaking, according to The National Library of Medicine.

Joshua Frye is an instructor for SNHU’s online degree in communication with more than 15 years of experience speaking in front of groups and audiences as an educator. He's seen the prevalence of this fear firsthand while teaching public speaking courses.

“It is more common to have students that are uncomfortable with public speaking than being comfortable with it,” he said. “I remind my students that this is totally normal and something that can be changed over time.”

The fear of public speaking is referred to as glossophobia, according to Medical News Today, and symptoms can range from mild nervousness to severe distress or panic. Frye said overcoming this phobia can be well worth the effort.

Putting the time into improving your public speaking skills could even benefit you in ways you haven’t even considered — regardless of what career you plan to pursue. “Whether it is in an interview, on the job or just learning how to listen and talk to friends, family or strangers. These skills play a crucial role in life,” Frye said.

Why Do You Panic When Speaking in Public?

Glossophobia is classified as a social anxiety disorder, according to Medical News Today.

“The more people you put in the room, the more we feel the perceived weight of social judgment,” said David Hudson, a lecturer for communication programs on campus at SNHU, who teaches public speaking. He's also an emcee and speaker coach for TEDxAmoskeagMillyard and TEDxSNHU events with a wealth of experience early on as a public speaker.

“I was on the debate team in high school and spoke to groups of all sizes as part of various organizations through college including at several national and international conferences,” he said.

According to Hudson, a lack of experience in the area of public speaking can be a main reason behind this fear.

“I think most people, certainly most people who are only rarely called to speak before groups, have some amount of generalized anxiety about it,” he said.

Does Public Speaking Anxiety Go Away?

For Frye, public speaking anxiety is something that can be overcome. In fact, he overcame this fear, personally.

“In my own case, during my first public speaking course I had a ton of anxiety,” he said. “If you had told me then, in my professional career, I would speak to auditoriums full of people on a consistent basis, I would have never believed you.”

Frye said with time and practice, you can become more confident and this anxiety can certainly dissipate. Hudson agreed that the fear of public speaking diminishes over time for most people but noted that it can depend on the individual. Some people don’t experience a huge amount of initial anxiety with public speaking, according to Hudson, and those people will likely be able to overcome their fear fairly easily.

A second group may still be worried about taking the stage even with practice, Hudson said, but they’re able to push forward and perform without much hesitation. “I believe this is where most people end up,” he said.

Finally, a third group of people have a harder time shaking the fear, according to Hudson.

Hudson is in that middle group. “I’ve given hundreds of speeches and presentations, but still feel a few butterflies in my stomach as I walk to the mic,” he said.

But even if you’re in that third group that might have a more difficult time vanquishing this fear, you can still become more comfortable presenting and communicating in public over time.

How Do You Cure the Fear of Public Speaking?

There are a few ways to improve your public speaking skills and work through your fear, according to Hudson and Frye.

Prioritize Practice

Rehearsing your presentations or speeches ahead of time can make the presentation itself much smoother and improve your communication.

“There is no substitute for preparation,” Frye said. “The more you are prepared, the more you can work through any anxiety you feel beforehand or while on stage.”

Grow Your Confidence

Hudson said that confidence is contagious. “Confidence in one area of our life tends to spill over into other areas,” he said.

He recommended a few mini-confidence boosters, like pumping yourself up with inspirational music, practicing a power pose or phoning a friend for a pep talk before stepping out in front of the crowd.

Incorporate Positive Self-talk

It’s important to stay positive and keep the voice in your head in check when you're getting ready to speak in public.

“Learning to acknowledge that voice and put it in its place can be a very powerful tool,” Hudson said. “If that voice isn’t building you up, don’t listen to it.”

Put Things in Context

Next, Frye said to keep in mind that almost everyone in the audience would have the same anxiety as you do. “We are all people who feel the same way about this experience and a lot of this anxiety is just in your head,” he said.

Remember to Breathe

Frye also said focusing on your breathing can be a big help. He recommended taking big breaths, pausing and speaking slowly.

Build Your Experience

Finally, the more experience you have, the easier speaking in front of large groups becomes. Getting more experience in public speaking can be intimidating, but it’s an important step.

It can take time for your anxiety to dissipate, but putting in the effort and implementing public speaking tips like these can be well worth the effort. Remember, Frye himself used to struggle with public speaking anxiety before accumulating experience. Your story could be similar.

“I may be biased, but I think a little public speaking training should be part of everyone’s education,” Hudson said. “If you want to change the world, you’re going to need help. If you want help, you better figure out how to share your story with the world.”

Conquering your aversion to public speaking could be your first step.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor's and master's, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon's short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. They're currently writing their debut novel, which was Longlisted for The First Pages Prize. Connect with them on LinkedIn.