Demystifying Public Speaking Nerves
When I first started public speaking, I hated the nerves.
“The nerves of danger” is what I considered it.
Still remember it like it was yesterday.
I had to give a 5-minute presentation about myself to give to a club that I wanted to join.
5 minutes.
That’s not too bad, right?
Wrong.
It was THAT bad.
When the club announced that potential new members had to give a 5-minute presentation on themselves… I was terrified.
It didn’t matter that I had to talk about ME.
It should be easy to speak about me!
But that was not remotely the case.
That day, I ended up feeling so many nerves, that I turned a 5-minute speech into a 35-second one.
Others thought I was arrogant for making my speech so short.
They thought I didn’t care about joining the club.
But that’ wasn’t the case.
Public speaking nerves got the best of me.
Everyone has a plan…until they are terrified.
It’s time that we understand these nerves on a deeper level.
If the public speaking nerves aren’t going to go away, then lets at least learn how to work with them.
Better yet….LEVERAGE them.
Why do we Feel Public Speaking Nerves?
That speech day, I learned how public speaking nerves can come out of the blue moon.
Why was this?
It’s because public speaking is an unnatural act.
We rarely are put in a situation where we have to talk in front of a large-scale group.
One on one conversation? Sure, we can do that.
Talking in a small group? Sure, we can do that.
‘How come I can talk to friends in a group, but not give a speech?’
Because typically, when you are talking to friends in a group, y’all are all having a bunch of conversations.
Tim is talking to Julie & Sam.
You are talking to Mikey.
Russell is talking to Jose.
Everything is DECENTRALIZED.
While with public speaking, the interaction is CENTRALIZED…
You are the central node.
The star of the show.
Us humans crave the spotlight, until we get it.
And that’s when we start to feel the fear.
So let me reiterate…
Public speaking nerves spike up because you’re doing a task that is outside your traditional comfort zone.
Is the Public Speaking Nerves Bad?
‘Alright, Armani.. You told me why I have these nerves. Now tell me how to get rid of it!’
Whoa… wait up there bud.
Why do you want to get rid of it?
‘Because I’m scared!’
Let’s take a pause for a second.
Aren’t you also scared while watching a scary movie?
More specifically, that one scene where the curious lady is going into the DARK room.
You know..
The room with the serial killer!!?
We feel scared during those moments.
That suspense causes similar sensations as the public speaking nerves.
Heart beats fast.
Tingle down our spine.
Skin feels chills.
Yet, we watch scary movies after scary movies.
Why?
It’s because humans LOVE to feel.
We consume most entertainment because it makes us feel a certain type of way.
Otherwise, we would not consume it.
The main difference between a horror movie & public speaking is a matter of choice in the feeling process.
We have the CHOICE to feel a certain way for a horror movie.
But we don’t have that same level of control in regards to public speaking.
However, what if I told you that those nerves were needed?
That those nerves were not your enemy, but rather your friend?
Would you still want to kill it off then?
‘If these nerves were my friend, then no. I’d like to keep them. But I doubt that’s the case!’
Well, your doubt is incorrect, my friend.
Your public speaking nerves is nature’s ways of telling you to WAKE UP.
Nature’s Red Bull
Nature’s Red Bull comes down to you feeling strong sensations.
And these sensations can be self-generated.
Just imagine that.
You can get a Red Bull (energy) anytime you desire (envision the right scenario).
Any person who has been public speaking for YEARS will tell you that they feel nerves.
Every time they have to give a talk.
And if you probe even further.
They’ll tell you that they would have it NO other way.
Why?
It’s because, for them, they don’t use words like ‘public speaking nerves.’
-That conditions the minds towards negativity.
They view those nerves as energy.
-That conditions the minds towards neutrality.
A big part of emotional intelligence is to use fewer words (at times) to describe your feelings.
Just FEEL your damn feelings.
Meaning that you physically sit with the feelings & learn to become friends with it.
Sort of like a body meditation.
Avoid picking up your phone.
Turning on your TV.
Or distracting yourself with narcotics when you feel these ‘nerves.’
All you’re doing is treating these nerves as an enemy.
If you want to become friends with the nerves, then just sit with it.
Welcome it.
The more you sit with the feelings, the better you feel.
Sitting with this energy makes you more emotionally intelligent.
You control your energy, not the other way around.
Leading up to a speech, you feel a fuck ton of tension.
That’s the perfect time to drink Nature’s Red Bull.
A speaker who feels the EXACT same on speech week as he/she does when there is no speech, tends to be boring.
They don’t rise to the occasion.
Because in their mind…there is no occasion in the first place!
A lack of nerves makes you a bland, boring speaker.
Your goal is to never kill the nerves.
It’s learning how to LEVERAGE it.
And the way that you leverage the nerves is by sitting with it, so it becomes integrated into your being.
Welcome Nerves & Conquer Public Speaking Fear
Your nerves were always a sign bud.
And if you are reading this portion, then you have knowledge that unfortunately, many others never will.
They don’t ask questions when they are confused.
Rather, they just mail it in.
Acting like a victim.
You now know that your nerves are just a part of the process.
Rather than acting like you are the only person in the world going thru it…
Realize everyone goes thru it.
This gives you a sense of peace knowing that you are not alone.
Now embrace those nerves.
They will always follow you in all facets of life that requires you to rise to the occasion.
So you know what to do.
RISE.
Dominate.
Conquer the #1 fear on the planet like a warrior.
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– ArmaniTalks 
