Fear Of Public Speaking

Fear of public speaking surrounds us. Ask anybody how they felt that first time they had to speak in public. Perhaps in a presentation at work, delivering a eulogy for a friend or family member, or even worse, the dreaded best-man speech.

Don't worry, it's perfectly natural. The fear of public speaking is the most serious phobia known to man. In a recent survey, 90% of people said that they would rather die than stand up and make a speech in front of their family, friends and colleagues. This is a serious problem.

But how have we come about this crazy statistic? It's easy. People don't want to make a fool of themselves in front of their peers. I know that when I was a child, I was terrified visiting my aunties and uncles' houses at the weekend, because we were expected to put on a 'party piece', a two minute tortuous entertainment. A song, a monologue or a little dance would do the trick.

Real fear was not performing the 'party piece'. It was a fate worse than a fate worse than death and for me because the fear of public speaking is tied up with the humiliation involved when your 'loved-ones', people who really ought to know better, hold on to this nugget of information knowing that they can use it against you at any time, now or in the future.

Every member of a speakers club knows about that and has overcome that fear. And so can you. Come and join us in the fun and the magic of self-expression.