Stage fright:Physical Preparation 101

Stage fright:Physical Preparation 101

EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION TRAINING 

Our primal brain shuts down normal functions as the 'fight or flight' impulse takes over. (See FEAR under the acronyms section - warning - there is some adult content among the acronyms for training and presentations.)
But don't worry - your audience wants you to do well. They're on your side.
They're pleased it's you up there and not them.
All you need to do is be prepared and practice your material, and everything will be fine. As the saying goes, don't try to get rid of the butterflies - just get them flying in formation.
(Incidentally if you know the origins the wonderful butterfly metaphor - typically given as "There is nothing wrong with stomach butterflies! You just have to get them to fly in formation!"
So, how do you settle the butterflies and get them flying in formation?
Good preparation is the key to confidence, which is the key to you being relaxed, and this settles the butterflies.
Good preparation and rehearsal will reduce your nerves by 75%, increase the likelihood of avoiding errors to 95%. (Source: Fred Pryor Organisation, a significant provider of seminars and open presentation events.)
And so this is the most important rule for effective presentations and public speaking:
Prepare, which means plan it, and practice it.
Then you'll be in control, and confident. Your audience will see this and respond accordingly, which in turn will help build your confidence, and dare we imagine, you might even start to enjoy yourself too. Follow these steps and your sure to avoid stage fright!