A favorite hack to overcoming stage fright
Maxwell Maltz said, “Your nervous system cannot tell the difference between an imagined experience and a ‘real’ experience.”
This is why one of my favorite hacks to overcoming stage fright is to perform when no one is there.
For years, I’ve always arrived at my training rooms or keynote stages before anyone is there. I’ll hop up on the stage, look out at the empty seats, and visualize myself in the following two ways:
Walking, talking, and delivering my message with confidence, remembering everything I’m supposed to say and owning the stage.
Speaking to a full room of focused attendees who are laughing, taking notes, and completely engaged with my presentation.
I only need 2-3 minutes for this ritual of mine and it makes all the difference. How do you handle your public speaking jitters?