“What if I forget what I want to say? What if my voice shakes? What if I embarrass myself?”
These are some of the most common concerns I hear when people talk about their fear of public speaking. For some, the anxiety starts days before a presentation. For others, it shows up the moment they walk into the room and realize that everyone is looking at them. Their heart starts racing, their breathing changes, and suddenly they become very aware of their voice, their hands, where they are standing, and whether they are saying the “right” thing.
Then the thoughts start. What if I mess this up? What if I forget everything? What are they thinking about me?
Telling ourselves to “just be confident” usually does not make those thoughts disappear. What helps more is having practical tools we can use when the nervousness shows up. Over the years, I have found that a few simple practices can make public speaking feel much more manageable.
Start With a Thoughts Detox
Before a presentation, take a few minutes to pay attention to what you are telling yourself. Write down the thoughts that are running through your head, whether they are “I’m going to forget everything,” “I’m not good at public speaking,” “Everyone is going to notice how nervous I am,” or “I’m going to embarrass myself.”
Then go back and write what you want to tell yourself instead. “I’m going to forget everything” might become, “I don’t have to remember every word. I know my main points.” “I’m not good at this” might become, “I have done difficult things before, and I can do this too.” “Everyone is going to judge me” might become, “I have something valuable to share.”
I call this a Thoughts Detox. The goal is not to pretend the nervous thoughts are not there. It is to notice them and intentionally replace them before they start taking over. Sometimes the conversation creating the most anxiety is the one happening inside our own heads.
Stop Trying to Memorize Every Word
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is trying to memorize their entire presentation. The thinking is usually, If I can memorize exactly what I am going to say, I will feel more confident. In reality, it can create even more pressure because the moment you forget one sentence, you may start worrying that everything else is going to disappear too.
Instead, create a simple one-page outline that reminds you of the flow. You can use a few words, symbols, or even emojis to help you remember what comes next. An outline might look something like: opening question, data, story, key message, audience question, practical tool, and closing.
You already know the material. The outline is simply there to guide you. There is much more freedom in knowing where you are going than trying to remember every single word you planned to say.
Use Your Breathing to Calm Your Body
Fear of public speaking does not only happen in our minds. Our bodies respond too. Our heart starts racing, our muscles tighten, and our breathing can become faster and more shallow.
One simple technique that can help is the 4-4-4-4 breathing exercise. Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Then repeat the cycle a few times.
You can do this before walking into the room, while sitting in your car, backstage, or even quietly at your seat before a meeting begins. It gives your body a chance to settle before you ask it to perform.
Create a Pre-Presentation Routine
I am a big believer in creating a routine before an important presentation. It does not need to be complicated. You might listen to music that helps you feel grounded, read a few affirmations out loud, take a short walk, or spend a few minutes visualizing yourself walking into the room, starting your presentation, connecting with the audience, and finishing successfully.
If possible, visit the room before your presentation. Stand where you will be standing, look at the screen, walk around the space, and check the microphone or technology. When the presentation starts, there is already enough happening. Making the environment familiar can remove one more source of uncertainty.
Over time, these small practices can become part of your personal routine and help signal to your brain that you are prepared and ready to begin.
Prepare a Question for the Beginning
The first 30 to 60 seconds of a presentation can sometimes be the hardest. You have just walked to the front of the room, everyone is looking at you, and your heart may still be racing.
One thing that can help is preparing an open-ended question for the audience. You might ask, “How many of you have experienced this?” or “What has been your biggest challenge with this?” or “When you hear this topic, what immediately comes to mind?”
While people are thinking and responding, you get a moment to breathe, look around the room, and settle in. It also immediately creates engagement. Instead of feeling like you are performing at the audience, you start having a conversation with them.
Record Yourself and Ask for Real Feedback
Most of us do not enjoy watching ourselves on video, but recording yourself can be one of the best ways to improve. Practice your presentation, record it, and then watch it back. Pay attention to your pace, your voice, your body language, and the moments when your energy changes. Notice where your message is clear and where it may need more work.
You can also use AI to help you review your presentation. Instead of asking, “Is this good?” ask for critical feedback. You might say, “Think like an executive sitting in my audience. Where am I losing your attention? What is unclear? What should I simplify? What would make this presentation stronger?”
You can ask a trusted colleague the same questions. The goal is not simply to hear that you did a good job. The goal is to discover what you can improve before you are standing in front of the actual audience.
Practice also makes the experience more familiar. When you have already worked through the presentation several times, the real presentation no longer feels like the first time you have ever done it.
Take Care of the Small Things
Sometimes the things that increase our anxiety have very little to do with the presentation itself. The technology is not working, we cannot find the clicker, our throat is dry, our shoes hurt, or we had too much coffee and now our heart is racing even faster.
Those details matter. Arrive early, check the technology, have a backup of your presentation, wear something you already know is comfortable, and keep water, tissues, and cough drops nearby. Think about what you eat and drink beforehand as well. If caffeine tends to increase your anxiety, consider skipping it before you speak. A filling, healthy meal and something like mint, chamomile, or lemon tea may work better for you.
Preparation is not only about knowing your content. It is also about taking care of the small things so they do not become unnecessary distractions when you are trying to focus on your audience.
Make the Presentation About the Audience
This may be the most important shift of all. When we are nervous, our attention naturally turns inward. We start wondering how we look, how we sound, whether people noticed a mistake, and what everyone is thinking about us.
Instead, try shifting your attention toward the people in front of you. Ask yourself, “How can I help them? What do I know that they need to hear? What value can I give them today?”
That changes the purpose of the presentation. You are no longer standing in front of the room trying to prove that you are a good speaker. You are there because you have something to give, whether that is an idea, a solution, a new perspective, useful information, or a story that can help someone see something differently.
When we focus less on how we are being perceived and more on the value we are there to share, public speaking can begin to feel very different.
You Can Be Nervous and Still Be Effective
You may still feel nervous before your next presentation. Your heart may still race, you may forget something, or your voice may shake for the first few seconds. None of that means the presentation has failed.
Every time you speak, you learn something about yourself. You discover what works, what helps you settle in, how to recover when something does not go exactly as planned, and what you want to do differently next time.
The goal is not to become fearless. The goal is to have tools that help you manage the fear so it does not stop you from sharing what you have to say.
Before your next presentation, instead of telling yourself, “I can’t do this, what if I embarrass myself?” try instead asking, “What can I do to support myself when the nerves show up?”
That is a much more useful place to begin.
Dima Ghawi is the founder of Rise Beyond™, a global leadership development company that helps individuals and organizations build resilient, future-ready leaders. Through transformational keynote speeches, leadership development programs, executive coaching, and her global leadership community, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals around the world to expand their leadership potential, navigate change with confidence, and turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
Learn more at DimaGhawi.com, RiseBeyond.pro, ToolKit.RiseBeyond.pro, and BreakingVases.com.
