Conquering Fear of Public Speaking and Giving a Great Presentation

I am a shy person by nature. The thought of getting up and delivering a speech in front of a crowed usually has me breaking out into a cold sweat. Strangely enough during high-school I was a state level debater and during my university years I often gave motivational speeches to the other students. Did I conquer my fear of public speaking? Not exactly. I did however, learn to deal with it. I did so in these few easy steps.

1. Being nervous: Being nervous is actually a good thing in moderation. It means that you care about the outcome and how you will be percieved by others. If you are not nervous at all then, soething is amiss. What is most important is how to channel this nervous energy.
2. Do not memorize: It is always a bad idea to simply memorize your text. This is because if for any reason, you are distracted, it is very difficult to remember where you stopped and you will be left speechless to continue. It is a better idea to have an overview of your speech. Divide it into several easy to remember parts (introduction, point 1, point 2, conclusion). This way, you will always have an idea as to where you were.
3. Do not read: If you are presenting with audiovisual aid (such as Powerpoint presentation), do not cram all your text into the slide and proceed to red directly from it. Instead, put keywords that will jolt your memory as to what you intend to say about each slide. This will make your presentation more interesting and easy to follow.
4. Practice, practice and practice: Like they say, practice makes perfect. Try practicing in front of a mirror, your parents, little brother or the family pet. Just familiarise yourself with the text until you are comfortable with it and the words flow easily.
5. Enjoy yourself: Seriously. Instead of dreading the occasion, try and put a positive spin on it. This is the time for you to shine by sharing with everyone what you know. For those few minutes, think of everyone just hanging on your every word.

Although I still get nervous about speaking in public, there is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get from a job well done. Good luck!