Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life: How to Unlock Your Full Potential for Success and Achievement

PRACTICE SYSTEMATIC
DESENSITIZATION
Many people fear public speaking. But Toastmasters International
has developed a powerful method of teaching public speaking even
to people who are absolutely terrified of the idea of standing up and
speaking in front of others. It is the process of “systematic desensiti-
zation.” You can use it in every area of your life to reduce fear and
build courage.
Systematic desensitization is a psychological term that refers to
your doing something over and over again until it no longer holds
any fear for you. In Toastmasters International, each member is re-
quired to stand up and speak, even if just for a few seconds, at every
meeting. After several months of weekly meetings, people who were
so terrified of speaking in front of others that they could not lead
silent prayer in a phone booth become so confident about their abil-
ity to stand up and speak in front of peers that they compete for
longer opportunities to talk.