Views of the art of public speaking. Why do I have a fear of public speaking?

How to change your mindset

In our open step about changing your mindset by Deakin University, experts provide tips on how to rewire your thoughts into more positive ones. This approach can help you get over public speaking anxiety by challenging your negative thought process, and is also a valuable lesson for all areas of life.

When you’re about to give a presentation or talk and you’re feeling terrified, your inner critic might start saying things like ‘I can’t do it’ and ‘I’m not good enough’. However, rather than listening to your inner critic as unquestionable truth, you should stop and think about the thought you’re having. If you acknowledge that it’s just a thought rather than a fact, you’ll become more self-aware and less anxious.

Rather than completely shutting a thought like this down, it might be beneficial to replace this thought with a more considered statement, like ‘This is difficult right now but it will get easier’. This kind of reframed thought still acknowledges how you’re feeling, but isn’t prepping for failure.